APPLYING FOR YOUR FIRST QUALIFIED PHYSIOTHERAPIST POST

1. APPLYING FOR YOUR FIRST QUALIFIED PHYSIOTHERAPIST POST Victoria Leckie Clinical Team Leader Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

2. LEARNING OUTCOMES • How to successfully complete an application and secure an interview • Person specification • Application form • CV • Informal visit • How to prepare for the interview • Preparation • The interview • Questions

3. Person Specification Divided into • Essential criteria • Desirable/ additional/ useful criteria • How will be assessed i.e. application form/ interview or presentation It sets out the • Qualifications and experience required • Personal attributes/ abilities and skills needed for the post You need to ideally meet all the criteria to be considered in the current job market.

4. Application Form • Allocate enough time to complete • Read it before starting to write • Usually available online so practice writing out in rough in sections • Use black ink • Make it legible • Complete all sections • Photocopy when complete (use for interview preparation) • Return it well before the closing date!

5. Additional information/ Personal statement • Can use continuation sheets if needed (max 2 A4 sheets) • Logical order and structure • Use job description to structure information • State why you are applying for the post • Tailor your application to the NHS Trust you are applying to. • Need to show a balance of why you want the job but also what you can offer the department/ Trust. • Give examples of your clinical experience • Check spelling and grammar • Get someone to else to read it before sending.

6. CV • Can include but not always used for short listing. (Find out requirements of specific Trust) • Keep to no more than 2 A4 sides • Typed in clear logical order on good quality unlined paper. • Include personal information, education and training, clinical education, work experience/ previous employment, interests and achievements and current references. • Some trusts request you blank out personal details to ensure short listing is fair.

7. References • Personal/ Academic Tutor • Recent Clinical Placement Supervisor • Make sure you have always asked them before nominating them. • Try to ensure referees are available at short notice.

8. Informal Visits • Benefits to candidates and interviewer – shows enthusiasm , you will be remembered • Aids interview preparation – current issues/ operational information • Meet current junior physiotherapists • Orientates you to interview venue • Can assist you in question generation • Confirms whether you want to work there!

9. Interview Preparation • Use recent interviewees • Use any previous interview experience/feedback • Use the job description and person specification • Use informal visits/ chats • Read up about current NHS issues in frontline, journals, websites • Keep up to date with current Physiotherapy research, EBP • Check out the Trusts website • Re read your application form

10. Self presentation • Punctual • Smart/ clean appropriate clothing • Smile/ handshake/ eye contact/ positive body language/ don’t fidget • Bring your portfolio/ CPD file and any other info requested e.g. for CRB check • You will be nervous! • The interview panel are humans!

11. Types of Interview Each Trust adopts a different approach • One to one interviews (rare) • Panel interviews (most common) • Group interviews

12. Types of Questions (1) • General • Why do you want to work here? • What are your strengths/ weaknesses? • Clinical • Describe the key clinical features that you would expect a patient with Parkinson's disease to present with? • What would be your key components of your initial assessment of a patients who was 1st day post THR? • Non Clinical • What do you understand by the term Clinical Governance?

13. Types of Questions (2) • Scenario based • You are referred a patient who is first day post op with the following results. (list) What do they tell you about your patient? • You come into work and your senior I is off sick and you have the following things to do. (list) How would you manage your day? • Practical • Using the equipment provided demonstrate how you would teach one of the panel members exercises to strengthen their lower limb. • Teach one of the panel members how to use a particular adjunct.

14. Answers • Think before you speak • Be concise, structured and honest • Give examples from your clinical experience/ placements to make your answer different. • Stay positive • Sell yourself, make yourself stand out from the other candidates

15. If you get Stuck • Pause • Think for a moment • Ask for clarification or for the question to be repeated • Ask to come back to a question later in interview • If you don’t know – be truthful • Don’t waffle

16. Asking Questions • Good practice to prepare a couple of questions to ask the panel at end of the interview • Don’t interrogate the panel • Don’t ask questions already answered in recruitment literature • Ensure questions are relevant to post and to the organisation. • Don’t ask about salary first

17. Post Interview • Breathe out and relax • Analyse what you did well • Makes notes ASAP • Ask for feedback what ever happens • Discuss next steps what ever happens • Treat as practice if not successful, everyone improves with practice • Stay Positive

18. GOOD LUCK Any Questions?