There are a lot of interview questions for therapists to ANSWER… but what about those questions you should ASK during an interview?   Asking the right questions during an employment interview is important for two reasons. First, asking questions shows the interviewer that you are prepared and interested in the job. Second, these questions will help you avoid surprises after starting employment.

Here’s the  list of questions that we encourage our employees to use during their interviews. We hope it’s helpful for you, too.

Productivity Questions:

Regular Treatments
-Is therapy performed at bedside or in a gym?
-What are your productivity goals?
-How many units a day do you expect your therapists to bill?
-What constitutes one unit? (For example, are units calculated in 15 minute increments?)

Evaluations
-How many evaluations do your therapists perform each day?
-How much time do you expect an evaluation to take?
-How does an evaluation count towards productivity?
-What responsibilities will I have that do not contribute to my productivity? For example, team meetings, patient transport, or documentation.
-What percentage of your staff members are meeting your productivity expectations?

Work Shift Questions:

Evening and Weekend Hours
-Will I be expected to work overtime?
-Will I have any evening hours?
-Will I be a part of a weekend rotation?
-Will weekends be paid at time and half, or compensated with time off during the week?
-Will I receive overtime pay for working holidays?
-Are there any days during my placement that will be considered holidays?

Float Positions
-How long will it take to travel between the facilities that I’m expected to cover?
-How will time and mileage for travel between sites be reimbursed?

Rehabilitation Team Environment Questions:

-How many therapists do you have on staff?
-What’s the ratio of PT/OT/ and SLP therapists?
-Who will be my supervisor?
-What is your policy concerning continuing education?

Orientation Questions:

-When will I be orientated for this position?
-What does your orientation involve?
-How many hours are allotted for orientation?

Documentation Questions:

-How do you record documentation? Do you have a computer system, or a paper system?
-How long does it take the average therapist to become proficient with this system?

Reimbursement Questions:

-What is your therapist salary range?
-Please explain the benefits that you provide.
-Are there any ways that your compensation package is unique or unusual?

________________