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When you’re in the market to find a new direct support professional opportunity, you’ll want to consider the questions you may be asked in an interview.
For direct support professionals, your interviewer will likely want to understand your experience with disabled individuals, along with critical qualities such as a passion for the work, patience, problem-solving abilities, relationship-building skills, and more.
Below we discuss a variety of questions you may encounter during your interview, along with example answers to help give you a place to get started when crafting your answers. Remember, every interview will be different, and your specific questions may be individually tailored based on the opportunity at hand.
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Have you had past experiences where you helped individuals gain independence?
Direct support professionals are responsible for caring for individuals with disabilities and helping to guide them towards independence. They need to have a balanced approach to their care and allowance for independent activity. Your interviewer is looking for you to describe this delicate balance, preferably by providing past examples.
Example answer:
I worked with one of my clients a few years ago where he was receiving specific therapy to help his spine heal after extensive surgery. I provided care as well as light physical therapy every single day. With hard work and perseverance, we were able to set small goals that he could reach incrementally. This helped him have something to work towards but also develop his sense of independence. We started small, standing to get something from the bedside table, then to get to the bathroom, then to stand long enough to cook eggs, and so on.
Are you passionate about helping others with disabilities, and why would you say so?
Direct support professionals should be extremely passionate about their line of work but shouldn’t be prone to over-helping. Your interviewer may be looking for signs that you’re likely to “over-help” patients, therefore forming negative codependent habits.
Be sure to express your passion for this job and indicate you understand the difference between help and over-helping.
Example answer:
I am so passionate about helping individuals with short or long-term disabilities because I feel strongly about individuals maintaining their sense of dignity through these types of events. My method to care is to help my patients get back to independence to return to their previous way of living or something close to it. When I was in high school, my grandfather had a stroke, and I helped my mother take care of him for months as he recovered. It was so rewarding helping him overcome his difficulties, and I feel the same about each of my patients.
Are you willing to assist with personal care routines for adults?
Your interviewer is looking for your specific skills and qualifications in this question. For example, medical routines and services can require specific certification to provide that type of care. However, most direct support professionals are expected to help with hygiene routines and be comfortable and dignified while doing so.
Example answer:
I am a certified medication aide and feel comfortable providing medical routine care to patients. I also have extensive experience with various patients with hygiene care which is a crucial part of recovery. I believe having good hygiene helps my clients feel better on a day-to-day basis and can even speed up the time of recovery.
Do you consider yourself a patient person? Why or why not?
Patience is one of the most important qualities for direct support professionals. Providing direct care for a patient can be time-consuming and frustrating at times.
You’ll want to make sure you know how to hold your temper and have good ways to manage others’ fears, anger, and other volatile emotions. If you have examples to include in your answer to this question, mention them.
Example answer:
I consider myself a patient person. I have two small children and pride myself on providing calm and understanding parenting, which I think translates well into the care I provide. I always try to be patient and understanding with my clients, even if they direct their anger towards me. Being disabled, even for a brief time, can be frustrating and demoralizing. I will always reassure my clients that I am there to help them.
What type of experience do you have working with disabled individuals?
Your interviewer is looking to understand more about your experience with disabled individuals. This is typically used to the best place you with a client or understand if you’re the right fit for the position they’re looking to fill. Be honest here, and don’t embellish. You don’t want to end up in a situation where you’ve falsely promised something you can’t deliver on.
Example answer:
I have been so lucky to work with four incredible clients in my experience. For one year, I worked with a young man recovering from spinal surgery. For two years, I worked with a double amputee. For six years, I worked with an Alzheimer’s patient, and my most recent patient I worked with for three years, who had Parkinson’s disease.
Have you handled aggressive clients before? How do you handle clients with aggressive characteristics?
Having aggressive patients is, unfortunately, a common occurrence in this line of work. You must describe specific scenarios if you have encountered aggressive clients previously. If you haven’t, try to develop best practices and specific methods that you feel would help you deal with a client who has aggressive tendencies.
Example answer:
Unfortunately, I had a client who had aggressive tendencies when I first started working with her. She was terrified of her prognosis and felt like she was losing her independence. I made sure to make her feel like I was only a temporary companion here to help her regain her independence in ways she couldn’t before. I got to know her very well, the names of all her kids and pets, and we spent many hours just talking at first. Finally, she came around and began to treat me like a friend. From there, I was able to work more closely with her on restructuring her life and home so that it suited her needs.
Are you comfortable working around a diverse group of individuals?
Your interviewer is likely looking to make sure you are comfortable with different types of disabilities, ages, sexes, races, and cultures. This is an important question to ask and answer appropriately.
Depending on your experience, you may only be comfortable caring for individuals with specific disabilities, so be sure to provide that information upfront so that the hiring manager can decide that benefits both you and the patients.
Example answer:
I am comfortable caring for individuals of all sexes, races, cultures, and ages. However, due to my experience working with Alzheimer’s patients, I feel better equipped to care for individuals who need full-time memory care. However, I would still be open to working with individuals with other disabilities.
Are you willing to live permanently with a client?
Sometimes direct support professionals live at a client’s home full-time, depending on their circumstances. This is another crucial question to ask and answer honestly, depending on your lifestyle and goals for your future. This can be an ideal option for some, but not for others. It will all depend on your personal preferences.
Example answer:
At this current time, I am not looking to become a live-in aide. I would be happy to work full days for clients, even including weekends and holidays.
How do you treat a client who may be suffering from a mental illness on top of a physical disability?
Your interviewer is looking for how you view overall care. They want to make sure you’re not just coming in to clock in and out but that you have a holistic view of your patient and that you’ll attempt to cover all bases, if necessary. Since mental illness is a common part of disability care or recovery, many have a common concern.
Example answer:
One of my responsibilities as a direct support professional is to ensure my clients are on the correct medications and that their illnesses, whether physical or mental, are properly being managed. Suppose I suspect a client is suffering from depression or anxiety. In that case, I will encourage them to come to a doctor’s appointment or encourage their family to make an appointment for an evaluation. Depression and anxiety are common for individuals with disabilities and should be managed properly so that they can focus on their care.
Are you comfortable assisting clients with household work?
Many direct support professionals help to care for a patient but can also be expected to help do housework for their clients, especially if they cannot do so themselves. This is important information for your hiring manager to collect so that they can place you in households that fit both your and the client’s needs.
Example answer:
I have no problem contributing to household work. I have experience with it all, both personally and professionally. I can clean bathrooms, kitchens, make beds, assist with laundry, cooking, and pet care.
Tell me what you think the most challenging part of this job is?
This can be a tricky question since you don’t want to reveal that you may dislike parts of the job. However, any interviewer should know that that’s the case with most jobs out there, and direct support professionals are no different.
However, the way you answer this question will be a tell-all. Be sure to spin it positively and describe how you overcome obstacles that may stand in your way.
Example answer:
By far, the most challenging part of this job is developing the initial relationship with the patient. Many can be combative or even aggressive, but often those behaviors are fear-based. Building the initial relationship can sometimes take weeks or even months, but the result is well worthwhile.
Do you have experience preparing meals for your clients?
Another skills-based question that is important for your hiring manager and client to understand, especially if they have specific allergies or food intolerances to be aware of. Direct support professionals don’t always need to be skilled in preparing meals for clients. However, providing meals for clients is a big selling point and can set you apart from other candidates.
Example answer:
In my last two positions, I provided breakfast and lunches for my clients. One of my clients was on a gluten-free diet, and we got creative by shopping at Trader Joe’s for many items so that we didn’t have to sacrifice taste. I also incorporated cooking into my care as an activity to kill time during the day. My clients would help with simple tasks like washing dishes or peeling vegetables.
Do you have experience helping individuals with using the Internet?
Direct support professionals are there to help clients, and assisting individuals with the Internet is no different. As long as you have basic knowledge of the Internet and computers, you’ll be set for this type of question. You may also be asked if you can use different technologies like Smart TVs, smart home appliances, and more.
Example answer:
I have experience helping my clients use the internet and different technologies like streaming services and smartphones. I try to teach my clients with independence in mind, so not doing everything for them, but instructing them where to go or writing out specific instructions that they can read and follow themselves, especially for times when I am not there.
Do you bring compassion to this job? Can you give me an example?
Like patience, compassion is one of the most critical and essential skills you can come to the table with. Compassion is so crucial for being successful in this line of work. Be sure to provide specific examples in your answer for this one, if possible.
Example answer:
I try to bring consistent compassion to the work that I do. Compassion is one of the most important things you can bring to a patient, especially when they feel stuck in recovery. For example, one of my patients loved classic rock. We found a wonderful playlist on Spotify and would play it in the morning when we cooked breakfast. It helped kick off the day on a great foot and put her in a wonderful mood. She looked forward to it every single day.
Why did you choose this kind of work?
Another common question you may get is why you chose to be a direct support professional. It’s challenging work and often can leave you with minimal personal time. Interviewers are always interested in understanding your motives to joining such a grueling career. Be honest with your answer and let your personality shine.
Example answer:
I have wanted to be a direct support professional for most of my young adult life. My grandfather had a stroke when I was 16, and I helped my mother take care of him while he regained his ability to speak again. It was so rewarding to help him reach his goals. Not just that, but I formed an unforgettable relationship with him during this process, and it gave me the motivation to want to do more for others in similar situations. I love what I do and couldn’t imagine myself in a different line of work.