Post-Interview Reflection

• How do you feel the interview went overall?
  • I felt that the interview went well overall, but there are definitely some areas that I need to strengthen before the real interview process begins.  It was a great learning experience to see what areas were strong and what areas needed improvement.
• How did you prepare for the interview?
  • I studied every website that was on blackboard plus some! I wrote down a handful of questions that I thought might be asked or would be relevant to know, then wrote out my thoughts on how I could answer each one.  This definitely prepared me because some of those questions were asked, but I think I over prepared by studying a script too much and thinking too much about the whole process.
• What went differently than you expected?
  • I shouldn't expect an interview to be super intimidating, but my mind always thinks that way.  After I answered her first question, it was more of a formal conversation vs an interview which helped me to relax. 
• What's something you would change if you could go through this process again (or something you'll do differently when you're in a real-life interview situation)?
  • I would not worry or freak out about the process too much.  I studied what I could say for so many questions that helped me, but also hurt me.  I had so many thoughts running through my head when the question was asked that I sometimes had trouble putting those into words.  This made a few of my answers a bit too wordy when only a simple answer was needed.  For example, I was asked what I was most  passionate about.  Therefore, I went into a huge spill on OT and the geriatric population and what made me passionate about each, but she was really interested in knowing things that I was passionate about outside of my profession.
• What's something you learned during this process that may be helpful to you as you prepare to enter the workforce as an OT practitioner?
  • My interviewer gave me some great advice after my interview was over that I will continue to take with to future interviews.  As I mentioned above, some of my answers became too wordy because I was having trouble getting my thoughts into words.  She assured me that this happens to everyone and it's okay to be nervous.  Instead of scrambling for words when you are flustered, pause and take a breath and think.  This was very reassuring to hear because my fear is not knowing an answer right off that bat and it's okay to sit and think for a short period of time before answering.   I also learned if you think of an interview as a conversation the process seems more lax and smooth.