The path to landing an occupational therapy assistant job can be long, but the journey is worth it. The first step is to make sure you have the right certification and can be competitive in the field.
Once you’ve done that, you’ll need to find a job opening through your network and be organized with a plan of action so that you don’t miss out on any opportunities.
At this point it’s important not to settle for unfulfilling work; instead, focus on finding something that will benefit both your professional and personal life going forward into the future!
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Obtain an associate degree from an accredited occupational therapy assistant program. |
| 2. Prepare a well-crafted resume highlighting your skills, qualifications, and experience. |
| 3. Consider specializing in a specific area such as pediatrics, geriatrics, or mental health. |
| 4. Stay updated with the latest developments and advancements in the field of occupational therapy. |
| 5. Develop strong communication, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills. |
| 6. Network with professionals in the field and explore job opportunities in various settings. |
| 7. Seek certification or licensure as required by your state. |
| 8. Continuously strive to expand your knowledge and expertise through continuing education. |
| 9. Emphasize the importance of empathy, patience, and attention to detail in your work. |
| 10. Stay committed to providing quality care and helping individuals regain their independence. |
Use Your Network
Your network is your best resource when it comes to finding a job. Use your network to find out about job opportunities, training opportunities, and certification opportunities.
Find out what other people in the field are doing and how they’re getting the word out there that they are available for work. If you have any connections with people who already work in this field, ask them if they know of anything available or how their own jobs were secured.
Facilitating relationships with others can also give you an edge over other applicants when applying for positions as an occupational therapy assistant (OTA).
For example, if you know someone who knows someone working at a specific facility that might be hiring OTA’s then it could help put yourself ahead of the game.
Asking around will also help make sure that you are up-to-date on all current openings within your area so that when one does become available, you don’t miss out on it because no one knew about it beforehand!
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Keep In Contact With Your Old Professors And Supervisors
It’s important to keep in contact with your old professors and supervisors. They can be a great source of information, especially when you’re looking for a job or internship.
Many employers look at the recommendations of your past professors when deciding whether or not you’re suitable for their position.
In addition to helping you find work, they can also give you advice on how to improve your resume and provide valuable feedback on what career path is best suited for someone with your skillset.
Consult An Agency
Consult A Career Aide
If you’re interested in going through an agency, then I recommend consulting an occupational therapy assistant career aide to help you. The best way to find someone reputable is by asking around or reading reviews online.
You can also search for them on google and see which ones pop up first.
Once you’ve found one that seems trustworthy, make sure they have good credentials (such as being licensed) and experience working with people who want to become occupational therapy assistants. The last thing you want is for them not know what they’re doing!
Once you’ve found an occupational therapy assistant career aide that suits your needs, ask them what their fee is so there are no surprises later on down the road when they bill your credit card without asking permission first.”
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Search For Open Positions On A Job Site
Search for open positions on a job site. You’ll find thousands of them, ranging from entry-level to senior management positions.
Use LinkedIn to find people who work at the companies you’re interested in. This will help you get your foot in the door and get an introduction to someone who can help you land the job.
Google “XYZ Company” + open position type (i.e., “XYZ Company” + “entry level occupational therapy assistant,” or “XYZ Company” + “director of training”).
This should bring up search results showing what positions are available for that company and whether they’re hiring now or in the future. Also, check out their website! It may have some information about how they recruit employees and what skills they look for when hiring people.
Search through one of these job boards: Monster, CareerBuilder (this is a great resource because it has all sorts of different listings), Indeed, LinkedIn Jobs the list goes on!
The trick here is knowing which ones will have an opening that fits your needs and qualifications so that you don’t waste time looking through hundreds upon hundreds of openings that aren’t relevant to what you’re trying to achieve here today at this very moment.”
Ask A Recruiter To Help You Find Work
When you’re looking for jobs, it’s important to work with a recruiter who has experience in the field. This makes sense because they know what employers are looking for, and they’ll be able to match you up with companies that will value your skills and education.
You also want to ask recruiters about their experience working in your desired geographical area. If you love living in Chicago but have always wanted to live in New York City, then this could be an important factor when deciding which recruiter to work with!
Stay Organized
- Have a calendar.
- Use a planner.
- Keep a to-do list.
Create filing systems for your paperwork, including:
- date added, file name and description of contents (ex: File Name: Appointment with Dr. X on 3/5/18 – Description: Created when I met with Dr. X on 3/5/18)
- date received by office – in this case it would be the date that it was received by the office staff
- due date or action item within 7 days of receipt (ex: Due 4/12)
Also, Keep Track Of Information About Your Clients So You Are Better Able To Serve Them!
Save notes from phone calls and emails (both personal and professional). Why? Because they may come in handy at some point down the road!
You never know when someone will suggest something new or give advice that might be useful later on down the road when making decisions about how best to handle particular cases involving clients.
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Always Highlight Your Educational Background And Experience In The Field
You can do this by highlighting your educational background and experience in the field.
If you’re applying for a job as an occupational therapy assistant, show that you are committed to the field by pointing out specific classes or clinical experiences that relate to the job requirements.
Show that you are serious about the job by explaining why you are interested in working for this particular company and how it aligns with your goals. It’s also important to show that you are a team player who will be able to get along well with coworkers.
This means expressing interest in helping out with work projects outside of your immediate responsibilities (for example, if someone needs help setting up an exhibit booth at a convention).
Finally, if there is anything else unique about yourself or what makes up part of who are (e.g., special honors from college), make sure those things appear on this form!
Don’t Talk About Salary Right Away
While it can be tempting to inquire about salary during an interview, take care not to ask in the first few minutes.
You don’t want to put a potential employer off by seeming too mercenary from the get-go; wait until later on in the conversation or even after you’ve been offered the job before broaching this topic.
If you find that your prospective employer seems open to discussing salary with you as part of an initial interview, proceed cautiously: Be sure that you’re comfortable with their offer before accepting any position based on its promised compensation package.
And if they make it clear they’re unwilling or unable to provide information like annual pay scale and benefits options at this juncture, do not push them further (unless there’s something more important than money going on).
Tell Them About Your Strengths
Now that you’ve built a strong foundation for your application, it’s time to talk about yourself. In short, tell them what you do and how well you do it.
Telling someone why you are the best candidate for a job can be challenging, but when done properly, it will help them see what makes you unique and stand out from the crowd of applicants.
To begin, briefly explain who and what inspires your work as an occupational therapy assistant:
- What is your passion?
- What have you learned or accomplished so far in life that makes this job appealing to you?
Next, go into detail about all of the skills and experience required for this position.
For example: I am passionate about working with children and helping people regain function by teaching them how to use their hands again after surgery or stroke therapy has been completed successfully on their brain area(s).
This is because I’ve had personal experience with both physical rehab therapy (my mother) as well as neurological injury recovery myself (I was diagnosed with complex migraines due to an underlying genetic disorder affecting my brain).
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Tell Them What You Want To Do
It’s important to tell the interviewer what you want to do. If you’re not sure how to talk about your goals, think about what you like and dislike in your current job or past jobs. Try to come up with at least one example of when you were doing something in your life that made you happy.
For example, if one of the things that makes me happy is helping others and working with children, then I might say something like this:
I’m currently working as a medical assistant at ABC Medical Center, but I’ve always wanted to work as an occupational therapy assistant (OTA).
I have experience taking care of people recovering from various injuries and diseases through my volunteer experience serving at local hospitals and clinics.
My goal is ultimately to become an OTA so that I can help patients recover from traumatic injuries such as strokes or spinal cord injuries by giving them specialized treatments designed specifically for their needs.
Have An Answer Prepared If They Ask Why You Want To Be An OTA
If you don’t have your answer prepared, it won’t matter how much research you’ve done or how strong your resume is; they will turn away from you and move on to the next candidate.
You need to be able to explain why you want to be an OTA in a way that shows your enthusiasm for the job and makes sense for their company.
The reason that this question is so important is because of what happens when employers meet people who seem like they would be good fits for open positions at their company:
They often hire them! Let’s say that there are two candidates applying for an occupational therapy assistant position within the local hospital system.
Candidate A has completed all of the requirements necessary to become an OTA but has no real interest in working in a hospital setting.
Candidate B completed all of her required training online and was able to find an internship through another organization that allowed her to work with patients who needed extra care during discharge from the hospital (she also found out about this opportunity through networking opportunities at conferences).
Now imagine if both candidates had met with two different recruiters one from each organization and were asked why they wanted this job! Which one do think would get hired?
Know What Questions You Can’t Ask During The Interview
You can’t ask age, gender, race or religion. 2. You can’t ask marital status or national origin. 3. You may not ask about disability or sexual orientation.
Or gender identity (including pregnancy) unless it’s directly related to the job and required by law to hire someone with a specific disability (for example an open position for a person who needs help getting around.) 4. You can never ask about family status like pregnancy or military service.*
If the question is about childcare arrangements needed for a meeting at work not about hiring somebody then it’s okay to discuss this issue during an interview as long as there’s no discrimination against applicants who have children!
Be Open-Minded About Traveling To Get Your Ot Assistant Certification
Now that you’re ready to become an occupational therapy assistant, it’s time to think about where you want your career to take you.
If like many people, starting with a job at a hospital or clinic in your hometown is more than ideal, but if it doesn’t work out that way, it’s important not to get too discouraged.
A lot of OTAs move around after their initial training because they are open-minded and flexible enough to realize that where they got their certification will be different than where they end up working.
Some travel across the country for jobs as OTAs because they were willing to relocate themselves rather than wait around in one location hoping someone would come looking for them.
So if this sounds like something that would benefit both your career path and personal life (and most likely impact both positively), then keeping an open mind about where exactly you might end up working as an OTA is key!
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Don’t Be Afraid Of The Work Hours
The hours you’ll be working as an OTA can be long, but they don’t have to be. If you’re willing to work weekends, evenings, and holidays, you can often find a job with normal hours.
However, there are plenty of jobs that will require you to put in longer days than this. If you want a job that offers more freedom in your schedule, keep looking until you find it!
You should also be prepared for some stress once on the job. OTA’s spend their days seeing patients who may be experiencing pain or discomfort and need help coping with those symptoms.
As an OTA, your role is not only to help people cope with these symptoms but also to get them back on their feet so the patient can resume their daily activities (or go home).
Make Sure You’re Willing To Work Weekends And Evenings
You’ll be working with patients at all hours of the day and night, so make sure you’re willing to be on call.
OTAs work in hospitals, clinics, and private practices with patients of all ages: from newborns to seniors. They may also be required to travel to different facilities for their job or stay overnight at a facility if necessary.
A day in the life for an OTA is never boring! You’ll have fun working with people who have a variety of conditions like autism spectrum disorder (ASD), spinal cord injury (SCI), stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI), multiple sclerosis (MS) and more!
Talk About What Made You Want To Become An Occupational Therapy Assistant
In the interview, you should talk about how you got interested in the field, what you have learned and would like to learn, what qualities you think make a good occupational therapy assistant, and why you think that makes a good fit for this particular position.
Talk about how your interest started: For example: “I always knew I wanted to be a physical therapist when I grew up. When I was eight years old I injured my knee playing soccer and had to have surgery.
Before my surgery, my parents met with an occupational therapist who showed them exercises I could do at home that would help me recover faster from surgery.
After seeing them work so well on me – helping get me back on my feet and active again – it made me realize how important these professionals are in helping people recover from injuries and illnesses.”
Talk about what attracted you to this area of study or practice: For example: “My first job out of college was as a preschool teacher’s assistant where I helped kids practice their motor skills like running around outside or hopping on one foot inside during recess breaks.”
Be Honest If You Want Further Education In The Future
As you embark on the job search, be honest about your plans for further education. While this may not seem like a big deal, it’s actually very important to be upfront with employers and to let them know what they can expect from you as an employee.
Perhaps you’re in need of further education perhaps not. Either way, there could be consequences if an employer hires someone who is planning on going back to school soon and then has their contract terminated after six months because their employee decides they want to pursue advanced studies instead of sticking around the clinic.
If this sounds like something that might happen in your case, think carefully before accepting any job offers until after graduation day (or at least until after graduation).
The same goes for students who choose not to go back for more schooling: if an employer hires someone who says they’re not interested in pursuing further education but then discovers that their employee wants time off every quarter or semester for class attendance and study.
He or she may become frustrated with having extra work piling up while paying full wages for someone whose productivity is limited due both their academic obligations and their desire to focus on other areas of life besides helping patients recover from injuries caused by accidents or disease.
Be Prepared For What You’re Getting Into When It Comes To Salary
It’s important to be prepared for what you’re getting into when it comes to salary. Occupational therapy assistants make an average of $53,400 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
The BLS also reports that occupational therapy assistants have a current unemployment rate of 3.1 percent and a growth rate of 5 percent between 2016 and 2026. The median pay for an OTA is $57,240 annually.
Although this is a respectable salary, it may not be enough if you have student loans to pay off or other financial obligations like a mortgage or car payments.
You’ll want to do some serious math before deciding on becoming an OTA because there are many factors involved in determining how much you will earn after graduation.
- Ask how much travel will be required for the position you’re applying for.
- Ask about what hours you will be expected to work.
- Ask about the company’s benefits package, including holiday pay and sick days.
- Ask about how much travel will be required for the position you’re applying for.
Ask about how many days off you will get per year, as well as what days of the week those are scheduled on (this can help determine whether or not you’ll have enough time to make it to school).
Also ask about whether or not overtime is ever required—if so, when does it happen most often? This information can help ensure that your schedule doesn’t conflict with any existing obligations or commitments (like classes).
Getting A Certification As An Ot Assistant Is Not Easy, But It Is Rewarding Ask A Lot Of Questions Before Committing
Getting a certification as an OT Assistant is not easy, but it is rewarding. Prepare to work hard, long hours, and on weekends. You will also be expected to travel and work in a variety of settings including hospitals, medical offices, private practices and outpatient centers.
The most important thing to remember is that you have the right skills for this job. The only thing that might trip you up is your lack of confidence in your abilities!
If this happens just remember everyone started somewhere and they will appreciate your honesty when they ask about your background experience or why you want to work with this particular population group (the elderly).
Take notes on everything because there’s no way around taking notes when working with patients who are often suffering from physical issues like vision loss or maybe hearing loss as well so take good care of your note-taking skills too!
Conclusion
In the end, you want to be sure that you’re getting the most out of your work as an occupational therapy assistant. That means knowing that this career path is right for you and understanding what it takes to get there, both in terms of skills and education.
If you’re passionate about helping people through rehabilitation and are willing to put in the time and effort required, we think that becoming an OT assistant will be one of the best decisions you ever make!
Further Reading
Occupational Therapy Assistant Resume Example: Get inspired by this comprehensive resume example tailored specifically for Occupational Therapy Assistants. Learn how to highlight your skills, qualifications, and experience effectively in your resume.
Why You’ll Want an Occupational Therapy Assistant Career: Discover the reasons why pursuing a career as an Occupational Therapy Assistant can be fulfilling and rewarding. This article explores the benefits, job outlook, and opportunities available in the field.
Home Health Job: Occupational Therapist: Learn about the role of an Occupational Therapist in the home health setting. This informative article provides insights into the responsibilities, challenges, and rewards of working as an Occupational Therapist in a home healthcare environment.
FAQs
Q: What qualifications do I need to become an Occupational Therapy Assistant?
A: To become an Occupational Therapy Assistant, you typically need to complete an accredited occupational therapy assistant program and obtain an associate degree. Additionally, you may need to pass a national certification exam to become licensed or certified in your state.
Q: What is the job outlook for Occupational Therapy Assistants?
A: The job outlook for Occupational Therapy Assistants is promising. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of Occupational Therapy Assistants is projected to grow at a faster-than-average rate in the coming years, driven by the increasing demand for rehabilitation services for elderly individuals and people with disabilities.
Q: What settings do Occupational Therapy Assistants work in?
A: Occupational Therapy Assistants can work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, schools, outpatient clinics, and home healthcare. They collaborate with Occupational Therapists to provide therapy services and help patients regain their independence in various daily activities.
Q: What skills are important for Occupational Therapy Assistants?
A: Some essential skills for Occupational Therapy Assistants include excellent communication and interpersonal skills, strong attention to detail, empathy and patience, problem-solving abilities, and the ability to work effectively as part of a healthcare team.
Q: Are there opportunities for specialization within the field of Occupational Therapy Assistant?
A: Yes, Occupational Therapy Assistants can specialize in certain areas such as pediatrics, geriatrics, mental health, or hand therapy. Specializing can allow you to focus on specific patient populations or conditions and develop expertise in those areas.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.
