May 22, 2024
Care Options for Kids, formerly The Hello Foundation
Are you one of the many SLPs interviewing for a new job this spring? Whether this is your first job as a recent grad or a much-needed mid-career change, a little bit of preparation can go a long way towards a successful interview. Job interviews go both ways, after all! We have 20 years of experience interviewing SLPs and guiding them through district interviews. We thought we'd pull together some of our favorite tips for making the most of the interview process.
First, we highly recommend that you do your research. You'll feel more confident and make a better impression if you know a little about the district and administrators before your interview. At a minimum, use the district website to familiarize yourself with their stated mission and instructional priorities. This process will also help guide the questions you want to ask when you're in your interview (more on that below).
Second, don't hesitate to celebrate your experience and skills. Remember that there's no such thing as a typical SLP job! Don't shortchange yourself by describing your previous job or practicum experience simply as "providing assessment and intervention for an elementary caseload." Spend a little bit of time before your interview coming up with a mental "sizzle reel" -- accomplishments you're most proud of or that highlight the skills you'd bring to the job. Building constructive relationships with families, collaborating with teachers to support the classroom curriculum, and facilitating meetings for positive outcomes are all skills any administrator will appreciate! Having a story or example front of mind and ready to share will help set you apart from other candidates.
Finally, and most importantly, use the opportunity to ask questions. Not sure what to ask? We compiled our favorite questions for SLPs to ask districts in job interviews in the downloadable resource below. It covers many of the things you might want to know before accepting a new job, such as caseload numbers, school buildings, demographics, mentorship and support, service models, and support staff. Print it off, or pull it up on your phone, and you'll be ready when you hear, "Now, do you have any questions for me?"
Click on the image below to download the PDF!
