Powerback Interview Questions
& Process

The interview process was easy and quick, lasting about 2 weeks. They were open to negotiation, and the interactions were very professional and friendly. Throughout the process, they clearly explained everything and were available to answer any questions I had. I could reach out to them anytime, and they were easy to contact.

The interview process began with a general phone screen. After that, I had an in-person tour of the skilled nursing facility (SNF). During the tour, the interviewer walked me around the facility, explained what would be expected in the role, and asked very few questions about me even though I tried to ask questions myself. I'm not sure if they had already hired someone by the time they interviewed me, but it felt like the recruitment team wasn't really interested in getting to know me.

The interview process started out okay, with typical initial chats with the recruiter and management. The pay-per-unit structure initially seemed interesting, but talking to current employees raised some doubts about actual earnings and expectations. I had to cover the cost of my own TB tests since none of their local places offered them for free. My references were emailed a long list of rating and free-text questions that were a real hassle, and most didn't reply. I ended up having to chase them myself to get it done, rather than HR handling it. It was also on me to find and pay for my own testing instead of the company setting up a smooth process. On top of that, I was contacted by several people from corporate asking for information I'd already provided. The extra effort required from me before being hired, along with the apparent lack of internal communication, really put me off this company. It seems like Powerback is just a new name for a big rehab company known for prioritizing profits over patient care.

I did a clinical rotation at a PBR contracted facility while I was still in PTA school. The clinical education coordinator at Powerback had check-ins with me mid and end rotation. The coordinator mentioned my clinical instructor said I'd be a good fit and asked if I'd want to be in their database for future jobs, which I agreed to. I started getting job opening emails during school. My school had a career fair, and I talked to the regional director for Powerback. She already knew about me from my CI and recognized me. We had a casual chat about the company, jobs in the area, and my preferred clinic setting. I gave her my resume, and she gave me her contact info, saying she'd be in touch. By that Thursday, I got an email and call from her. She set me up with a recruiter and had already talked to a clinic director about me for a PTA position near my home in the setting I wanted. The clinic director contacted me directly, and we set up a call to chat and then an in-person interview/tour. The clinic director kept in touch before the visit. During the visit, it seemed like the job was mine because everyone knew about me from my student days and had been considering me for this opening, thinking my personality and interests fit the clinic and the director/clinicians. The clinic director expressed excitement about hiring me and assured me I'd get support as a new grad. The interview wasn't hard, no weird questions. I was asked about handling conflict, a story about a tough patient, my priorities in patient care, what I value in a job (description/benefits/culture), and my career goals. The clinic director was open and straightforward, asking no discriminatory questions and allowing for a back-and-forth conversation. After the interview, she stayed in touch, and the recruiter became more involved. My first recruiter wasn't very helpful, so the clinic director had the regional manager switch me, and I learned that recruiter was let go for unprofessionalism. My new recruiter was much better and skilled at negotiations. I was also interviewing elsewhere and had three strong offers. The recruiter and Powerback were patient while I considered my options, especially with my last rotation and the Thanksgiving holiday. After negotiating with my offers, I accepted the Powerback offer in early-mid December, pending graduation and licensure. I passed, and everything was confirmed. The recruiter passed my case to HR for onboarding paperwork, which I completed with their help. The clinic director stayed in touch throughout. My process was likely different as I was still a student. By the time official interviewing started, they already saw me as a future employee. I definitely recommend attending career fairs and making the most of clinical rotations.