Calm the Nerves Before the Interview

Hey readers!

An important topic that I wanted to talk about is the OT school interview. I remember this was an important part of the process that can be nerve racking, so I wanted to share my experience and give some advice on how to nail the interview!

My Experience:

I completed my interview around November right before COVID hit. I remember it was one of the most stressful times because this was an important part of my future. This was scary but it was also exciting because I was one step closer to being able to become an occupational therapist. I prepared myself in that I looked up multiple possible OT interview questions, wrote out responses, and practiced with a friend. My goal was to prepare as much as I could before completing the interview. At the time, I was still in school at SUNY Brockport and so I had to drive to Utica that day. I was so nervous that I barely slept the night before and even had to pull over because I thought I was going to be sick😂

When I arrived at the campus, I met John Rowe and other potential candidates in which we started with a tour, ate some lunch, and got to talk to the professors. This helped me calm down because I was able to form a connection with the other candidates and realized that we were all equally as nervous. As soon as I sat down for my interview, I felt confident, and I just wanted to share my valuable experiences and skills with the faculty. My interview was a group interview in which I was scared at first, but I actually really enjoyed it. Utica college now does individual virtual interviews which is nice since you have the option to complete it at home.

During my interview I focused on presenting my skills, strengths, and my experiences to show that I was ready to take on graduate school. The facility at Utica was super friendly and inviting which made all of us feel comfortable and this made the interview process less intense. The faculty also stressed that they wanted us to ask questions and evaluate them and the program to make sure UC was the right choice for us. This felt humbling in that this wasn’t just an interview for us but also for them. 

General Questions:

Be ready to talk about your background and experiences, why you choose occupational therapy? Why do you think you’ll be a good fit at this school? What strengths will you bring with you to the program? What skills do you hope to strengthen? How did your previous experiences and education prepare you for success as an OT student?  How would your peers/teachers describe you? Etc..

 Advice/Things to Remember Before the Interview:

• PREPARE, PREPARE, PREPARE
• Coming into an interview with preparation makes you feel more comfortable and confident during the interview process
• Look at the school's mission statement
• Research potential questions and practice answering them
• Practice doing an interview with friends or someone you don't know well
• Utilize your school's career sources
• Get a good nights sleep (if you can!)
• Prepare a professional outfit
• Remember that it is okay to be nervous, and its normal, but remember that you did the work to get here and that you have a lot to offer
• As an occupational therapy student, some strategies that I've learned is to do some deep breaths, meditation, journaling, deep pressure, an or take a quick walk in which these activities could help calm the nerves before the interview

Advice/ Thing to Remember During the Interview:

• Direct eye contact when speaking into the camera
• Find a quiet place and professional place with no distractions
• Good Wi-Fi connection
• Interact with the other candidates to show collaboration and that you can work with others
• Smile and be CONFIDENT
• List your strengths and own your unique experiences
• Ask questions at the end (at least one)
• Take deep breaths if you feel flustered or overwhelmed
• Be yourself! Let yourself shine through!     

Always remember to be yourself and stay confident! Prepare and be proud of your unique experiences. Use some of the calming strategies above to calm your nerves. You all completed the hard work to get here, and you are all one step closer to becoming an occupational therapist! Thank you for reading!

Upcoming events:

• Virtual Open House: Monday, November 15 at 7 PM Eastern
• Virtual Open House: Sunday, December 5 at 1 PM Eastern
• Acceptance Students Day: February 2022

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