Physical Therapists! Top 10 Questions to Ask Before Taking A Job

What’s the company culture like?

Whether you’re interested in a job that allows for flextime, innovation treatment systems that change lives, a therapy aide to assist you throughout the day, having other staff to bounce ideas off of, a lower stress environment, or you’d like to be able to bring your dog into the office, you need to find out what the company culture is like before you’re hired. Ask questions about the organization’s take on work/life balance and what a typical workday looks like.

By asking about office culture you should get the answers to your questions & see if you would be a good fit for this organization and vice versa

Is This Particular Position within this Organization Interesting and Challenging?

Taking a position that you are not passionate about and then getting bored in a month is a bit of a waste. Make sure you’re not only able to do the job, you also find it difficult & challenging (in a good way) at times. Otherwise you’ll probably lose interest a lot faster than you think. Make sure this is the area of Physical Therapy is where you want to work in so that coming to work is a joy and not a headache!

What personalities flourish here?

This question is a must. Most managers can easily identify the type of person who would be successful in their organizations. Their answer will give you a better sense of whether you would be a good fit within the organization.

What personal or professional development opportunities exist?

Learning about a company’s commitment to development can signal how much the organization values its employees. The organization you work for should want you to excel and leave the company with a greater understanding & purpose of the Physical Therapy profession.

Is the Work Environment Somewhere I Can Be Productive?

In other words, is the clinic a place that helps you stay focused and happy? And, do you have the resources necessary for success? It can be a really wonderful job, but if you’re more productive on your commute to work than you are at work, that’s a problem. Ask your employee about the documentation process they use, ask if it is streamlined for less time documenting and more time one on one with our patients (the reason why you became a therapist!)

 

Do you have a bonus program?

A great organization should want you to grow right along with it. Don’t be bashful about asking about the opportunity of advancement. A great organization will want to have you contribute your ideas to help the company grow & help you grow as well.

Why do you like working here?

The answer to this question can be quite telling. “This is a good question to ask the interviewer because it’s unexpected and the response can be revealing,” says career consultant Melissa Cooley, founder of The Job Quest. “While most folks will pause before answering because they aren’t anticipating the question—which is a normal reaction—others may stumble all over their words. If an interviewer has a challenging time forming an answer, that’s worth noting.”

Some interviewers may give a boilerplate response when asked about company culture, says Weinlick says. But with this question, you’ll get an immediate emotional and verbal reaction. “If the response tells you the person isn’t excited to go to work, then ask yourself if you are likely to be any different,” he adds. “Ideally, the interviewer will paint a picture of why you would want to work at the company.”

What values are important to your company?

Getting a sense of the company’s values is extremely important, says Ethan Austin, co-founder of GiveForward: You want to find out whether there’s a common mission or goal that employees collectively work toward—and whether it matches your own values. “If different interviewers give different answers to this question, it’s a red flag to the interviewee that the company is not aligned around a clear mission,” he explains. Is working in an environment where you are valued and not micro-managed sound good to you then make sure to ask what the organizations management system entitles.

What do you think are the top assets of this Organization?

This is a bit of a trick question, but the answer will give you further insight about what it might be like to work at the organization and how the organization values its personnel.

One of the responses should be, Employees, which should be at the top of the list! A great organization will work as a whole body, with each body part of significant purpose & value. You should be considered a component of a team where each contributes to the purpose of changing patients lives. 

Who will I be Working With?

A great team will be your work family & encourage staff to become friends.  You will spend alot of time with these girls/gals and it might sound silly, but literally meeting the potential people you may be engaging with on a daily basis could really seal the deal or make you run for the hills. A great team will want to spend time away from the organization together to engage in outings such as bowing, dinner out etc. Make sure these are the kind of people you could consider family, because a great organization will give you a sense or not making your profession a job, but instead filled with passion & purpose.