Job interview

What experience do you have relevant to this role?

I have experience with understanding the importance of applying behavioral treatment to children and I have taken extensive classes in order for me to be prepared in my duties. I also understand the importance of ABA being implemented at all times and can be relied as someone who is determined to help parents understand the teachings of ABA if needed to so. I also have experience about the ethics that goes behind ABA and know every child deserves love and care while implementing these treatments.

Why did you want to become a behavioral health technician?

I want to become a behavioral technician because I believe that every child deserves the chance to learn and be able to eventually take care of themselves. They deserve the same opportunities and more as children who do not have autism.

What are your methods for handling patients who refuse to follow certain steps of their treatment program?

I would use either use prompts such as gestural or modeling. Also make sure that the reinforcement is appropriate for that certain child.

What can you do for us that other candidates can't?

I can bring a diverse set of skills, qualities and experience to the team that I believe will help your business grow. I am string a strong communicator, and I will always try to solve problems without troubling my manager. I will always take care of your clients and can also bring a level of knowledge to this role that I believe is unrivaled, and I will always work hard to ensure you see a positive return on your investment by hiring me.

Can you describe your main specialization regarding specific patient conditions, their age or other such factors?

I have not been placed in a clinic yet so I am not sure what specific age or condition I would be best at however I am willing to work w any child.

Do you think you're most effective working alone or within a team?

I have worked alone and as a team in my previous roles and both have given me the satisfaction of completing a task. While working alone I was able to make independent decisions and solve problems on my own. Whereas, working as a team I was able to put our heads together and come up with the best way to succeed.

What do you look for in your own healthcare experiences?

I look for someone I can trust and is knowledgeable in their field.

Why do you want this job?

I want this job because it is a role I am very passionate about, and I see my long term career in this position. I also want this job because having researched your company you are clearly innovative, you support your employees in their work, and you are always striving to move forward and develop.

Why do you want to work for us?

I want to work for your company because you are socially responsible, you have a strong set of workplace values that align with my own ambitions and aspirations. If I am successful, I can genially see myself working for your company for many years to come.

How would you deal with conflict with a coworker?

I would deal with the conflict by seeing if I was doing anything to contribute the conflict before speaking to my co-worker in private to Tina an amicable way forward that we were both comfortable with. I would always put the needs of my team first and try to overcome the conflict so we could quickly move forward.

Describe yourself in three words

I would describe myself as productive, patient, and enthusiastic. I am productive which means you will always see me achieving good things for the business and the clients. I am patient which means I will always be able to control myself when treatments may take longer than usual or when a child may have a tantrum. I am enthusiastic which means I will always be able to see the positive in all aspects in my job and know that what we are doing is impactful not only for us but the children as well.

How would you encourage patients to engage in group activities—and conversely, to avoid disruptive behavior?

I would encourage a patient to engage in group activities by using a reinforcement that the child likes. They can observe me giving the other patients reinforcements by working in a group and once that child copies them then they would get a reinforcement as well. When the child has a disruptive behavior I would make she he is not reinforced. But I would have to make sure that the reinforcement is reinforcement taht the child would prefer.

How do you evaluate your success as a behavioral health technician?

I would evaluate my success by how the children are thriving and growing and my coworkers and bosses are proud that I am on their team.

How would you deal with a difficult customer?

I would listen to the client; I would ask them questions to establish their needs, and I would try to establish a connection. At all times I would be professional, and would try to find a solution to their problem quickly and calmly. It would be my goal to keep the costumer onboard and to ensure they had a good experience with the the company.

How do you usually approach a situation in which you have to make an unpopular recommendation to a patient's family?

I would make not waiver if the recommendation is the best treatment for the child. I would stay calm and have then make sure I was as clear as I can be to the family to let them know exactly what is happing. Sometimes ABA uses big terms and for someone who is not educated in ABA they might need a different way to learn what a treatment needs and means.

Describe what actions you'd take if you noticed deterioration in a patient's physical or mental well-being.

I would observe the child and see if we can find what is going on. I would then ask the parents to see if we could find out what possibly could be happening.

How would you handle a patient who refuses to follow an essential step of their treatment program, such as taking medication?

I would start from the previous step. I could also use prompts and give a big reinforcement once it was delivered. I could also use behavioral momentum and get the child to do steps he is really good and and slip in the behavior the child does not want to do.

How do you usually handle the initial contact with an emotionally distressed patient who has just been through a highly traumatic experience?

I would take some time so the child begins to trust you. I would make the child feel like this was his safe space and once we are able to build trust then we can move forward.

How would other people describe you?

My friends and previous co-workers have often described me as someone who is driven, enthusiastic and upbeat. I believe they would also describe me as someone they could turn to whenever they needed assistance; someone they could rely on to help them out at short notice, and someone who has a can-do attitude and that takes ownership of difficult situations.

What's been your greatest achievement?

My greatest achievement was completing my bachelors degree while maintaining a 3.5 gpa.

Describe your ideal supervisor

My ideal supervisor is someone I can count on to give me feedback on how to improve in my job performance.

What's your ideal work environment?

My ideal work environment is positive, is one where everyone in the team seeks to continually grow and improve, and where I would get to use my creative side help the children and your business grow and develop.

What is your ideal working schedule, and are you comfortable working occasional extra hours?

My ideal working schedule is full time, 40 hours a week. I am willing to work overtime if I am needed to do so and will do whatever it takes to prioritize the company and the clients.

Can you describe a work situation when you persisted and succeeded despite major challenges?

My last job I worked at was my dads law firm. It was hard balancing out him being my dad and also boss. However, this made me want to try even harder so I could work independently.

Tell me about yourself

My name is Sara Sheffield and thank you for giving me this opportunity today. I have skills and qualifications to match the job description and to perform highly in the role. I am alsway seeking to learn and develop and I have a strong devotion to help children also learn and develop. Outside of work i can be decribed as a postive and drivine person. I keep myself active and also family oriantened. I someone who embraces chance and will always take responsibility for my own professional development.

What are your strengths?

My strengths include my ability to learn things quickly, the fact that I am a people person which means I will always be a positive role model for your company whilst dealing with children and their parents, and the fact that I see change as a positive thing and I will always embrace it for the better good of the company.

Tell us about a typical day in your last job. How do you go about it?

My typical day in my last job was answering phone calls, prioritizing clients needs, booking appointments, and keeping client confidentiality. The biggest thing my last job has taught me is how important client confidentially is and how ABA also needs workers who understand the importance of also prioritizing the child's and family's privacy.

Do you have any questions for us?

Can you share more about the day-to-day responsibilities of this role? If I were hired for this role, what would you want me to achieve in my first two months? Would I be shadowing someone starting out?

Describe your expertise in skill acquisition and behavior reduction.

Skill acquisition: a plan for the ABA to teach their client a skill. For example: when teaching a client to tie their shoes, a paraprofessional tie their own shoes to show the client how to. This is called a modeling prompt. Behavior reduction: DRO is a behavior reduction procedure. By providing reinforcement only when the behavior does not occur, you ultimately delay reinforcement when the behavior does occur.

What's your biggest weakness?

My biggest weakness is I lack confidence because I do not yet have enough work experience.

Can you describe a major challenge that you faced throughout your career and how you handled it?

A major challenge I have faced was managing my education and social life. While in collage I was taking extensive amount of hours to learn about ABA while also being in a sorority. I would volunteer for the community, show up to sorority events, and stay in the library studying for several hours a day. I was also trying to maintain a social life outside of my education and would fall short in a area. This has taught me how to manage my life outside of my career and inside my career so I can be the best person I can be in all aspects of my life.

How do you use patients' nonverbal cues to assess their condition?

A patients nonverbal cues will say a lot about how a child is thinking and feeling. Simply watching a child behave will help see exactly where a child may fall short. A child may cry or hit you whenever they are struggling with an activity and a behavioral technician can use that as an apportioning to implement a treatment plan once they recognize what is triggering that behavior.

What are some techniques you use to monitor your own work?

A technique I use would be letting a coworker look over my work.

Can you talk about a time when you made a mistake at work and the steps you took to correct it?

A time I made a mistake at work was when

Can you tell us about a time when you calmly resolved a high-stress situation?

A time I resolved a a high stress situation was when I was in college and two classmates of mine were arguing over a project. I was able to get both of them to calm down and see the side of both party's so they can understand where both people are coming from.

Tell me about a time you've failed?

A time that I failed was when I was not able to reach my 40 hours of community service that was designated to me to complete by the end of a semester. I was taking a full course load and was not able to balance out my volunteer hours with my courses. However, this has taught me how to manage my time more efficiently and I can confidently say I have learned from my mistake.

How do you deal with aggressive patients?

Dealing with an aggressive patient takes care, judgement and self-control. Remain calm, listen to what they are saying. Many autistic children have a hard time vocalizing their wants and needs, which sometimes cause them to get frustrated and act out when they are not able to meet those needs. It is my job to have empathy and remember our core principles which are to treat others with compassion, dignity, and respect; behave with integrity; and ensure their own competence.

How did you hear about this position?

I have a keen interest in your company for several months now and I been on the lookout for this role to be advertised. To make sure I was as soon as the potion was advertised, I kept a daily check on the local job boards.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I see myself hopefully working for your company either in the same role or having gained advancement to a higher level. In 5 years, I would have also developed significantly and be seen as a trusted, reliable and productive member of the team. I am taking my taking my RBT exam this month and will be continuing my studies in a masters program this fall so I can be the best I can be for this position.

What kind of patient-therapist relationship do you think should be avoided?

I think a relationship that should be avoided is when you become to emotionally attached to them. It's good to have empathy and care but bing too emotionally attached to your patient is not ethical.

What do you do outside of work?

Outside of work I keep myself fit and active and I vist the gym a few times a week. This keeps me motivated and it also helps to boost my concentration levels at work. I am also a family person, and I often spend time at weekends with those closest to me. Finally, I like to read self-development books and I always have a good book on the go at any one time.

What do you consider to be the main quality of a good behavioral health technician?

What I consider to be the main quality of a good behavioral technician is showing compassion, good interpersonal and observational skills, and staying calm in stressful situations.

Why should we hire you?

With my extensive background experienced from my psychology major and ABA minor, I believe that I can be a great asset for the company. I am motivated and willing to join the team. Ready to provide to this company the determination that it takes to help children grow and keep the parents satisfied. I have the personality and the requirements for this position and I feel I will add a quality to this job .