Interviewing 101
Presented by:
Courtney Woytovich PT, DPT, ATC
Objectives
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Following this session, participants will be able
to:
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Update/create a professional resume and cover letter
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Generate answers to typical questions before your
interview in order to avoid "blanking" in front of the
interviewer
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Identify the positives and negatives of each interview
in order to use it as a learning experience
Your Resume
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Every resume is different
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There is no “right” or “wrong”, just better
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Update your resume and send it to Clinical Instructors, professors, colleagues
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Do not pick an elaborate template from Microsoft Word
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One page, front and back
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Take copies with you for all interviews, even if you previously submitted it
Courtney Woytovich
D P T, B S , AT C
431 Devon Terrace Shillington, PA 19607
CWoytovich@gmail.com
(484) 529-5766
Education
Double major from Ithaca College
Doctorate of Physical Therapy, August 2014
Bachelors of Science in Athletic Training, May 2012
Overall GPA: 4.00
Certifications
Basic Life Skills for Healthcare Providers (CPR & AED)
Licensed Physical Therapist-PA
Certified Athletic Trainer-PA
C u r r i c u l u m V i t a e / Wo r k E x p e r i e n c e
Physical Therapy Work and Clinical Experiences, Patient Populations
Genesis Rehabilitation Services, Reading PA, 11/2014-present
Head Physical Therapist
General debility, Parkinson’s disease, CVA, amputation, cardiac, respiratory,
post-surgical, general orthopedics
WellSpan Surgery and Rehabilitation Hospital, York PA, 05/2014-08/2014
CVA, TBI, SCI, general orthopedic, general debility, Parkinson’s disease,
amputation, cardiac, respiratory
BrownStone Physical Therapy, Macedon NY, 01/6/2014-02/27/2014
General orthopedics, sports medicine, post-surgical, general debility
University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, 01/7/2013-02/28/2013
Post-surgical, medical ICU, surgical ICU, cardiac, respiratory, transplant, trauma,
general debility
NovaCare Rehabilitation, Laureldale PA, 05/28/2012-07/20/2012
General orthopedics, post-surgical, general debility, low back pain
Athletic Training Work and Clinical Experience
 BrownStone Physical Therapy, Macedon NY, 01/2014-02/2014
 Ithaca College, Ithaca NY, 09/2009-12/2013
 Cornell University, Ithaca NY, 08/2010-11/2010
 Ithaca High School, Ithaca NY, 08/2011-10/2011
Leadership & Involvement
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President of Ithaca Athletic Training Student’s Association 2011-2012
Ithaca College Physical Therapy Club
Anatomy & Physiology teacher’s assistant
Honors & Scholarships
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Henry Schein Inc. Eastern Athletic Trainers' Association Wes Jordan Scholarship Award
President’s Scholar
School of Health Science and Human Performance Dean’s List 2008-2014
Ithaca College Oracle Honor Society
Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society
American Association of University Women Scholarship
Ithaca College Outstanding Senior Award
Superior Senior Academic Achievement Award
Research & Scholarship
2015: Exploring the Meaning of Mindful Practice for Clinical Instructors: A
Phenomenological Study
Anticipated publication in Journal of Physical Therapy Education
2012: Spondylolysis and Lumbarization in a Collegiate Softball Player
Presented at 2012 James J. Whalen Academic Symposium, Ithaca College
2011: Starter or Junior Varsity: Does an athlete’s level of play affect the quality of care
that they receive in a Division III athletic training facility?
Written & Oral Presentation for Research Methods in Exercise Science class
Vo l u n t e e r E x p e r i e n c e s
Turkey Shoot Lacrosse Tournament: 2011, first aid provider
Cornell University Body Bar Wrestling Tournament: 2010-2012, first aid provider
NYS Wrestling Championships: 2012, first aid provider
AAU Basketball Tournament: 2012, first aid provider
Southern Tier Volleyball Club Classic Tournament: 2012, first aid provider
References
Available upon request
Your Cover Letter
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One page summary of why the company should hire you
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Create a general template and update for each job application
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Should include a general introduction of yourself, 2-3 key points about your
work that set you apart from other candidates, and closing remarks thanking
the company for their consideration
431 Devon Terrace
Shillington, PA 19607
February 10, 2015
Main Line Health
Re: Physical Therapist, Bryn Mawr Rehab; Job # 33633
Dear selection committee:
I am writing to express my interest in the posted position of physical therapist on the
Main Line Health website. I am a 2014 graduate from Ithaca College where I earned dual
credentials in physical therapy and athletic training. I am currently employed by Genesis
Rehabilitation Services as the head physical therapist in a skilled nursing facility; however, I am
seeking this position with your company as I am most interested in the inpatient acute and
rehabilitation settings.
Three areas of my clinical practice about which I have consistently received positive
feedback include my use of objective measures, social interaction skills, and incorporation of
mental health into my treatments. I strive to utilize objective measures during each patient
encounter to improve the defensibility of my documentation, and have been told that my social
interactions with colleagues and patients are appropriate, energetic, and adaptable to different
situations. I feel that my dual degree in both physical therapy and athletic training has allowed
me to have increased experiences with patients compared to most entry-level physical
therapists, which has allowed me to improve in both of these areas of practice. A unique aspect
of my treatments include a focus on mental health, which is one of my areas of interest. I like to
ensure that a patient’s mental health is sound through the use of basic meditation and the theory
of mindfulness so that we can be as productive as possible during their treatment sessions. The
concept of patient-centered care means to me that I must treat all aspects of the patient as best I
can so that I can ensure a safe and healthy return to their life at home.
I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss this position or other positions available
with your health system, as I am very interested in this setting and feel that I would be a good
match for Main Line Health. I can be reached any time at (484) 529-5766 or at
CWoytovich@gmail.com. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Courtney M Woytovich PT, DPT, ATC
Before you go on an interview
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Create a folder containing multiple copies of your resume, cover letter,
licenses, letters of reference, character statements, ect. This will make you
look prepared and organized should your interviewer require another copy.
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Prepare yourself. DO NOT “wing it”
The basics
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Dress professionally
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Have your folder of resources with you
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Arrive early
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Sit up straight
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Make eye contact
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If you tend to fidget, hold your folder in your lap
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Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification
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Take your time
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Power Pose with Amy Cuddy
Behavioral Interviewing
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Behavioral interviewing is a trending technique that predicts future job
performance based on past behavior
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Sources claim that behavioral interviewing is 55% predictive, while traditional
interviewing is only 10% predictive of future job performance
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Traditional interviewing includes simpler questions such as “tell me about yourself”
or “why should we hire you?”
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Behavioral interviewing questions are more situation based, such as “a colleague is
demonstrating behavior that you feel is unethical. What do you do next?”
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This is a much more “real life” situation that requires multi-step answering. The
interviewer can ask follow-up questions at any point.
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Use the SAR format for your answer. Describe the Situation, the Action that you took, and
the Result of your action
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Use examples from clinicals, classes, group projects, ect
Prepare the best that you can
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Try to think of 3-4 situations in school, clinicals, ect where your performance
exceeded expectations and 3-4 examples where you had to overcome
obstacles or experienced negative outcomes
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Write down a blurb in the SAR (situation, action, result) format
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Have these mini stories in the back of your mind during your interview
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Chances are, you’ll be able to use some of these stories as your answers
Behavioral examples from my interviews
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“Tell me about a time where you had to work with an colleague with whom
you did not get along”
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“Tell me about a situation where you felt you had poor communication with a
colleague. How did you remedy the situation?”
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“Tell me about a patient that you felt you may have treated better”
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“Tell me about a situation where you felt you were forced to do something
unethical/not best practice”
Traditional examples
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“Tell me about a time when a patient reports that he is not completing his
HEP. What do you do?”
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“Upon examining a 31yo female s/p fall with subsequent L ankle ORIF, you
find multiple circular scars on her leg. What do you do?”
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“A patient is 2 days post-op lumbar laminectomy. Walk me through your exam
process”
The basic questions
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These are the questions you can prepare for!
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Write down pre-fab answers before you interview. You can only prepare so
much for behavioral questions, so take advantage of the opportunity to have
an answer prepared for the common questions.
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Why should we hire you?
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Why are you interested in this job?
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What are your career goals?
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What are your best and worst attributes?
The awkward question
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How do you discuss benefits?
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During all of my first interviews, benefits were not discussed. This is generally a
topic that is approached if you make it to the second stage.
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Do your research. Find out what the average hourly wage is for that setting in your
area. This way, you won’t low-ball yourself or seem unreasonable when they ask
your desired rate.
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Once you find the average pay rate, create a range around that number and use
that as your answer to the question of “what is your desired salary?”
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Some companies email benefits packages to all candidates, some wait until the
second stage of interviews. Look carefully at these benefits. A high salary will look
attractive, but benefits are equally important
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Health insurance, dental/vision, 401K, PTO, vacation, sick time, ect
After your interview
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Take a deep breath
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Go home and write down the questions that you remember being asked
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Write down your ideal answer, even if you blanked during the real interview
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Think about what went well and what did not
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Use it as a learning experience
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A tip: Apply for a job that may not be ideal and go as far into the interviewing
process as possible. Use this first interview as practice to let out the jitters
before you interview for the job you really want.
Resources
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http://www.quintcareers.com/behavioral_interviewing.html
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdU2l0i2Wh0
Questions?