I Have My Degree. Now What?

Bridging the Transitional Gap for Students Becoming Clinicians

Alvin Chung, OTSenior Occupational Therapist

Houston Methodist Hospital at Texas Medical Center

● Understand the current OT job market

● Breakdown the mindset of your potential employers

● Create a mindset of “establish a career” vs. “find a job”

● Define traits of a desirable starting position of your

career

Mission Objectives

● Identify and contrast between hard skills & soft skills

● Incorporating soft skills languages into a resume

● Apply for positions with strategic intention

● Prepare and execute interview tactics with confidence

Mission Objectives

Understanding the current OT job market

● Graphic depictions of current market

● Zooming in from national to state to regional

● Hopeful or fearful?

From Bureau of Labor Statistics

OT Job Outlook

Texas Strong

#1: California - 10390

#2: Texas - 9160

#3: New York - 8130

Texas Stronger

#1: Nevada - $101,870

#2: Texas - $96,800

#3: New Jersey - $91,660

Regional Breakdown of Texas

#3: Dallas-Plano-Irving Metro

Division - 2760 jobs

#6: Houston-Woodland-Sugar

Land Metro Division - 1810 jobs

Did you find employment in prefered practice setting?

How Many Months After Graduation Did You Receive First Job Offer?

Qualities Potential Employers Are Looking For

Competency: an OT license

Work ethic: a hard worker

Work & Life Experience

Interpersonal skills: a team player

Mindset: Attitude > Aptitude

What Are They Looking For?

1

Mindset“I rather develope someone

with the right outlook than hire

someone with great skill and

low motivation.” EDGE ++

3Work & Life ExperiencesPreferred to have experience

of similar setting. Vetting for

work-life balance. EDGE

5 An OT LicenceIt is the basic qualification in

order to apply for an OT job.

EVEN

2

Interpersonal SkillsAKA Soft Skills. A must-

have. Focus of the interview

process to weed out red

flags. EDGE +

4Work Ethic: Working HardAKA Hard Skill. Can be trained,

coach and practiced. EVEN

From the Perspective of an Employer

While Hiring a New Graduate

“Finding a Job”VS.“Establishing My Career”

● Define “job” and “career”● Mindsets. Thoughts. Actions. ● The importance of mindset

Job: a paid position of

regular employment.

Career: an occupation

undertaken for a significant

period of a person’s life

and with opportunities for

progress.

Define the terms

Short-term

gain

Job Mindset

“What’s in it for me?”

Lowcorporateinvolvement

Monetarily

driven

How can I contribute

to the team?

Career

Mindset

Experience

driven

HighEngagement

Long-term

growth

“Finding A Job” Mentality

Internal Thoughts:

“I don’t want to be left out so I better take any job right now!”

“When I have some work experience, I’ll get a better paying job.”

“Whoever pays me the most, I’ll go with them.”

External Action:

Tunnel vision on wage, neglecting other factors

Rash decision-making without thorough consideration

Desperation lead to compromises.

Money is a wonderful servant but a terrible master.

“Establishing My Career” Mentality

Internal Thoughts:

“There are a lot of opportunities out there.”

“I want to find a company that match my principle and beliefs.”

“I want to consider all my options before making a decision.”

External Action:

Proper preparation and planning prevent piss poor performance

List personal work principles

Thorough consideration of pros and cons with each position

Examine each position beyond wage--culture, potential for growth, value alignment, ect.

Traits of a Desirable Starting Workplace of Your Career

The work environment has a welcoming atmosphere

Your interaction with current staff is pleasant and honest

Formal preceptor/mentorship program in place

Employee-driven, intra-departmental activities and/or committees

Favorable Traits of a Desirable Workplace

Well-defined career advancement ladder

Institutional-wide employee feedback survey

*Staff with numerous years of experience

Favorable Traits of a Desirable Workplace

CompensationHourly vs salary,

retirement fund with % matching, PTO accruement, bonuses, company events.

Position Status Full-time, part-time, PRN

Geography city, area of town,

consider time of daily commute, medical center,

Setting/populationpeds vs adult, hospital vs community SNF, home therapy

Work scheduleMonday - Friday, 4-10s, Tues-Sat, Sun-Thurs

“If you don’t know what you want, you will take

whatever they give you.”

Your list -What Do You Want?

What Am I Made Out Of?Hard Skills & Soft Skills

● Teachable abilities that can be learned

● Training-on-the-job

● Measureable, level of proficiency

● General hard skills: computer operation, basic

mathematics, English language speaking and

written proficiency.

What is Hard Skill?

● Administration of appropriate assessments

● Performance of evaluation and treatment sessions

● Documentation

● Manual muscle testing

● Fabrication of splints

OT-specific Hard Skills

● Interpersonal abilities

● Intangible and difficult to quantify

● Proven through demonstration

● Subjective opinion of success

● Communication, teamwork, adaptability, problem

solving, critical thinking, conflict resolution.

What is Soft Skill?

● Effective communication

● Attentive listening skill

● Empathy

● Collaborative teamwork

● Effective time management

OT-specific Soft Skills

● Self-awareness

● Agile flexibility

● Sympathy

● Creative problem solving

● Reading nonverbal cues

Building Your Resumé

Don’t Be Better. Be Different

Don’t:

Copy traditional resume format

A long list of common hard skills

Including every project, award & accolade

Wordy description and explanation

Do:

Separate yourself from the pack by using new format

Incorporating soft skill language when describing hard skill

Points of interest as conversation starters

Descriptive yet concise

Content Comparison Example:Academic Career

Texas Woman’s University Houston, TX Sept 2016 - Dec 2018

> GPA 3.8 and a member of the academic honor society.

> Member of Student Occupational Therapy Association

> Thesis paper titled, “A Qualitative Study: Creating a Memory Photo Album for The Person with Dementia and the Caregiver.”

Critique?

Content Comparison Example:Academic Career

Texas Woman’s University Houston, TX Sept 2016 - Dec 2018

> GPA 3.8 and an active member of the academic honor society in mentoring incoming OT students and ceremony preparation.

> A contributing member of SOTA in the areas of fundraiser, volunteer services and minute keeping.

> TOTA poster presentation of research paper titled, “A Qualitative Study: Creating a Memory Photo Album for The Person with Dementia and the Caregiver.”

Critique?

Content Comparison Example:Fieldwork Experience

University Hospital, Somewhere, TX July 2018 - Sept 2018

> Evaluate and treat 8 patients/day with heart dysfunctions

> Help patients perform ADLs and transfers safely

> Compliant to all safety requirements during rotation

Critique?

Content Comparison Example:Fieldwork Experience

University Hospital, Somewhere, TX Oct 2018 - Dec 2018

> Creating client-centered practices through active listening and collaboration with adult geriatric population

> Collaborate with PT & SLP to achieve interdisciplinary treatment

> “Teamwork Makes the Dream work” - student project addressing effective patient education at a Level-II trauma center

Critique?

Content Comparison Example:Extracurricular Activities

> Volunteer monthly at local organizations

> A member of First Baptist Church Choir

> Coach little league girls soccer

Critique?

Content Comparison Example:Extracurricular Activities

> Assist in coordinating monthly volunteer activity at The Food Bank as well as various other non-profit organizations

> Alto sectional co-leader at First Baptist Chung Choir for 2 years

> Teaching girls ages 8-14 about teamwork, communication and hard work through the game of soccer

Critique?

Key Take-away Points

● Use adjectives and verbs to

promote intention and

progress

● Highlighting roles of

involvement to create

conversation starters

● Brag about yourself and be

ready to talk about it!

Applying for positions with strategic intention

Competency: an OT license

Work ethic: a hard worker

Work & Life Experience

Interpersonal skills: a team player

Mindset: Attitude > Aptitude

Professional Contacts

● Level II FW CI(s)

● Level I FW CI(s)

● Adjunct clinicians and

professors

● Contacts from volunteer

sites

● “Dig the well before you’re

thirsty.”

● Apply for job opening online

● App -> HR -> OT Dept

● Wait for HR to make

contact

● OT Dept schedule interview

or

● Skip the line

Get In Line or… Skip The Line

Competency: an OT license

Work ethic: a hard worker

Work & Life Experience

Interpersonal skills: a team player

Mindset: Attitude > Aptitude

Follow Up

● With HR, rehab recruiters,

director, managers, person

of contact

● Professional Emails

● Phone calls

● DO NOT TEXT

Prepare and execute Interview tactics with confidence

Mission

A sentence describing a company's function, markets and competitive advantages; a short

written statement of your business goals and philosophies.

A mission statement defines what an organization is, why it

exists, its reason for being.

Values

The operating philosophies or principles that guide an

organization's internal conduct as well as its relationship with its

customers, partners, and shareholders.

Know Who They Are…Research the companies you’re interviewing

with

Vision

An aspirational description of what an organization would like to achieve or accomplish in the

mid-term or long-term future. It is intended to serves as a clear

guide for choosing current and future courses of action.

Mission

UTMB Health’s mission is to improve health for the people

of Texas and around the world by offering innovative

education and training, pursuing cutting-edge research

and providing the highest quality patient care.

Values

● We demonstrate

compassion.

● We always act with integrity.

● We show respect to all.

● We embrace diversity.

● We promote lifelong learning.

Vision

We work together to work

wonders as we define the

future of health care and

strive to be the best in all

our endeavors.

Mission

To eliminate cancer in Texas, the

nation, and the world through

outstanding programs that

integrate patient care, research

and prevention, and through

education for undergraduate and

graduate students, trainees,

professionals, employees and the

public.

ValuesVision

We shall be the premier cancer

center in the world, based on the

excellence of our people, our

research-driven patient care and

our science. We are Making

Cancer History.

Mission

To provide high quality, cost-

effective health care that delivers

the best value to the people we

serve in a spiritual environment of

caring in association with

internationally recognized

teaching and research.

ICARE Values

Integrity: We are honest and ethical in

all we say and do. Compassion: We

embrace the whole person and respond

to emotional, ethical and spiritual

concerns as well as physical needs.

Accountability: We hold ourselves

accountable for our actions. Respect:

We treat every individual as a person of

worth, dignity and value. Excellence:

We strive to be the best at what we do and a model for others to emulate.

Vision

People will seek Methodist as a globally recognized leader of

pioneering medical expertise and innovative, personalized care.

Rule of Thumb When Answering Questions

● Provide answers that

highlight your strengths

found in your resume

● Incorporate company jargon

into your answers

● Tie in real-life example to

Common Interview Questions

● “Why should we hire you?”

● “What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses?”

● “Tell me a time when you had a disagreement. How did you

handle it?”

● “Where do you see yourself in # years?”

“Why should we hire YOU?”

● Aligning your soft skills and strengths with the company’s ethos

(mission, vision, values)

● Anchor your answer with real-life experience in the resume

● Speak succinctly and with confidence

● Don’t give vague qualities without evidence

Strengths & Weaknesses

● When addressing your strengths:

○ Be confidence, not boastful

○ Refer to activities on resume

○ Don’t fake it because you

won’t make it

● When addressing your weaknesses

○ Don’t say, “I have none.”

○ State your weakness but focus

on current process of

improvement

On Handling Conflict

● Briefly describe a real-life situation

● Highlight empathy, active listening and collaboration

● Regardless of the outcome, share lessons learned

● Don’t describe self as a pushover or a sheepish follower

Future-Minded, Present Effort

● Professional goals: areas of interests, certifications, research

● A symbiotic relationship between you and the company

● Highlight actions you are taking toward the goals

● Don’t not have goals!

Your Turn: Questions You Should Be Asking

You won’t know if you don’t ask

“What do you enjoy most about working here?”

● Insight into job satisfaction● Alignment to your fit for the

position● “Do I see myself doing that?”

“What do you find most challenging while working here?”

● Insight into day-to-day operation● Alignment to your understanding

of the position● “Do I see myself working here?”

“Can you walk me through the mentoring process?”

● Department’s vested interest in your success

● Preview of expectations & process● “Do I see myself working here?”

“Can you share about the career ladder process?”

● Signaling your interest in professional growth

● Samples of actual achievement● Follow up with “How can I get

involved to start the process?”

“How have you grown professionally while working here?”

● Testament of job satisfaction● Personal pathway of professional

growth● Follow up with positive comment

“What is one pressing issue the department is facing right now?

● Glimpse into the morale of the staff

● Follow up with “How do you see it being resolved?”

● Suggest solutions if ready

Asking to Listen

● Acquiring information otherwise unavailable elsewhere

● Ask questions with genuine interest

● Listen attentively

References

California Health Workforce Initiative (2018). Retrieved from www.ca-hwi.org

CareerOneStop: Occupational Profile: Occupational Therapists. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Careers/Occupations/occupation-profile.aspx?keyword=Occupational%20Therapists&onetcode=29112200&location=HOUSTON,%20TX

David J. Deming; The Growing Importance of Social Skills in the Labor Market, The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Volume 132, Issue 4, 1 November 2017, Pages 1593–1640.

Five Qualities Employers Look For In Job Candidates. (2016, June 6). Retrieved from https://www.entrepreneurmag.co.za/entrepreneur-today/five-qualities-employers-look-for-in-job-candidates/

Gustein, A. J., Svoikla, J. (2018, July 17). 7 Skills That Aren’t About To Be Automated. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2018/07/7-skills-that-arent-about-to-be-automated

Hard Skills vs Soft Skills - Wadhwani Foundation. (2016, November 10). Retrieved from https://wiki.wfglobal.org/hard-skills-vs-soft-skills/

Hewlett, S. A. (2014, April 29). As you start your career, focus on people skill. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2014/04/as-you-start-your-career-focus-on-people-skills

Occupational Therapists: Occupational Outlook Handbook: U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (20818, April 13). Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/occupational-therapists.htm

Occupational Therapists: Occupational Employment Statistics: U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (20818, March 30). Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes291122.htm

Ryan, Liz. (2017, December 7). How to answer ten common interview questions -- with confidence. https://www.forbes.com/sites/lizryan/2017/12/09/how-to-answer-ten-common-interview-questions-with-confidence/#14184803ef1e.

What Does the Future of Occupational Therapy Look Like? (2018). Retrieved from https://www.aota.org/Education-Careers/Advance-Career/Salary-Workforce-Survey/future-ot-occupational-therapy-look-like.aspx

What is a vision statement? (2018). Retrieved from http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/vision-statement.html

Where Did This Come From? (2015, January 2). Retrieved from https://www.nationalsoftskills.org/where-did-this-come-from/

Why soft skills matter - The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.dofe.org/dofeworks