Although it seems a long time from now, in less than a year I’ll be looking for my first job as a licensed physical therapist! Here’s some advice from a Tumblr friend who just got her first job:
But my job search process began with writing a resume for a my college’s healthcare job fair. College career services is amazing and very helpful. Then at the job fair I researched each place before going, because why waste my time talking to some place I wouldn’t be willing to move to or don’t know what setting it even is. I had a couple interviews from that with one job offer that I turned down cause they wanted me to move. Then otherwise I just have been checking online job search engines, like career builder and indeed, weekly and have been checking individual business websites of locations I feel I’d have an interest working in.
One tip I have is research where you are thinking of applying before you actually apply, and talk to people that either currently or previously worked there (if you know them).
You have to know what you want before you start looking. Pick a setting, pick a time you are actually willing to start, are you willing to move?, would you be comfortable supervising a PTA and if so how many?, and so on. I didn’t start seriously applying till I got home from India because I was gone three weeks and didn’t want to have potential employers call and me to be unreachable. Some people started working right out of school with a temporary license while also studying for the boards. Before the boards I only applied to a couple full time jobs, now that I passed and have a license that was a sign too me to start looking at all other per diem and part time jobs.
Oh also ask your CIs if they’d be willing to be a work reference, most don’t mind but you should always ask. 🙂