Finding A Good Fit & Interview Preparation!

We conducted a survey to find out what new graduates and Physio students need most help with. Below is a list of questions, and their relevant responses, that most often get asked by physio students or new graduates.

If you do have any other questions or queries please let us know and we will do our best to answer them!

Common Professional Questions:

• How do I select the right workplace?
  What do employers look for?
• Anything about the interview process to make it easier to understand and follow?
• If we are struggling to see a patient how do I go about it?
• What are the benefits of FT v/s PT work?
• What courses people usually do in their first few years?
• What stream or work to select…aged care, private practice, rehab, hospital work, acute care etc.?

Questions about Physio skills:

As per the request form… most new physios indicated they needed help with:

• Palpation/ manual handling
• Special tests: How are they applied? When to use them? What’s the specificity and sensitivity?
• Lumbar and Thoracic assessment..?
  Shoulder assessment and management.?
  Pelvic and SIJ assessment ..?
  Hand and wrist
• Cervical and cervical headaches
• I need practice with Manipulation and HVT techniques
• Osteoarthritis in general (hips or knees!)

Come along to hear Mukul speak in person at our upcoming PD sessions at Therapia, where you can ask your own personal questions to help your career growth!

Click the link below to find out more about our upcoming sessions!

Click here to find out more about the New Grad Physio PD Sessions!

Mukul’s Common Responses

We want to help you as much as we can, and thought will start with the most common questions asked first, which is how do I select the right workplace? and how do I do well in an interview?

Before you start applying:

• Try to get some observation in different streams or institutions (acute care, hospitals, private practice, aged care, etc.)
• Try to get some observation and experience in at least 2-3 different practices before picking a favourite
• If possible, speak to at least two to three people working in the organisation (i.e. hospital/clinic) you are interested in or applying to work for – this gives you an insight into the work culture as a team member in that organisation.
• Allow 2-4 weeks to pick a path. Don’t rush!

During the application process:

While applying:

• Make the cover letter personal and intimate. Address the name of the person you are writing to a few times and make sure you get this right. It is funny how many times people don’t check the name of the person they are addressing their application to. It shows either a lack of attention to detail or that it is a simple copy/paste job. Addressing the right person with the right detail conveys that you have done your homework and are genuinely interested in the opportunity, something that employers will respond well to!
• Mention something you liked about their website, such as their practice, their team, or their philosophy.
• Be genuine – if you genuinely do not find anything positive reconsider if you really want to apply to work at that place!
• Set an intention of being there at least for 4-5 years, demonstrating that you would be genuinely invested in growing within your role!
• Mention something in your cover letter or email that stands out to you in the job ad (if you are directly applying), in the conversation (if you had a chat with someone on the phone) or in observation sessions (if you had the opportunity to observe their clinic/workplace). For instance: ‘It was lovely to see Jill in your team, she seems very caring’, or ‘It was interesting to see how that therapist was managing his day’. These sorts of observations demonstrate that you engage with the workplace in question, and have the ability to work as part of a team. Make sure these are genuine statements, people do sense it if you are not being genuine.

What do employers look for:

• Steadiness: someone who has held a position for some time often looks better than someone who has moved jobs every few months, although there may be valid reasons for both!
• Someone with the right attitude and a willingness to learn – and a team player!

On the day of the interview:

• Arrive at least 10 mins before time, being punctual can be the start of a strong first impression.
• Presentation –
  How well the applicant presents is very important – a neat and tidy presentation is what employers will look for. It does not have to be super fashionable – something simple and professional is better. For instance, if someone were hesitant to come in for an interview as they were in their uni uniform… as long as you present well go with it!
• How the applicant acknowledges and treats the admin team or other team members – are they friendly and respectful with everyone (not just the business owner!).
• How they interact with the environment? Do they sit in a corner chair or do they read the notice board? Do they adjust the chairs in the waiting room?

During the interview:

• Feel free to ask questions about the clinic/company.
• Do your homework and have some questions ready.
• If appropriate, ask the interviewer what they are looking for in their ideal candidate.
• Be honest and acknowledge: what you know and what you don’t – pretending you know something when you don’t will not get you far!
• If you are genuinely ready, show the willingness to learn.
• If you do not know the answer to a particular question acknowledge you don’t know and show the willingness to find out and get back to them later instead of trying to make it up. This gives you another opportunity to get in touch with the employers, when the dust has settled, as well as demonstrating your commitment.

After the interview:

• Send an email or a message thanking them for their time and acknowledge if you gained any insights from the conversation.
• Touch base about 1 week later to check the status of the application (just a friendly phone call or email is enough!)

Getting the results of the interview:

• If the interview does not result in the desired outcome, don’t be afraid to ask for feedback, and what you could have done differently or done better!
• Keep in mind sometimes the outcome may be influenced by many factors (such as other candidates, employers taking a different path, changing circumstances etc.)
• Sometimes not getting a ‘desired job’ may be a good thing that happens in your life!
• If you are successful: All the very best and enjoy the new workplace! We wish growth, prosperity and health for YOU, the people you work with and the people you work for!

To learn more about our ethos and values here at Therapia, and by extension the framework that helps us succeed professionally, check out our core values linked below!

Click here to learn about our Core Values!