The physical therapy industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the United States. In fact, physical therapy employment is projected to increase by 15% by the year 2032. Are you among the many people looking for a new job as a physical therapist? Here are some questions you should expect to answer during an interview.

What types of questions can you anticipate during interviews for a physical therapist position?

As you prep for your upcoming physical therapy interview, you’re probably nervous about what questions you’ll be asked to answer by your future employer. Here are a few ideas:

• “What strengths and weaknesses would you bring to the PT team?” — This question is among the most commonly asked interview questions. It’s designed to showcase the extent of your professional abilities and your confidence in them. You should be prepared to highlight some of your biggest strengths and anecdotal evidence to support them. When answering questions about your weaknesses, you should be honest but provide weaknesses that could pivot into strengths. Some examples include “being overly detail oriented,” “having difficulty saying no to others,” or “being overly self-critical.”

• “What do you have the most experience treating?” — This is another question that will likely come up during the physical therapist interview process. You should be ready to describe the typical patient in your previous position and what services and techniques you have the most experience with. You may be able to provide insight and guidance to your future employers in an area they have limited experience in.

• “What are you looking for in a workplace culture?” — This question may be asked by prospective employers interested in a physical therapist with a specific personality type. They may want to improve or maintain a certain workplace culture at their location, and this question is designed to determine what you’d contribute to that culture.

What else should you expect in an interview for a physical therapy job?

It’s important that you come up with detailed answers to the questions listed above, but that’s not all you need to do to prepare. Here are some other topics you should anticipate discussing during the physical therapist interview process:

• Be ready to explain your typical workload — A potential employer will likely want to know your current workload. It helps them determine what your capacity is and if it meets their clinic’s needs. It’s also helpful to establish your typical workload during the interview process so that if you get hired, you’re not overloaded your first week there.

• Be ready to explain how well you keep up with documentation — Every physical therapist knows that documentation and paperwork are a large part of the job. Most physical therapists don’t enjoy the documentation process, but it’s important nonetheless. You should be prepared to answer questions about your personal documentation processes and how well you can complete and organize your patients’ paperwork. How do you ensure that all your documentation is finished? What do you do to get it finished on time? 

• Be ready to showcase your confidence — Employers like to see confidence in prospective physical therapists. It demonstrates that you’re ready to face any workplace challenges head-on and can handle any patient cases that come your way. Being a confident worker can make you an asset to any physical therapy team.

• Be ready to answer questions about your toughest patient case — It’s likely that your future employer will want to know details about your professional experiences in the past. They may ask what your biggest challenge was at your previous physical therapy clinic or your toughest patient case and how you overcame it. Be sure to have a key experience prepared and highlight your professional strengths. 

• Be ready to ask your own set of questions — It’s essential that you have a list of your own questions at hand to ask your interviewers. Not only does it show potential employers that you’re interested in the position, but it’s an opportunity to have any questions about the role answered in depth. You can ask what your daily routine would look like, what your job responsibilities entail, and what the workplace culture is like. Coming up with unique questions is one way to stand out among your competitors.

Ready for a new and exciting career opportunity? You’ll find it at Rehab Access Physical Therapy

Rehab Access Physical Therapy firmly believes that partnership means creating something greater than the sum of its parts. Rehab Access is proud to be part of the Alliance Physical Therapy Partners partnership that brings together physical therapy clinics around the nation to help people get the kind of treatment they’re looking for and then exceed their expectations. 

But we realize that our clinics can’t serve the people in their communities with exceptional physical therapy without amazing PT team members and admin staff. That’s why we’re always on the lookout for hardworking individuals who want: 

• A less hectic daily schedule than most PT providers require. 
• Exceptional health, retirement and wellness benefits. 
• Readily available mentorship and professional development opportunities. 
• To be part of a team committed to caring for its patients and the local community.

Want to learn more about the current career opportunities at Rehab Access? Check out our Careers page.