“When was the last time you were angry?” “What’s the last book you read?” “What’s your favorite animal, and why?”
We’ve all heard stories of unusual PT school interview questions, and there’s a chance you’ll be asked at least one. If you Google “common interview questions” you’ve probably come across some of these. I’ve been asked a few myself, and I always try to throw a few in when I do interview prep.
Even when it comes to so-called “normal” questions (“Why do you want to be a PT?” “Why do you want to go to this school?” etc), you can’t practice every single possible question.
So, how do you plan for this situation? What do you do if you’re asked a question you haven’t prepared for?
Here are some tips for answering offbeat PT school interview questions:
- Pause. It can be tempting to word vomit the first random thought that pops into your head, but don’t do that. Instead, breathe, and say, “Wow, that’s a great question. Let me think about that for a minute,” and then actually think for a minute. It may feel awkward, but it’s less weird than rushing to answer a question inappropriately.
- Consider where the interviewer is coming from. Some questions are designed to tell the interviewer more about you and your experiences. Others are designed to show how you think. As a physical therapist, I face unexpected situations every day. I may get a referral for a surgery I’ve never heard of and have to evaluate the patient a minute later. Thinking on my feet is crucial! Some questions are designed to make sure you can think quickly and intelligently through a novel situation.
- Be your own cheerleader. An interview is one of your only chances to leave a good impression on a school or company. Be humble, but don’t be too self-deprecating. Don’t assume the professor or administrator interviewing you has your application memorized, so make sure to emphasize all your accomplishments without assuming things like, “They already know I was president of the Pre-PT society, so I won’t bother mentioning that again.” Each question is an opportunity to highlight good traits about yourself. Use stories and examples that show yourself in a positive light, especially in ways that show why you’ll make a good future PT student and PT.
- Stay positive. We’ve all had jobs we don’t like or professors we don’t get along with. An interview is not the time to bring these things up. Even if you’re describing something that hasn’t gone your way, don’t disparage anyone and don’t be too negative. That is a great way to appear immature and unprofessional – undesirable traits in PT students.
- Have stories prepared. By this point in time, hopefully you’ve been able to get some work or shadowing hours in a PT setting. If not, you surely have job or extracurricular experience working with others. Have a few stories about interacting with patients or peers ready to go in your head that can apply to a few situations. They can describe how you made the best of an awkward encounter or how you helped brighten someone’s day, but having a few stories in the back of your mind will help exemplify your experiences.
At the end of the day, remember that PT schools only take the time to interview students they’re interested in. The interviewer isn’t trying to fail you, and flubbing one question won’t make or break your PT career. If you answer a question awkwardly, take a deep breath, move on, and get through the rest of the interview.
And if you need extra preparation, consider taking a look at my PT school interview preparation course.
You’ve got this!