Speech Language Pathologist Resume Outline & Examples

Speech-Language Pathologist Resume

As a qualified and dedicated speech-language pathologist, you know it is a competitive field. Many individuals are capable and committed, just like you. So, how do you stand out from other SLP job seekers? Your resume. The resume is a critical tool in your job hunt and can truly make or break you successfully landing a position. Here at Soliant, we help candidates like you find the job of their dreams, and we walk you through the process of crafting a powerful and dynamic resume. Read on to see key requirements and examples to make your resume eye-catching and stand out.

Speech-Language Pathologist Resume Outline

Well-crafted resumes can look diverse and unique, but they often contain similar features. An SLP will want to include the following essential components in their resume:

• Objective: Candidates should have a clear and focused objective statement. Ideally, you’ll want to tailor it to the specific organization to which you are applying.
• Skills: This section of the resume is arguably the most important because you are promoting yourself – explaining why you are the ideal fit for the job. You can include a mix of soft skills (those general abilities that transfer across multiple industries) and SLP-specific skills that you possess.
• Work Experience: Starting with the most recent position or internships first, you list your background chronologically. Be precise in your descriptions of what position you held and for how long.
• Certifications: In this portion of the resume, you list all of your pertinent certifications and credentials – the more specialized and advanced your certifications, the better.
• Education: Explain your educational background here. If you list your college degree here, add a bullet point detailing your major or emphasis. Did you obtain a Master’s degree or even a doctorate? List it here. Make sure to include any extracurriculars that have to do with speech-language pathology, if any.

SLP Resume Objective

The SLP resume objective statement is a short but imperative feature of your resume. As a speech-language pathologist, you possess a unique skill set that few others have, and your objective statement should reflect that. In a nutshell, you will want to describe yourself and your goal briefly, but with careful word choice. Use one or two adjectives to define yourself and two or three specific skills that would appeal to the employer. Some example objective statements that you can modify are:

• I am a motivated speech-language pathologist with significant expertise and a decade of in-depth experience looking for a position to supercharge my career.
• I am an experienced and in-demand SLP with charisma, energy, and reliability, searching for the perfect match for my talents.
• I am a caring, consummate professional speech-language pathologist, ready to incorporate my extensive knowledge and skillset into shaping individuals’ futures.

As you can see, there are several avenues to take when developing your objective statement, but all should be a way to sell yourself as a good fit for the organization.

SLP Skills

The skills section on the resume of a speech-language pathologist is vital, as this is your chance to brag and tell employers why you would be a match. Some of the skills successful SLPs share are:

• Communication: this ability should be at the top of your list, as you will need to communicate clearly with all stakeholders as an SLP.
• Compassion: speech and communication disorders are frustrating, and the specialist needs to understand these individuals’ challenges.
• Patience: similar to compassion, SLPs need to have considerable patience. These services and activities take time to complete successfully.
• Critical Thinking: employers want to hire a specialist that can think outside the box, tailoring approaches to different individuals.
• Resourcefulness: no one knows everything. The ability to seek and find answers from trusted sources is an asset that many people respect. Knowing where to look for information and advice is a critical tool for SLPs to have.

SLP Certification

As you consider your academic and professional background, make sure that you are fully qualified to be an SLP where you live. Various states have different requirements as far as certification, but most demand a similar level of certification. Some of these requirements that you should have on your resume include:

• A Master’s Degree: this is a common requirement at a minimum.
• Licensure: While some states need you to be registered, many others require a license. Often, you’ll need a master’s degree, supervised clinical hours, and passing a national exam to get your license.
• CCC-SLP: The Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology meets the licensure requirements, and some states compel you to have it. It is similar to a license but also involves continuing education.
• Teaching Credential: For candidates searching for school-site SLP jobs, some states need candidates with specialized teaching credentials.
• Specialty Certifications: If you have obtained certification in areas such as swallowing, child language, or fluency, these can be significant boosts to your resume.
• Board-Certified Specialist: Candidates who undergo rigorous requirements and achieve board certification have a notable advantage.

Speech Language Pathology Resume Example

If you are a speech-language pathologist looking to put your new resume to use, then make sure to check out all of our current openings. Search for opportunities by location and apply directly through the Soliant SLP job page.