Reflecting on the Mock Interview Process

       My overall experience of preparing for and participating in the mock interview process was enlightening. I worked on each step of the assignment a little bit at a time which allowed me to reflect and see things in an objective light. In order to ensure exceptional quality of my resume and cover letter I completed each assignment on my own before comparing them to others’. Looking at classmates’ finished products and discussing our reasons for choosing each approach further helped me understand how other people perceive my resume.

To prepare for the mock interview portion of this assignment I read over my notes from applying to OT school. Although some of the information was irrelevant, the strategies for answering questions were still applicable. Also, seeing how far I have come in the past year and a half was inspiring. Other resources I utilized were the AOTA website, and some interview recommendations from Forbes and Pinterest. 

        Before the interviews began, four of us talked through potential questions we might encounter. Each of us took turns to answer, after which the rest of the group provided feedback on the content. That was really helpful to me because behavioral type questions can at times be better answered by friends than by ourselves, for example inquiring about biggest strength/weakness, how we handle conflict, etc. This part of my preparation was especially beneficial as it not only facilitated stronger responses, but also boosted my self-esteem.

        Something I plan to do in the future is to ensure my ability to clearly get my point across. Currently, my biggest area for growth is that at times I am unable to convey my idea to the audience. In the process of explaining, I get in my head and start thinking about what others are thinking of me. This almost always results in usage of filler words and getting off topic. Kinks like this are only brought into the light by practicing and I am glad this was brought up because I will absolutely address this issue before going on real job interviews. Helpful strategies include asking peers, faculty members, or other healthcare professionals to practice with me. I am happy to say that despite my struggle, Dr. Hughes was surprisingly warm and supportive. She offered a lot of positive feedback which made me feel I was more prepared than I felt. Overall, I found this assignment valuable. I could definitely tell the difference in my confidence between the questions I had prepared for versus ones I had never encountered before. I guess it is true what they say, practice makes perfect right?