As you’re preparing for an interview as a new clinician, you’ll receive plenty of advice from friends, family, and online sources. You’ll probably get the usual recommendations: research the organization, dress professionally and bring your resume. Those are valuable things to do, but they may not be enough to differentiate you from the competition.

Fortunately, you already have what you need to set yourself apart: your own story.

Without a doubt, your interviewer wants to know you have the right education and qualifications. But they also want to know who you are. There’s no better way to show them who you are than with personal stories that illustrate your character and indications you're a good fit for the job. You’ll also make a positive, memorable impression on your interviewer.

Use these common interview prompts to help you distinguish yourself with specific, relevant, and compelling stories.

1. Share Why You Want to Be a Clinician

You will surely be asked about your motivation for becoming a clinician. Whether you are an aspiring PT, OT, or SLP, you’ve got a story to tell about your particular career choice.

Rather than giving generic responses, translate your answers into unique reasons for your career path. Here are a few phrases interviewers hear time and time again along with what you can say instead to make your answers more personal and stand out from other applicants:

I want to help people with their physical pain.

Instead, tell a story about a time either you or someone you care about was recovering from illness, injury, or managing a chronic condition. How did you feel about the pain management and rehabilitative techniques you or the other person received?

I want to help give people a better quality of life

Share a time when you observed someone in need of help with everyday activities. What impact did witnessing that need have on you?

I want to help people communicate better

Recount a time when someone you know needed speech therapy. What was it like to see an individual become more confident with their own voice?

2. Talk About a Time You Resolved Conflict

It’s not uncommon to be asked about conflict resolution in interviews. Disagreements at work aren’t bad. They’re part of life. They’ll certainly be part of your work as a clinician. It’s important to remember that there are good and bad ways to handle conflicts, and interviewers will want to know how you’ve dealt with conflict in the past.

There are four kinds of conflicts you may have encountered at work. Brainstorm examples of how you’ve wisely handled them—or how you’ve learned from your mistakes.

Leadership style: Have you ever worked under a difficult supervisor or even a teacher? How did you handle it when you had a hands-off manager? Or a micromanager?
Workstyle differences: How have you navigated working with different personalities and abilities? Have you ever worked alongside someone whose work ethic (dependability, cooperation, integrity, and the like) was unlike yours?
Cultural differences: Have you experienced and negotiated conflict with someone of a different generation or background? What did you do to find common ground?
Personality clashes: How have you successfully worked with someone whose personality rubbed you the wrong way? Have there been times when you’ve rubbed others the wrong way?

3. Demonstrate How You’re a Good Team Player

No matter where you land your first job as a clinician, you’ll be working with supervisors, other clinicians, patients, and their families — a diverse team with different personalities, expectations, and needs. Your interviewer will want to know you’re good at working cooperatively.

You can showcase your “team player” skills through stories about:

Team sports (in high school, college, or beyond)
Clubs, groups, and organizations (extracurricular, recreational, or religious)
Community service projects (preferably one you chose rather than one that was required)

Tell a story that illustrates how you understood your role on the team, were accountable for your responsibilities, skillfully collaborated, and kept a positive attitude.

4. Prove That You’re Flexible and Resilient

Flexibility and resilience are great words to describe your mental strength. They’re traits that allow you to bend without breaking. As a clinician, there will be times you’ll have to bend. That might mean taking a job outside of your desired geographic location. It could mean working with a patient population you didn’t consider. Or it might mean handling a difficult person, situation, or day with grace.

If you can show you are adaptable, your future employer will be confident you can successfully handle things on the job that you didn’t anticipate.

Sure, it’s good to share a time when you knew exactly what you wanted, went after it, and got it. But it might be even more important to share a time when you didn’t get what you wanted and made the best of it. Or you can talk about a time when you were able to change course, quickly and calmly, because the situation called for it.

5. Demonstrate That You Are a Life-Long Learner

If you’re interviewing for a job as a clinician, you’ve finished your coursework and earned a degree. As a candidate for a clinical position, though, you’ll want to show that you are eager to keep learning. You can do that by:

Talking about how you are developing personal interests. What are you practicing to get better at? Whether you are teaching yourself to play guitar or taking a French class, personal pursuits show curiosity and ambition.
Sharing how you are furthering your education. Even though you’ve graduated, you may be reading something relevant to your profession. Or perhaps you’re considering taking a class online. Even a relationship with a practicing clinician can be a wonderful educational source.

And don’t forget, the way you tell your stories in an interview matters. Eye contact and a smile will go a long way. Practice with a friend or family member. Focus on communicating with thoughtfulness and sincerity.

You certainly don’t need to have all of these stories in your back pocket. Just a few impactful stories can be tailored to the question you’re actually asked. With a little reflection and planning, you’re more likely to become a memorable (and desirable) job candidate.