Graduation season is upon us and that means many occupational therapy students will soon be applying for their first job! This is a very exciting time, but as someone who has recently relocated and gone through the interview process, I understand that it can also be a stressful time. I have moved and changed jobs five times in my eight year career, so I'll let you guess how many times I have interviewed :) Over the years, I've discovered that the key to interviewing is to have stories to tell. Each question that is asked of you is an opportunity to tell a story about your experience and your values. In most instances the interviewer just wants to get to know you (just as you probably want to get to know more about the potential employer). In the OT world, rarely is the interviewer trying to trick you or catch you off guard. With that said, below are some common interview questions for OT positions. I recommend practicing your answers (or stories) for each of these questions out loud prior to your interview. Note: There will always be a question or questions that you are not prepared for. That's okay. As long as you are prepared for some common questions and have some stories prepared, you should be able to handle the unexpected questions. Common Interview Questions for Occupational Therapy Jobs: Why did you decide to become an OT? This is almost a guaranteed question. Be prepared to answer it concisely. This is not the time to go on a long monologue about why you chose OT as a career and how you think OT is the greatest career ever (even though it is). Why do you want to work here? Do your research before you show up for your interview. Know why you want to work at this specific school/facility/hospital. Your answer should not be because you want a job. You have to show them that you want this job. Tell me about your work / fieldwork experiences. What population did you work with? What assessments are you familiar with? This is a straightforward question, but be prepared to answer it concisely. The interviewee doesn't want to know every last detail of your work or fieldwork experience, but they do want to know what makes you qualified for this job. Highlight your experiences that are most applicable to the job you are interviewing for. Be prepared to share ages and diagnoses of clients you have experience with, as well as assessments and practice frames of reference that you used. What qualities do you bring to a team? You can also think of this one as, "What are your strengths?" Be prepared to answer this in one way or another. The interviewer may directly ask you what your strengths are, but I've found that it tends to get asked in a more general "What do you bring to the team?" kind of way. This is a great opportunity to set yourself apart from other applicants. You may have had a unique experience that others have not had, so this is your chance to speak up and share it! What do you think your references will tell us are areas in which you could improve? This is a sneaky way of finding out what you think your weaknesses are. It's okay, no one is perfect and everyone has areas to improve. The tricky part is to be aware of your weaknesses and have an explanation for what you are doing to improve them. It's also good to have a story about how you overcame one of your "weaknesses." What would be your ideal OT department? This question is asking you what your values as an OT are. Reflect on your experiences and think about what you liked or disliked about each. This will help you figure out what an ideal OT department would look like for you. Tell me about a time you have had to advocate for occupational therapy. I don't know if this is a common question, but I was recently asked this question and it caught me off guard a little bit, so I wanted to add it to the list, so you can be better prepared than I was. Unfortunately, in many work environments, OT is still not fully understood, so think about a time that you had to explain the value of OT in the work or fieldwork setting. Tell me about a time that you went above and beyond. This one is always uncomfortable for me, because 1) I feel like I always go above and beyond and 2) I don't like to talk about how great I am, which is basically what this question is asking you to do. It's easiest for me if I have one particular story in my head that I am prepared to share if this question or a similar one comes up. Tell me about a challenging situation and how you handled it. I've found that this is often a three part question: 1) a challenging situation with a co-worker, 2) a challenging client, and 3) a challenging family member. Again, have some stories ready to share. Where do you see yourself in five years? The trick to this one is to be both clear and vague at the same time. Maybe you don't see yourself staying with this particular employer for five years, but now is not the time to say that. Share your career goals, which might include specialty training, gaining a leadership position, or participating in research. Do not say something like, "I hope to be a stay at home mom in five years" even if that is your goal. Make the interviewer feel like they fit into your five year plan. Why should we hire you? This usually comes toward the end, so be ready to sell yourself. I know it can feel uncomfortable, but this is your opportunity to highlight all of your strengths, why you would be a good fit for this particular company, and you can also throw in anything else that you want to tell the interviewer that they didn't ask you. Do you have any questions? This is almost always the last question at an interview. Don't ever answer this question with, "No." Always have questions. I like to go into an interview with a list of questions that I have. Many of my questions are the same from interview to interview, and these general questions often get answered during the interview process. You always want to show that you did your homework prior to the interview, so it's good to scour their website or social media pages to come up with some questions that are specific to the site. I'll cover specific questions to ask a potential employer next week. What is your salary expectation? I've found that this question is not really asked all that frequently, but it's better to be prepared for it, rather than having no idea what to say. Do your homework prior to the interview using sites like salary.com or the Advance for OT Salary Survey results. You may get away with saying something general, like "a competitive salary" or "it's negotiable," but I've found that they employers that ask this question usually want a number, or at least a range. Salaries vary based on location, experience, and practice setting, so use the websites above to help get an idea of what can be expected in your area. Fun questions: I have mixed feelings on the use of "fun" questions in a an interview, but I guess overall they are harmless. The interviewee is just trying to get to know you a little bit and maybe see how well you think on your feet when thrown off guard. In my experience, I've been asked a "fun" question in about half of my interviews. Here are a few examples of fun questions that I have been asked: What is the most recent book you read? I read a LOT of books, so this should be an easy question for me, but I often blank whenever someone asks me this question, whether it's in an interview or just casually. Maybe because I read so many books (and so quickly) that I tend to forget the name of books? I actually nailed this question during one interview. I had recently read a Joyce Carol Oates book and one of the interviewers was a big fan of hers. I got lucky, because many people probably have no idea who that author is and if they do, it may make me look a bit odd due to the nature of the topics she writes about. What would you bring to a staff potluck? This one totally caught me off guard, and I'm not sure why. OT departments always have potlucks. They just do, so consider it part of your new career. I guess we all love food. I usually use staff potlucks as an opportunity to make something I've been wanting to try, but haven't had a chance to do so. What's your favorite Blizzard flavor? Nailed it! Pumpkin pie. And I taught the interviewers about a flavor they were not familiar with. (This question is obviously very regional, because I don't think Dairy Queen exists in all parts of the country.) Are you a xx fan or xx fan? Maybe it's just me that gets this question because I've moved around so much. "Are you a Packers fan or a Broncos fan?" "Are you a Giants fan or a Patriots fan?" "Are you a Red Sox fan or Dodgers fan?" My response is usually along the lines of "Ummm...neither. I mean, I guess I'm a Red Sox fan. Yes, obviously I love the Red Sox. And the Patriots, too. And there's a hockey team here, right? Yeah, the Bruins. I love the Bruins." And then I tell them that I don't actually watch sports because I grew up in Iowa, where there are no professional sports teams, so my family just wasn't into sports. And then that usually turns into a conversation about how corn, not potatoes is grown in Iowa, and Iowa is located right in the middle of the country, you know, the flyover states, and so on..... If these "fun" questions stress you out, don't worry. These are not worth losing sleep over. I think "fun" questions are a sign that you're doing well in the interview, and they just want to get to know you a little better in a less formal way. I've never not gotten a job offer because of my answer to the "fun" questions. In fact, I think I've always been offered a job at the interviews that asked one of these questions. P.S. Tips for preparing for an interview. Good luck with your interviews! Have any other common questions to add to the list? Please share in the comments below!

College Students with ASD | Heading to college soon? Here are some great tips to help prepare you for a successful first year!

The brain is much like the body. If we exercise areas that are weak or underdeveloped, we can overcome significant difficulties. In fact, we may even be able to turn a weakness into a strength. Just like a personal trainer or physical therapist can strengthen an underdeveloped bicep or repair a sprained ankle, a learning specialist or educational therapist can remediate troublesome cognitive processing areas like visual processing or auditory memory. In fact, I often tell my students that I'm a personal trainer for the brain. What is Cognitive Remedial Therapy? Cognitive remedial therapy involves activities that improve mental abilities such as attention, working memory, reasoning, visual and auditory processing, cognitive flexibility, processing speed, stamina, organizational skills, time management and more. In addition, educational therapists and learning specialists can use activities to strengthen other areas of weak cognition such as language, as well as visual and auditory processing. This form of remediation offers a wide range of intensive interventions designed to address and eliminate learning problems. This intervention is individualized for each learner. How Can Cognitive Remedial Therapy Help Students with Learning Disabilities? Cognitive remedial therapy helps to strengthen weak areas of cognition through focused activities that target areas of weakness or deficit. Activities begin at the individual student's level and increase in difficulty as the individual experiences success. The key is keeping the individual in their zone of proximal development, which is an instructional area between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through solving problems with guidance. When remediation focuses intensely on one area of cognition, measurable gains can be significant. What are the Common Key Areas that Students with Learning Disabilities Need to Strengthen? Every student with learning disabilities has their own unique profile, but the following offers a list of some common areas of deficit: Working memory Executive functioning Processing speed Visual processing Auditory processing Attention Memory Sequential processing Reasoning Linguistic skills Higher order thinking Critical thinking How Can I Help? As no two people with learning disabilities are alike, be sure to use a tailored approach that can meet the unique needs of each individual student. If you are looking for cognitive remedial tools, there is a great selection of options at Good Sensory Learning. Cheers, Dr. Erica Warren Dr. Erica Warren is the author, illustrator, and publisher of multisensory educational materials at Good Sensory Learning. She is also the director of Learning to Learn and Learning Specialist Courses. Blog: https://learningspecialistmaterials.blogspot.com/ YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/warrenerica1 GSL Blog: https://goodsensorylearning.com/blogs/news Stores: www.GoodSensoryLearning.com/ Courses: http://www.learningspecialistcourses.com/ Newsletter Sign-up: https://app.convertkit.com/landing_pages/694000

This post is all about self-care!Below you will find 21 self-care ideas that you can practice in college. Life gets so busy at times and it's easy to put your self on the back burner juggling school, work, and relationships. I know your busy and finding time to take care of yourself seems impossible. It's hard,

Wow! It’s almost 2016! Eeeek! Where has the time gone? 2015 has been a truly magnificent year. I’ve accomplished many goals and have continued to improve as a speech-language pathologist. I have lots more room to grow, but I do hope 2016 has many more great things in store! Maybe I’ll finally start eating healthy ... Read More about New Year’s Articulation Freebie!

Discover the perfect at-home triceps stretch for ease and flexibility. Enhance your well-being with this simple and effective exercise.

These following directions worksheets are a fun learning activity. Following directions worksheets help teach kids listening skills.

Physical Therapy school is one of the most challenging and rewarding programs in medicine. When you start PT school, you’ll find yourself surrounded by some of the sharpest students in the country. After all, with an acceptance rate around 50%, Physical Therapy school is extremely competitive. But even though you’ve managed to stand out among the 20,000+ PT school applicants, you’re in for a challenging 3 years as a physical therapy student. As a non-traditional PT student, I started a DPT program already having completed a masters degree. I knew grad school would be a challenge, so creating strong study

Six Apps Every OTA Student Should Have As scooped from: Here is a back to school resource for OTA students from St. Catherine’s University in Virgina. The OTA Blogger shares “Six Apps E…

This product, by Counselor Clique, is the Goal Setting and Soft Skills Classroom Lesson. This resource is an interactive lesson for school counselors to use with high school students or middle school students. This lesson works well to prepare students for the transition to the workforce or college. Students will focus on SMART goal setting, soft skills, verbal communication, nonverbal communication, and written communication. Students will practice writing and addressing letters and writing a professional email. This is a great addition to your high school college and career or social/emotional lessons. Students can type and drag and drop as they interact with this Google™ Slide deck to give immediate feedback and interaction. The slides in this resource come on Google Slides but can be downloaded by the buyer into PowerPoint, image, or PDF format by going to File > Download > and choosing an alternate file type. The Soft Skills Classroom Lesson comes classroom-ready with 17 Google Slides (plus one blank slide) for high school counselors or teachers to use with classroom lessons, small groups, or individual counseling. A front and back printable PDF template for postcards is included. How Can I Use This? in a classroom setting small group setting individual reflection activity If I like this resource, what other resources should I check out? Check out my Job Interview Fan and Pick Cards to add to your soft skills toolkit! Also, check out my College Bundle or my Career Bundle for a few other activities to help your students with their post-secondary plans. What If I Have a Question? Email me, and I'd love to answer any questions you have! How do I stay updated on new products, sales, and freebies? Join my EMAIL LIST to get more tips, freebies, and resource updates! **Follow Me** by clicking the green star by my store name. This is the best way to keep up with what’s happening at Counselor Clique on Teachers Pay Teachers! Rate for Free TpT! Come back and rate your purchase to earn FREE TpT credits to spend in any TpT store! How Should I Follow Counselor Clique on Other Platforms? Check out my blog, podcast, Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram. Terms: Copyright © Counselor Clique (Lauren Tingle). All rights are reserved by author. Your purchase is for one school only. Please purchase multiple user licenses if you plan to use in different settings; these are available at a discounted rate. Clip art and other elements in this product are copyrighted and cannot be used without a license.

Speech Therapy Resources - the best ones for speech pathologists. We hope these will lighten your load, make your job easier, and help you see more progress.

Tension in R Therapy is important. I will tell you how to, and why you should be working on it with students.

Hi everyone! So, if you are a visual learner like me, then you know that learning all of the muscles in the human body can be a daunting task if you don't have visuals to aid in your studying. I spend a lot of time in the cadaver lab and in osteology lab (with skeletal models) to learn all of the di

Or as I'd like to call it, "OT Jargon". The first time many OT's open their first client chart, they be...

Speech and language therapy ideas for SLPs. Tons of resources, DIY, app reviews, and more!

This is a continuation of the post titled “20 Study Tips for PT School”. That’s one of my most popular posts, so I though it was a good idea to explain what I’ve changed abo…

Intubation is a critical procedure for securing the airway in emergencies or surgery. Learn the steps, equipment, and risks involved.

Today I am so excited to have first year OT student, Lauren of Gotta Be OT, share a day in her life. If you are considering a career in OT and have been wondering what the student experience is like, then this is the post for you! Take it away, Lauren! As a first year OT student, I spend most of my time in the classroom learning the foundational concepts of OT in various practice settings and with various populations. Because my schedule varies so widely, I thought it would be helpful to discuss less of the hourly breakdown for my day, and more of what I spend my days doing – or the occupations of an OT student, if you will! If you are planning to attend OT school, here is what you can expect to experience: 7 – 8:30 AM Wake up, get dressed, eat breakfast (sometimes!), and travel to campus. Because I take a bus to school, I use the 10-15 minute commute time to review homework readings, check email, organize my to-do list and plan my schedule for the day. 8:30 or 9 AM to 3 or 4 PM My classes typically begin at 8:30 or 9 AM, and I spend most weekdays on campus. In my program, I typically have only two classes per day and they range in length from 2 to 4+ hours long, depending on the topic and content. Because there is such high variability in course layout, time, and content among all of the many OT schools, I have included descriptions of the most common activities OT students engage in during their in-class time. Lectures and Discussion: Much of my time is spent listening to professors outlining and explaining various topics related to occupational therapy. We view Powerpoints, watch videos of clinical scenarios, and discuss readings and homework. During lecture, we are learning the foundational concepts and skills that will provide the framework for the more “hands-on” work we will do to begin applying these ideas in practice. Group Work: Being able to work well in a group is CRUCIAL to your success in OT school (and anywhere else!). Many people who enter OT programs are frustrated by the amount of group work that is required, but the purpose of it is to help students understand the importance of collaboration, working on a team with other professionals, and how their own personality and skills can both help and hinder them as members of a team in their program and in the future. Be prepared to spend a lot of your time working with your classmates to brainstorm, problem-solve, critique, and develop ideas! Practical, Hands-on Lab Work: This is my favorite part of my classes! A few times each week, we get the chance to administer assessments, conduct evaluations, and practice skills like transferring, interviewing, and client handling we’ve learned about. Occasionally we take field trips to local businesses or practice settings to learn about how what we’re learning in class will apply in “the real world.” Although the lab work doesn’t leave you feeling 100% confident about your abilities, it does give you experience with the various skills an entry-level OT is expected to demonstrate and an important understanding of how difficult many of these skills can be to master! Guest Speakers: I love the hands-on lab activities, but having guest speakers in my classes is my second favorite part of being an OT student! We have had parent panels, OT consumers with disabilities, experienced practitioners, and others come speak to us, and getting their first-hand perspective on what it means to be in any of these positions is a great help for students and soon-to-be new practitioners. Research: Most programs require students to complete a master’s thesis, final research presentation, or other product in order to earn their degree. This looks different on each campus, but you can expect that a high-quality OT program will have students actively engaged in researching an area of interest for a final presentation, designing, implementing, and writing up the results of an independent research project, or participating in a faculty research project. Student Presentations: We spend a great deal of time giving formal and informal presentations throughout the semester. It may be a quick 5 minute oral presentation about a topic you were assigned to research briefly in class, or a lengthier presentation about a particular concept or practice model that you spent weeks researching with people outside of class. Either way, you can expect to see Powerpoints, Prezis, and handouts all the time! 12-1 PM (Lunch) During our 1-hour lunch break, I typically eat lunch, catch up on readings, and/or chat with classmates. On some days I attend professional development or academic events on campus, which is a good way to get a break from class, and the presenters are always informative and enjoyable. 4 – 10 or 11 PM After class, the work continues! I spend 2-4 hours per night doing readings, emailing various people, working on homework assignments, completing projects, and/or researching for class. Additionally, I might have meetings outside of class time to work on group projects with classmates, communicate with my instructors, and organize upcoming events. Because OT school is a very demanding (but rewarding!) endeavor, it’s important to maintain a good work-life balance. At least two nights per week I am involved in leisure activities like my dance classes and Bible study that allow me to interact with people who aren’t in my program, take a break from the books, and relax. It’s vital to build in time for fun to avoid excessive stress and fatigue that can lead to burnout. BONUS: Fieldwork Days All first year OT students have some kind of Fieldwork I (FWI) experience during their first few semesters, although the structure of this fieldwork experience varies greatly by program. In my program, I have had weekly FWI experiences since starting school in the fall, and multiple fieldwork assignments to go along with them. Although what I’m doing on each fieldwork day has varied significantly, here’s a general breakdown of what my classmates and I do on fieldwork days: Observe and practice documentation skills Observe occupational therapy interventions with clients Practice and develop professional written and verbal communication skills via in-person exchanges and email Research interventions, tools, and topics of interest from fieldwork site Assist occupational therapist with interventions Plan (and often implement) interventions with clients Collaborate with other professionals (PTs, teachers, SLPs, etc.) Complete fieldwork assignments Discuss fieldwork experiences and problem-solve with classmates and fieldwork coordinator Overall, the life of an OT student is a constantly changing and often challenging one! Flexibility and positivity are key, and they keep me going on days when I feel like I can’t read another word, write another sentence, or look at another research article. But even after a long day at school, I go to bed knowing that I’m following my dream, and I’m happy to be exactly where I am! Best of luck on your OT journey! Resources For more information about how other OT students occupy their time, you can check out these links: “Life as a VCU OT Grad Student” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waVcKqqLZ_U The “itsmyOT” Youtube Channel has a lot of helpful videos about one student’s journey through OT school. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDwQphTASm6S1qTlecJOfIA Note: I am not a student at VCU or the program that “itsmyOT” attends, but these videos may be helpful to you as you research OT schools and learn more about what attending a master’s level OT program could be like. About Lauren: My name is Lauren, and I am a first-year occupational therapy student at a top research university in the Southern United States. I started blogging a year ago to help increase awareness of the OT profession and provide information to potential OT students, and I’ve had a great time writing, researching, and getting more involved in OT ever since! After I graduate, I hope to work with military veterans, service members, and families to help them engage successfully in meaningful occupations – at least that’s the plan for now! In my free time, I enjoy bellydancing, talking with friends, traveling, and spending WAY too much time on OT-related websites. Connect with Lauren: Blog: Gotta Be OT Twitter: @gottabeOT Email: gottabeOT1 [AT] gmail [dot] com PS - Lauren will be at the AOTA Conference in Nashville, so be sure to look her up!

Every year I have at least 1 or 2 students with really poor handwriting. You know, the students that like to write ONEREALLYLONGWORDWITHOUTANYSPACESINBETWEENANDINALLCAPS! How about the students whose letters always seem to float off the paper like balloons? Or those that can’t even read their own writing, but expect YOU to understand it! Well after years of struggling to read some of my students’ writing, I’ve come up with a few tips and strategies that have been pretty helpful. I’m sharing today in the hopes that they might help you as well! Let me begin by saying that I understand that we live in a digital world where most of what we write takes place on some form of a digital device… However, I also believe that it’s important for every child to be able to communicate effectively the old fashioned way… with a pen or pencil. So here’s how to help those poor babies whose writing might look somewhat like this… Use Graph Paper: I like to use graph paper or grid paper those kiddos that have difficulty with letter sizing. Print out a few copies of this 1 cm graph paper to have handy whenever needed. Then have the child […]

Coming up with OT fieldwork in-service ideas can be tough. For a list of 13 ideas for adult rehab fieldwork, we've got you covered here.

Free NPTE study plans for physical therapy students. Customize any of these plans to help decrease stress and worry about passing the NPTE.

These visual tracking tips and tools will help kids with skills like reading, writing, and other learning tasks. Visual tracking is a visual mobility skill.

Not that anyone asked but here are my 10 tips (not in any specific order) for any newbies entering the pediatric therapy world: 1. Make sure you love kids! - It is super important that you love hanging out with children. You are going to be acting like a kid, joking around with kids and playing games all day. Make sure you like that kind of work. To me, it is the best kind of work there is!!!! 2. Stay current on the top toys, trending items and video games. - Make conversation with the kids. Sure there are plenty of things to talk about with kids but to form a playful bond with them you might need to know who Pokemon, Tinkerbell or Luigi are. And if you don't, just ask. Kids will love to go into details about any toy or game they enjoy. 3. Go for it! - The only way that you will become a great pediatric therapist is through practice. Just like you will expect the children to practice a motor skill over and over again, therapy skills evolve through practice. For example you will need to assess muscle tone and facilitate movements over and over again before you feel comfortable with your clinical decision making skills. 4. Be informed about each child. - You will need to be in contact with many people that surround a child: parents, teachers, friends, school nurse, etc. It can be hard at times in a school district to get a complete picture (medically and educationally) when therapists bop in and out of classrooms. Do your best to gather all the information you can about a child's medical, social and emotional history. 5. Ask for help. - If you are not sure what you are doing from a therapy perspective with a child ask another therapist. First of all we were all in your shoes once. Second of all, occupational and physical therapists are constantly questioning and asking each other for help. Whether we have 1 year experience or 20+ years of experience, we encounter children or situations that puzzle us. 6. If you have no one to ask for help, establish a professional learning network. - There are many opportunities via the internet to connect with other pediatric therapists. Read this previous blog post entitled 5 Ways to Develop A Personal Learning Network. 7. Read, read and read some more. - Stay informed and up to date on the latest evidence based research. Join the pediatric section of the APTA or AOTA. Sign up to receive our newsletter and the monthly digital magazine for pediatric occupational and physical therapists. 8. Take pediatric continuing education courses. - When I first started out, I signed up for so many pediatric therapy courses. It was wonderful. Since I was young and fresh out of school, I did not have many other obligations so I could devote plenty of time to learning new skills. Now that I have a family and run a business it can be difficult to make time for continuing education but I always do. 9. Become informed or stay up to date on technology. - The amount of assistance that children can receive from technology or how they access technology is constantly changing. Stay up to date the best that you can. Follow blogs or different therapists on Twitter to stay informed. 10. Always shoot for the stars! - Children will surprise you at what they can achieve. You may learn in school that you need certain range of motion to complete a skill, and then you will meet a child with significant contractures who can do that skill independently. Be realistic in your goal setting, but if a child wants to accomplish a certain skill do the best you can to help him/her. Anyone care to add some tips to the list...

Yay! It's graduation season! That means OT students all over the country are preparing for their first interviews. How exciting! Over the next few weeks, I'm going to share some tips for successfully navigating the interview process. First up, preparing for an interview. In advance: Do your homework. Research the potential employer and learn what makes them unique or different from other places you are interviewing. This is important for you to find a job that is the best fit for you, and also to be able to ask good questions of your potential employer. Prepare for potential interview questions. Practice your answers! Next week I'll cover common interview questions and how to prepare for them. Questions for the employer. Always be prepared to ask questions at your interview. It's not just them interviewing you, you are also interviewing them to make sure it's a good fit for you. Research salary. Salary varies based on experience, geographic location, and practice setting. Do your research prior to the interview to know what to expect, as well as to be ready to answer the sometimes uncomfortable, "what is your salary expectation for this job?" question. I recommend checking out salary.com and the Advance for OT Salary Survey results. Make sure you know how to get there. I usually ask if there is somewhere specific I am supposed to park and where I should report when I arrive. This reduces my anxiety around not knowing what to expect, because at least I know where to park and where to go in the building. Also, I recommend checking out how long it will take to get there and don't forget to take into consideration the time of day you will be going and if traffic may delay you. Do a drive by if necessary a day or two before to really make sure you know where you are going. Decide what to wear. Dress professionally and choose your clothes prior to the day of the interview. If you pick out your clothes in advance, it's one less thing to think about on the interview day. The day of: Arrive on time! Give yourself plenty of time to get to your interview, including time to find parking and get to where you are supposed to be. You can always sit in your car and review your notes if you arrive too early. It's much harder to make up for arriving late. Dress appropriately. Hopefully you've already decided ahead of time what you will wear, so this is just a matter of putting those clothes on! Remember, dress professionally! Bring everything you need. This might include extra copies of your resume, your OT license, CPR certification, a list of references, a list of previous employers and previous addresses. You probably already filled out an application online when you submitted your resume, but often employers have a paper application that you must fill out when you arrive. Information that is often required is dates of when you were in school, dates and addresses for previous jobs, and previous home addresses (going back seven years) for a background check. Relax and be yourself. The interviewer just wants to get to know you, and hear about your skills and experiences, so relax and show them who you really are! The day after: Follow up. Once you complete the interview, you still have work to do! It's always good to follow up the next day (usually by email) to thank the interviewer for interviewing you, to reiterate your interest in the position, and to highlight your qualifications for the job. Keep it short and sweet. This is not the time to write an essay. Remember, just three things: 1) thank you, 2) your interest in the job, 3) your qualifications for the job. Bonus points if you are able to tie in something the interviewer shared in the interview! Good luck preparing for your interviews! Be sure to stop back next week for common interview questions!

Here are 13 effective ways to support an autistic college student, suitable for implementation by parents and teachers alike. 1. Study autism The more you know about autism, the better equipped you’ll be to make informed decisions for your child or students. Ask questions and educate yourself about different treatment options. Both parents and teachers […]

CFY-SLP: the Survival Guide for Articulation You’ve finished grad school (or are just about to finish grad school) in Speech- Language Pathology. CONGRATS! Perhaps you’ve just started your new position, and you’re pumped to be able to sign that CFY-SLP at the end of your name. You should be proud, because this is a huge...

Letter recognition activities that include movement. Activities that allow you to incorporate movement right into your instructional time!

Speech-language pathologists may be eligible for student loan forgiveness, repayment assistance and refinancing. Learn more here.

Here's a list of must-haves for PT school or grad school in general! These items range from study materials to items to splurge on.

I tried many different study methods, some more effective than others. Some worked well for certain classes and not for others, so I had to adjust for each class and each professor. Hopefully this …

Learn about majors in physical therapy assisting, physical therapy assistant schools, programs, certificates, job outlook and career opportunities.