Diary of an Unemployed Physiotherapy Graduate!
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At least you know that the first impression you have is excellent. That should give you more confidence at the interviews, knowing that you interview "beautifully".
SamJL
do you have another interview soon? I can't remember!
1 more week of hips, knees and spines...then 3 months of care of the elderly beckons....yuk! Don't be in too much of a rush to be working, its not all that!
lol!
1 more week of hips, knees and spines...then 3 months of care of the elderly beckons....yuk! Don't be in too much of a rush to be working, its not all that!
lol!OK, finally get a chance to up date. Since I found out I didn't get the job I wanted I've had another interview...........it was hard! The questions themselves weren't difficult, they were everything you would expect but the people who were interviewing me made it quite difficult. Part of the interview process involves building a rapport with the people interviewing you so they get to know what you're like and how you'll fit with their current team....but I tell ya, its bloody difficult to do that when all three of them look like they'd rather be anywhere else other than talking to you.
I'm not sure it was anything personal, I'd like to think it was because they were bored ofinterviewing having already interviewed the day before, or because they were still half asleep seeing as my interview was at 8.30am! But its very hard to feel lke you're making any headway in proving yourself when they all are so quiet, bored looking and monosyllabic with their response to you and your answers, and I do have to say I got to about ahlf way through (my hour long interview) and kind of wondered I was bothering when it appeared they weren't remotely impressed......but still these things happen and I guess, a bad interview is as good a practice as a good interview I suppose! They're still interviewing at the moment so won't hear till at least next week, so will just have to wait and see. Have applied for two other jobs (one permanent and one 6 month contract) so hoping to hear from them soon.
Until then...............the temping continues!
I'm not sure it was anything personal, I'd like to think it was because they were bored ofinterviewing having already interviewed the day before, or because they were still half asleep seeing as my interview was at 8.30am! But its very hard to feel lke you're making any headway in proving yourself when they all are so quiet, bored looking and monosyllabic with their response to you and your answers, and I do have to say I got to about ahlf way through (my hour long interview) and kind of wondered I was bothering when it appeared they weren't remotely impressed......but still these things happen and I guess, a bad interview is as good a practice as a good interview I suppose! They're still interviewing at the moment so won't hear till at least next week, so will just have to wait and see. Have applied for two other jobs (one permanent and one 6 month contract) so hoping to hear from them soon.
Until then...............the temping continues!
oh dear, they sound like the most awful interview panel! Must have been hard to keep positive and come across as enthusiastic when they were all sitting there looking so fed up! 
I guess they've probably asked the same questions like 20 times....I don't envy thier job!
But its all good practice so I'm sure youre getting better all the time! Hopefully you might get a group interview at some point, they are much better at showing how you get on with other people and how much you can engage others....its just so unfair how they choose these days
I guess they've probably asked the same questions like 20 times....I don't envy thier job!But its all good practice so I'm sure youre getting better all the time! Hopefully you might get a group interview at some point, they are much better at showing how you get on with other people and how much you can engage others....its just so unfair how they choose these days
JackieS
OK, finally get a chance to up date. Since I found out I didn't get the job I wanted I've had another interview...........it was hard! The questions themselves weren't difficult, they were everything you would expect but the people who were interviewing me made it quite difficult. Part of the interview process involves building a rapport with the people interviewing you so they get to know what you're like and how you'll fit with their current team....but I tell ya, its bloody difficult to do that when all three of them look like they'd rather be anywhere else other than talking to you.
I'm not sure it was anything personal, I'd like to think it was because they were bored ofinterviewing having already interviewed the day before, or because they were still half asleep seeing as my interview was at 8.30am! But its very hard to feel lke you're making any headway in proving yourself when they all are so quiet, bored looking and monosyllabic with their response to you and your answers, and I do have to say I got to about ahlf way through (my hour long interview) and kind of wondered I was bothering when it appeared they weren't remotely impressed......but still these things happen and I guess, a bad interview is as good a practice as a good interview I suppose! They're still interviewing at the moment so won't hear till at least next week, so will just have to wait and see. Have applied for two other jobs (one permanent and one 6 month contract) so hoping to hear from them soon.
Until then...............the temping continues!
I'm not sure it was anything personal, I'd like to think it was because they were bored ofinterviewing having already interviewed the day before, or because they were still half asleep seeing as my interview was at 8.30am! But its very hard to feel lke you're making any headway in proving yourself when they all are so quiet, bored looking and monosyllabic with their response to you and your answers, and I do have to say I got to about ahlf way through (my hour long interview) and kind of wondered I was bothering when it appeared they weren't remotely impressed......but still these things happen and I guess, a bad interview is as good a practice as a good interview I suppose! They're still interviewing at the moment so won't hear till at least next week, so will just have to wait and see. Have applied for two other jobs (one permanent and one 6 month contract) so hoping to hear from them soon.
Until then...............the temping continues!
I feel your pain. Good luck with the search and I hope you get sorted soon.
In my case, I just got a letter from the Health Protection Agency declining me for a trainee biomedical science position. I was interviewed a week ago and from what I found out, they had over 150 applications for the position and they only short-listed 11 (obviously I was one of the 11).
My interview with the panel went well and I feel we developed a good rapport and I felt I had a great chance of landing the job...Wrong. I asked for feedback 2day and they said I interviewed very well and weren't short on the things required for it. They had very good short-listed candidates and they struggled in deciding after interview.....I STILL FAILED TO LAND THE JOB....
Some times things go badly and the result goes ur way, some times things go brilliant (look at my case) and u still fall short...there's just no guarantee and it sometimes depends on factors out of ur control.
Keep ur chin up and don't give up, eventually things will fall in place. I applied to 2 more similar posts in the NHS and am hoping to be short-listed again...
OK, another update, its been a while!
Since I blogged last I've been waiting for my last interview to get back to me. They interviewed ALOT of people (over 40 I'd hazard a guess at) for 4 jobs (1 permanent and 3 temp contracts) so its taking a little while. Well they finally got back to me today and there's some good news and some bad news. She basically said I demonstrated good skills but I wasn't in the top 4 strongest candidates on the day....but I was number 5 (close but no cigar!) lol! So the bad news is I didn't get the job...............but the good news is that they'd like to give me a job in the future.....basically they rank everyone and keep a sort of waiting list and when jobs come around they go through the list to find someone who doesn't have a job yet, and I'm top of the list. So the next job they get should come my way....its only like to be a temporary contract (I would imagine thast because they would offer any permanent jobs to staff who are already on temp contracts which makes sense), so basically they're going to keep my name at the top of the list and give me a call when something comes up. Could be next week, could be 6 months from now, but I guess its nice to know that there is potentially something coming my way however far away it maybe. If I get a job between now and then with someone else I've just got to call them up and let them know and they'll take my name off the list! So for now I just wait and keep applying to other places.
And some other good news is that I have an interview for a 6 month short term contract next week at my local hospital (10 mins from my house! lol) so we'll have to see what that produces.
Its nice to be getting itnerviews - thats half the battle won already esp as the shortlisting criteria for many jobs just seems to be so ridiculous, so it obviously means my personal statement is of a fairly decent quality (not bad for someone whose personal tutor only read the first paragraph of the first draft and then refused to read the rest lol!) and from the feedback I'm getting about my interview technique I'm basically as close as you can get without getting a job, so I guess its a case of hang in there and it'll happen eventually!
Since I blogged last I've been waiting for my last interview to get back to me. They interviewed ALOT of people (over 40 I'd hazard a guess at) for 4 jobs (1 permanent and 3 temp contracts) so its taking a little while. Well they finally got back to me today and there's some good news and some bad news. She basically said I demonstrated good skills but I wasn't in the top 4 strongest candidates on the day....but I was number 5 (close but no cigar!) lol! So the bad news is I didn't get the job...............but the good news is that they'd like to give me a job in the future.....basically they rank everyone and keep a sort of waiting list and when jobs come around they go through the list to find someone who doesn't have a job yet, and I'm top of the list. So the next job they get should come my way....its only like to be a temporary contract (I would imagine thast because they would offer any permanent jobs to staff who are already on temp contracts which makes sense), so basically they're going to keep my name at the top of the list and give me a call when something comes up. Could be next week, could be 6 months from now, but I guess its nice to know that there is potentially something coming my way however far away it maybe. If I get a job between now and then with someone else I've just got to call them up and let them know and they'll take my name off the list! So for now I just wait and keep applying to other places.
And some other good news is that I have an interview for a 6 month short term contract next week at my local hospital (10 mins from my house! lol) so we'll have to see what that produces.
Its nice to be getting itnerviews - thats half the battle won already esp as the shortlisting criteria for many jobs just seems to be so ridiculous, so it obviously means my personal statement is of a fairly decent quality (not bad for someone whose personal tutor only read the first paragraph of the first draft and then refused to read the rest lol!) and from the feedback I'm getting about my interview technique I'm basically as close as you can get without getting a job, so I guess its a case of hang in there and it'll happen eventually!
It sounds as though there is a lot of competition for jobs, is that because of you being a bit picky, or because of there not being enough jobs?
Indievertigo
It sounds as though there is a lot of competition for jobs, is that because of you being a bit picky, or because of there not being enough jobs?
i have just been reading the whole diary lol.. and its crazy i am moaning about not actually getting into uni yet, it seems like i may be moaning for years on top of that!!
roght, another little update from me.
I had another interview this week, this time at my local hospital which I was hoping to get a job at (here's to rolling out of bed at 8am for an 8.30 start lol!). On the whole it went pretty well, most of the questions were to be expected, why this job, why this hospital, what was your fav placement, what was your least fav placement etc etc. Then I had some neuro clinical questions....nmanaged to get myself in abit of a twist with some of them because they don't give you much information......the question was something like "you have a middle aged woman with MS who is currently mobilising with a zimmer and AO1, what is your management plan?" Errr well that would depend on alot of things e.g. type of MS, previous functional level etc so I ended up talking alot about whatelse I needed to know and very little about what I'd actually do. They were very good at pulling you back round to the point though and when they expanded abit with some etra information I was able to get what they were after so on the whole it wasn't much of a problem.
Then they followed up with some musculoskeletal questions where I missed the diagnosis completely!
Interviewer:"You have amiddle aged woman with insidious onset shoulder painh over a 6 month period...what are you initial thoughts as to diagnosis"
me: "rotator cuff, tendiopathy, posture related referral, impingement, referral from neck"
interviewer: "ok good lets move on........so you deduce your pt may have adhesive capsulitis, what is your management plan"
me: "oh yeah, adhesive capsulitis, I never thought of that"
cue lots of laughing both at me and with me!
But they were very friendly and didn't make you feel stupid for not getting it all straight away which is nice! Its definitely a short term contract which will be up in 6 months time, but they are hoping that there will be a permanent job coming up in the next 6 months which whoever gets the job would be eligible to apply for.
They said they would let us know the end of this week beginning of next week after they had contacted for references and made a full decision. I don't want to jinx anything and am trying to not get too excited but my old boss emailed me today to say they had contacted her for a reference on Wednesday (my interview was on Tuesday)! I don't know wether this is routine and they're doing it for everyone so I'm trying not to get too excited about it, and waiting for the official call either way!
So until then the looking continues!
lol
I had another interview this week, this time at my local hospital which I was hoping to get a job at (here's to rolling out of bed at 8am for an 8.30 start lol!). On the whole it went pretty well, most of the questions were to be expected, why this job, why this hospital, what was your fav placement, what was your least fav placement etc etc. Then I had some neuro clinical questions....nmanaged to get myself in abit of a twist with some of them because they don't give you much information......the question was something like "you have a middle aged woman with MS who is currently mobilising with a zimmer and AO1, what is your management plan?" Errr well that would depend on alot of things e.g. type of MS, previous functional level etc so I ended up talking alot about whatelse I needed to know and very little about what I'd actually do. They were very good at pulling you back round to the point though and when they expanded abit with some etra information I was able to get what they were after so on the whole it wasn't much of a problem.
Then they followed up with some musculoskeletal questions where I missed the diagnosis completely!
Interviewer:"You have amiddle aged woman with insidious onset shoulder painh over a 6 month period...what are you initial thoughts as to diagnosis"
me: "rotator cuff, tendiopathy, posture related referral, impingement, referral from neck"
interviewer: "ok good lets move on........so you deduce your pt may have adhesive capsulitis, what is your management plan"
me: "oh yeah, adhesive capsulitis, I never thought of that"
cue lots of laughing both at me and with me!
But they were very friendly and didn't make you feel stupid for not getting it all straight away which is nice! Its definitely a short term contract which will be up in 6 months time, but they are hoping that there will be a permanent job coming up in the next 6 months which whoever gets the job would be eligible to apply for.
They said they would let us know the end of this week beginning of next week after they had contacted for references and made a full decision. I don't want to jinx anything and am trying to not get too excited but my old boss emailed me today to say they had contacted her for a reference on Wednesday (my interview was on Tuesday)! I don't know wether this is routine and they're doing it for everyone so I'm trying not to get too excited about it, and waiting for the official call either way!
So until then the looking continues!
lol
ooh well that sounds positive!!!
I doubt they are contacting everyone for references, what would be the point if they were not suitable??! I bet its good news That adhesive capsulitis question sounded funny!! Lol everyone makes silly mistakes! What did you say in the end about the MS one? I would have done the same as you and wanted more info!! But I guess the ultimate plan would be to get her indepenent as soon as possible and work on functional stuff...other than that I don't know what I would say!
On a different note is that normal in England to get references first and to then offer the job after?? I think up here they tell you whether you are successful or not first, then get references. But I can sort of see why they might do it the other way....but its a bit mean to prolong your agony!!
I'll keep everything crossed for you!
I doubt they are contacting everyone for references, what would be the point if they were not suitable??! I bet its good news That adhesive capsulitis question sounded funny!! Lol everyone makes silly mistakes! What did you say in the end about the MS one? I would have done the same as you and wanted more info!! But I guess the ultimate plan would be to get her indepenent as soon as possible and work on functional stuff...other than that I don't know what I would say! On a different note is that normal in England to get references first and to then offer the job after?? I think up here they tell you whether you are successful or not first, then get references. But I can sort of see why they might do it the other way....but its a bit mean to prolong your agony!!
I'll keep everything crossed for you!
For the MS one I said, balance, mobility, CV fitness, LL strength and ROM exercises.....
As for the reference thing - I think it differs from post to post.....all the other jobs I've applied for said they would contact referees prior to interview but my referees have yet to be contacted about any job other than this one. I don't see why they would get references for everyone as it seems a major waste of time to get them for people you don't want to choose so generally I thought everyone offered jobs subject to references. But for this one they seem to be getting references after interview but before contacting anyone. Its not clear if they're onl,y contacting
As for the reference thing - I think it differs from post to post.....all the other jobs I've applied for said they would contact referees prior to interview but my referees have yet to be contacted about any job other than this one. I don't see why they would get references for everyone as it seems a major waste of time to get them for people you don't want to choose so generally I thought everyone offered jobs subject to references. But for this one they seem to be getting references after interview but before contacting anyone. Its not clear if they're onl,y contacting
SamJL
ooh well that sounds positive!!! I doubt they are contacting everyone for references, what would be the point if they were not suitable??! I bet its good news That adhesive capsulitis question sounded funny!! Lol everyone makes silly mistakes! What did you say in the end about the MS one? I would have done the same as you and wanted more info!! But I guess the ultimate plan would be to get her indepenent as soon as possible and work on functional stuff...other than that I don't know what I would say!
On a different note is that normal in England to get references first and to then offer the job after?? I think up here they tell you whether you are successful or not first, then get references. But I can sort of see why they might do it the other way....but its a bit mean to prolong your agony!!
I'll keep everything crossed for you!
I doubt they are contacting everyone for references, what would be the point if they were not suitable??! I bet its good news That adhesive capsulitis question sounded funny!! Lol everyone makes silly mistakes! What did you say in the end about the MS one? I would have done the same as you and wanted more info!! But I guess the ultimate plan would be to get her indepenent as soon as possible and work on functional stuff...other than that I don't know what I would say! On a different note is that normal in England to get references first and to then offer the job after?? I think up here they tell you whether you are successful or not first, then get references. But I can sort of see why they might do it the other way....but its a bit mean to prolong your agony!!
I'll keep everything crossed for you!
JackieS
And so....D-day is finally here - RESULTS DAY!
Well actually, the results came out yesterday at about 5ish but I was too lazy to go in so went to have a look today...........and I finished well, 62% in my dissertation giving me a 2.1 overall .....not a first admittedly but I guess you can't have everything 
They didn't give us an exact score for the final mark as I think that comes in the post but I've calculated it to be around 65% so a good solid 2:1 which I'm happy with
:marchmell
Just to give you an idea of how tough they mark - out of 75 of us only 4 scored a first.........so less than 5% and thats compared to 10 out of 35 on my last degree. There were 4 1st and around 6/7 2:2s with the rest of the year all scoring 2:1s so lots of solid marks there.
So now I am officially a physioterrorist It took 14 years, 3.5 a-levels, two degrees, a gap year, and 15k worth of debt, but I did it Was it worth it? I'll find out when I get a job! lol
Well actually, the results came out yesterday at about 5ish but I was too lazy to go in so went to have a look today...........and I finished well, 62% in my dissertation giving me a 2.1 overall
.....not a first admittedly but I guess you can't have everything They didn't give us an exact score for the final mark as I think that comes in the post but I've calculated it to be around 65% so a good solid 2:1 which I'm happy with :marchmell
Just to give you an idea of how tough they mark - out of 75 of us only 4 scored a first.........so less than 5% and thats compared to 10 out of 35 on my last degree. There were 4 1st and around 6/7 2:2s with the rest of the year all scoring 2:1s so lots of solid marks there.
So now I am officially a physioterrorist
It took 14 years, 3.5 a-levels, two degrees, a gap year, and 15k worth of debt, but I did it Was it worth it? I'll find out when I get a job! lol Congrats JackieS on your degree classifaction and like someone has already mentioned to u on this thread all that hard work has paid off.You will get a job soon i am sure of it we always wanted qualifield physiotherapist.Even though i am myself not going into this health field but another health profession.I just had to say congrats
Hiya
I've secured a place to study physiotherapy and am now very very nervous about whether I have done the right thing by deciding to train as a physio. the competition for jobs sounds ruthless...actually getting a junior post seems like an impossible task..
I have one question, if you could go back in time would you have trained to be another health care professional? Its just that I am considering withdrawing and applying for something else next year, i'd hate to spend 3 years training hard for nothing. don't get me wrong, I would love to be a physio, I just don't want to spend years trying to secure a job..
any opinions/advice would be appreciated
ps. i'm going to post this on the main board as a new thread to see if i get any more replies
I've secured a place to study physiotherapy and am now very very nervous about whether I have done the right thing by deciding to train as a physio. the competition for jobs sounds ruthless...actually getting a junior post seems like an impossible task..
I have one question, if you could go back in time would you have trained to be another health care professional? Its just that I am considering withdrawing and applying for something else next year, i'd hate to spend 3 years training hard for nothing. don't get me wrong, I would love to be a physio, I just don't want to spend years trying to secure a job..
any opinions/advice would be appreciated
ps. i'm going to post this on the main board as a new thread to see if i get any more replies
BobD
Hiya
I've secured a place to study physiotherapy and am now very very nervous about whether I have done the right thing by deciding to train as a physio. the competition for jobs sounds ruthless...actually getting a junior post seems like an impossible task..
I have one question, if you could go back in time would you have trained to be another health care professional? Its just that I am considering withdrawing and applying for something else next year, i'd hate to spend 3 years training hard for nothing. don't get me wrong, I would love to be a physio, I just don't want to spend years trying to secure a job..
any opinions/advice would be appreciated
ps. i'm going to post this on the main board as a new thread to see if i get any more replies
I've secured a place to study physiotherapy and am now very very nervous about whether I have done the right thing by deciding to train as a physio. the competition for jobs sounds ruthless...actually getting a junior post seems like an impossible task..
I have one question, if you could go back in time would you have trained to be another health care professional? Its just that I am considering withdrawing and applying for something else next year, i'd hate to spend 3 years training hard for nothing. don't get me wrong, I would love to be a physio, I just don't want to spend years trying to secure a job..
any opinions/advice would be appreciated
ps. i'm going to post this on the main board as a new thread to see if i get any more replies
nope - I'd do it all again if I had to....I'd never want to be anything else
well.... personally I really enjoy the job now that I'm actually working as a physio (almost a year now, how time flies!), but at times the job does get me down a lot! but all jobs have thier negative points, the main one being the rubbish wages! I think if I could go back in time I would have maybe gone for something that pays better! ha ha!
ha ha!Ok, well things have been all abit upside down the last week or so! They're still a little complex but looking like they're sorting themselves out.
Nearly two weeks ago I went for an interview at my local hospital (the one with the stupid shoulder question! haha!) and they said they'd let us know by the beginning of last week, well its now nearly a week on from then and I still haven't heard anything! They called me during the week to say that there was a problem with one of my references and I needed to provide a new one (I had used my boss from when I was a physio assistant, but I left that job in 2005 and they wouldn't accept it as it wasn't recent enough) so after lots of hassle I found someone else to do me a reference, and I'm still waiting for a response as to whether I got the job or not.....
but it doesn't just end there!
In one of my previous blog enteries I wrote that I'd been put on a waiting list after one of my other interviews and was told they'd contact me if anything came up. Well to be honest I'd kind of forgotten about it but I was out shopping last friday and they called me up! Seems like someone else rejected their offer of a short term contract and it was mine if I wanted it! So, I've gone from having no physio job to having one definite and one possible job! Madness! I did explain to them that I was waiting for the results of an interview elsewhere, and they were fine with it...I've said yes to the job pending an unsuccessful from my itnerview, and they're happy with that. If I get the other job then I can just call them up and tell them I don't want it anymore...................so......it appears I'm going to be a real physio! (even if I don't know at what actual hospital yet!!)
Nearly two weeks ago I went for an interview at my local hospital (the one with the stupid shoulder question! haha!) and they said they'd let us know by the beginning of last week, well its now nearly a week on from then and I still haven't heard anything! They called me during the week to say that there was a problem with one of my references and I needed to provide a new one (I had used my boss from when I was a physio assistant, but I left that job in 2005 and they wouldn't accept it as it wasn't recent enough) so after lots of hassle I found someone else to do me a reference, and I'm still waiting for a response as to whether I got the job or not.....
but it doesn't just end there!
In one of my previous blog enteries I wrote that I'd been put on a waiting list after one of my other interviews and was told they'd contact me if anything came up. Well to be honest I'd kind of forgotten about it but I was out shopping last friday and they called me up! Seems like someone else rejected their offer of a short term contract and it was mine if I wanted it! So, I've gone from having no physio job to having one definite and one possible job! Madness! I did explain to them that I was waiting for the results of an interview elsewhere, and they were fine with it...I've said yes to the job pending an unsuccessful from my itnerview, and they're happy with that. If I get the other job then I can just call them up and tell them I don't want it anymore...................so......it appears I'm going to be a real physio! (even if I don't know at what actual hospital yet!!)
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