28 Speech Pathology Interview Questions & Answers
1. Speech therapy can cost your patient a lot of money, do you worry about the cost for the patient when doing your job?
How to Answer
This is always, and should be a concern, but not a dictator of how you deliver patient care. There is cost associated with any treatment or service, and while in medicine especially this can many times be extraordinary, this is not a motivator or reason not to treat a patient as you were trained to do.
Written by Heather Douglass
Entry Level
"Knowing that the behind the scenes issues in healthcare change on a regular basis when it comes to government intervention, a good healthcare worker must keep up to speed on the changes for their patients. With that said, my job is to first provide the best care possible to my patients. If a patient or family member ever had a question or a concern with their insurance coverage and my services, I would try to help out as best as I could or refer them to someone in billing to talk further."
Written by Ryan Brunner
Answer Example
"As a therapist, I not only treat the patient but work alongside the family. I'll help them research their healthcare plan to ensure that treatment is covered or help them file the appropriate paperwork to get reimbursed."
Written by Heather Douglass
Experienced
"I do not worry about the cost of the therapy for the patient when trying to conduct my therapy with them. I do, however, make myself available to them should questions ever arise. With the changes recently to the ACA, my current employer handles these questions up front with potential clients in our billing department. This alleviates most concerns from the patients or their family when they are with me."
Written by Ryan Brunner
2. What is the importance of the administrative work performed by a Speech Language Pathologist?
How to Answer
As a Speech Language Pathologist, documentation of patient records is extremely important. On top of that, being organized throughout your day is also important. Your interviewer is looking to see both how you stay organized and how you prioritize patient documentation. Be sure to talk about the importance of timely and accurate patient documentation.
Written by Heather Douglass
Entry Level
"As a new graduate entering the field, I am a very organized person that understands the importance of the administrative side of the job. Communication among providers and other healthcare professionals is key for a patients well-being and this communication starts with solid charting. I have experience working on an EMR and am confident in my ability to learn a new system if necessary."
Written by Ryan Brunner
Answer Example
"As a successful SLP, I need to put a high priority on staying organized throughout my workday so I can document as necessary. Great patient care relies on timely documentation because patient referrals count on great record keeping. To ensure that I can keep accurate records on my patient, keeping an organized schedule is very important. I keep free time in my schedule to be able to keep on my documentation."
Written by Heather Douglass
Experienced
"The administrative side of being a Speech Pathologist is very important in my day to day work. I begin each day by laying out my patient schedule. If I have downtime in between patients and potential travel, I make time for patient documentation and other administrative tasks. I fully utilize my smartphone and calendar to keep me organized through each day. I have become very efficient working on an EMR to document patient notes as well."
Written by Ryan Brunner
3. Talk about a time you had difficulty working with the parent of a patient or a caregiver of a patient. What made that interaction difficult and how did you overcome it?
How to Answer
Working with caregivers, parents or family members of a patient is a necessity in your career as an SLP. At some point in your career, you will experience a difficult person to work with or have a difficult conversation with them at some point. If you haven't experienced this yet, you likely will at some point in your career. Your interviewer is looking for a specific difficult time you had working with someone close to a patient of yours and how you handled that situation. They will be looking to see how you reacted to and resolved any issues in a calm and efficient manner.
Written by Heather Douglass
Entry Level
"During my fellowship on an inpatient rehab unit, I was part of a family conference to prepare them for a patient discharge the following week. The patient had been involved in a car accident and had suffered a traumatic brain injury. After rehabbing with us, the patient had all home modifications in place and was in a good place health wise to be discharged. While most of her family was prepared for her to come home, her oldest son became angry with our staff and the his other family members for okaying the discharge. Our SLP and OT, in front of everyone in the meeting, simply began talking to the son about the progress that his mother had made and how much more progress she would make at home. The calmly explained that both of them would be making home visits to her on a regular basis to ensure that her progressed continued. By ending the meeting with him thanking the SLP and OT, I saw that their calm demeanor and their ability to educate the son were key factors in the situation."
Written by Ryan Brunner
Answer Example
"As a young SLP in a school setting, I was working with a child that had a mother that was completely disengaged from her education. During the students IEP, I could tell that the mother could really care less about the progress of her young daughter and I was very distraught immediately following the meeting. Putting my emotions aside quickly, I asked our administrator if I could invite the mother in to talk face to face about her child's need for speech therapy and the importance her home life would play in this. In calling the mother back in, she was very hesitant at first but then agreed. I prepared for the meeting by keeping data simple and explained her daughter's situation to her in layman's terms. At the end of the meeting, the mother thanked me for meeting with her and stated she didn't realize that her daughter was having issues with her speech. The mother agreed that our time together was necessary and became engaged in the process moving forward."
Written by Heather Douglass
Experienced
"A few years back, my team had determined that a 4th grade student should be discharged from therapy as he had made significant progress in his writing and was excelling in the classroom. The child's parents were not agreeable to this plan and threatened to involve an outside therapist. My administrator called them in to meet with us so we could fully explain our reasoning for the decision. Prior to the meeting, myself and the teach prepared all of the data that we could to show the child's progress. By staying calm in the meeting and taking an empathetic approach to their point of view, the parents agreed that discharge was appropriate and they left the meeting with smiles on their faces knowing their child had progressed that much."
Written by Ryan Brunner
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4. How do keep yourself educated and up to date in the field?
How to Answer
With changes in technology and medical advancements in the field, a career as a Speech Language Pathologist requires a hunger to continually educate and learn more in the field. The interviewer will be looking for you to demonstrate that passion for career long learning. If possible, talk about any recent training or seminar you attended or any publications that you subscribe to that help keep you up to date in the field.
Written by Heather Douglass
Entry Level
"I fell very fortunate to have graduated from a very robust program that prepared me to be a high functioning Speech Pathologist. Looking ahead, continuing education is something that I will pride myself on. I subscribe to the AJSLP and have since I entered my Master's program. This publication shows great breakthrough research in the field and provides updates on new technology in the field as well."
Written by Ryan Brunner
Answer Example
"In my short time working in the field, the technology available to assist myself and students has grown immensely. I am an active member of the ASHA and regularly attend conferences to help keep myself educated on the latest breakthroughs in the field."
Written by Heather Douglass
Experienced
"On top of attending conferences and CEU's, I've always been a firm believer in networking within the field. By networking with other professionals, I've been able to better myself in the field to better serve the needs of my patients. As a member of ASHA, I actively participate in the Gerontology Special Interest Group within the organization to network with others who work in that focus."
Written by Ryan Brunner
5. What experience do you have working with professionals from other disciplines?
How to Answer
Depending on the setting, you will be working with other professionals as part of a larger team when working with patients or students. The interviewer is looking to see how you interact with professionals from other areas as part of a greater team. Know the position that you are interviewing for and what types of people you will likely be working with and use those examples for this answer.
Written by Heather Douglass
Entry Level
"Being new to the field out of my Master's program, I know that communicating and working together as part of a larger team is extremely important to provide the best patient care possible. During my fellowship, I had the chance to work closely with an Audiologist and a team of Occupational Therapists. In working with them, I had to learn their roles in the overall well-being of the patients I was working with. This gave me a greater perspective in the life of a patient in t
PT's, OT's, Physician"
Written by Ryan Brunner
Answer Example
"In my time working as an SLP in a school setting, I have worked closely as a team with the teachers and the school psychologist in our district to better meet the needs of the students utilizing my services. Communication within the team is always very important. The teachers have the most one on one time with the students so I spend a lot of time communicating goals and progress with them. As well, both the teachers and school psychologist are the people that send new students to see me."
Written by Heather Douglass
Experienced
"During my years working as an SLP, working as part of a larger team has always been a high priority for me to help my patients. In the grand scheme of things, I usually play one small part in the betterment of my patients. Communication is key between key players like myself, OT's, PT's, physicians and family members of the patient and I am comfortable working with all members of the team."
Written by Ryan Brunner
6. What assessment tools have you used to assist in evaluating patients?
How to Answer
Speech Language Pathologists have a wide range off assessment tools available to them to help determine where a patient stands. The interviewer is looking to see which tools you familiarity working with and what your preferences are. Be open and honest with your interviewer while also stressing your ability to learn new assessments that could potentially help you as well.
Written by Heather Douglass
Entry Level
"During my clinical fellowship, I had the great opportunity to work in a hospital setting where I experience both adult and adolescent patients vs. just children in a school setting. This enabled me to experience a wide-array of assessment tools like a swallowing evaluation and aphasia assessments for stroke patients. My classroom setting through my Master's program had only prepared me with hands-on experience for more of the standard speech language assessment more geared toward
"
Written by Ryan Brunner
Answer Example
"In my time working with school aged children, I have direct experience using many available assessments with children. Some regular tools that I have utilized are the Montgomery Assessment of Vocabulary Acquisition, the Functional Communication Profile and the Emerging Literacy Language Assessment. I know that there are many other great assessments available to those in my field and I
have a very open mind to try new assessments as well."
Written by Heather Douglass
Experienced
"On top of all of the standard assessments I have used in my years working in a school system with elementary, middle and high school aged children, I recently trained on utilizing stroboscopy to analyze voice boxes. I trained locally with an Otolaryngologist and am utilizing the procedure through a local clinic."
Written by Ryan Brunner
7. What do you know about our clinic/organization?
How to Answer
Google- it's a wonderful thing. Do a little detective work about the clinic, staff, and mission on their website before your interview. Knowing the details about the company may just be what you need to secure the job. Showing the interviewer that you are genuinely interested in the practice and how you can be a part of the team is important. As well, if no someone that has an inside track to the organization as a current or former employer, use their knowledge and mention the insider that you know if they'll give a great reference.
Written by Heather Douglass
Entry Level
"In looking to begin a career as an SLP in a school setting, this opportunity matches exactly what I'm looking for in both a job and a community. It is important for my spouse and I to raise a family in a safe and family friendly community like this one with a great education system. I love how the elementary, middle and high schools are all on one campus under one district administration. The family type of atmosphere that this provides within the school will be an environment that I would thrive in."
Written by Ryan Brunner
Answer Example
"I was excited to read on your site that the population you serve is the elderly. I've been a Speech Pathologist for 7 years within the school's systems. I've wanted to take my career in a new direction and I think this could be a great opportunity."
Written by Heather Douglass
Experienced
"I discovered the position by talking to Joe, a current Occupational Therapist here, and he had great things to say about the mission and values of your organization. I am a patient focused therapist and I see that is the first value in your organization's mission statement. On top of that, Joe talked about the patient population being a great mix of patients and my well-rounded experience will fit in nicely with the client base here."
Written by Ryan Brunner
8. How have you used technology to better help our patients?
How to Answer
Technology is rapidly changing in the world and the field of Speech Language Pathology has seen many great advancements to help in the care of patients needing it. The interviewer is looking to gain some insight into what breakthroughs in technology you have worked with and find out how they have helped you. Talk about some of the advancements that you've seen and make it clear that you are open to trying new advancements in the name of treating patients more effectively.
Written by Heather Douglass
Entry Level
"During my fellowship program, I was exposed to working with different alternative communication devices with patients that had suffered a stroke. While not being able to effectively communicate, these devices enabled the patients to communicate with both myself and their loved ones by both a picture board and a sophisticated computer program on a laptop unit. I was able to pick up very easily on how to administer the program and use it with the patients."
Written by Ryan Brunner
Answer Example
"Recently, I have began using a couple of new technological advancements with the kids that I work with. I was a proponent in my school district to begin using tablet devices that have many great apps available for the younger kids. I have found that the kids are much more engaged in the learning processes using the tablets versus traditional pen and paper methods."
Written by Heather Douglass
Experienced
"During my career working as a Speech Pathologist, I have seen many great advancements in technology to assist in taking care of my patients. At the same time as time has progressed, most people in the field have seen increasing caseloads as well. The changes in technology have both helped my patients and myself to become a more efficient worker. Aside from the patient focused technologies, the one thing that has helped me become a better SLP is the internet and the ability to connect with colleagues in my specialty all over the world. I am a member of several groups and subscribe to a few of the SLP blogs. Connecting with these groups keeps me up to date in the field and at the top of my game."
Written by Ryan Brunner
9. Can you have a patient that has an aphasia and apraxia, and if so, which one would you address first? And how?
How to Answer
Yes, you can have a patient with both! As a Speech Pathologist, you know that Aphasia and Apraxia are two major neuropsychological syndromes that, in most cases, are caused by injuries in the left cerebral hemisphere. Patients with aphasia experience difficulty in expressing nonverbal ideas and thoughts as words and grammatically correct sentences. Apraxia is characterized by loss of the ability to carry out learned purposeful movements despite having the physical ability to do so. Tell the interviewer your experience working with both types of patients and the treatment that you provided.
Written by Heather Douglass
Entry Level
"During my internship, I was fortunate enough to get to work with a stroke patient that was experiencing both aphasia and apraxia. My lead therapist utilized new research to conduct a combined treatment for both conditions and it worked wonderfully with the patient. The CAAST treatment was new to my lead and watching her handle a new therapy method was invaluable to my training."
Written by Ryan Brunner
Answer Example
"As a Therapist, I would address Aphasia first. Aphasia, being the inability to understand grammatical sentences and reading or writing words or sentences, working on this would at the same time work on the patients Apraxia. While working on understanding sentences, we would be able to focus on the desired speech sound of each word."
Written by Heather Douglass
Experienced
"I have worked with patients that have had both aphasia and apraxia that have had traumatic brain injuries. When I have worked in the past with these patients, I have used the approach of working on the understanding of the language and treating the aphasia first. I have found in studying research on the topic, beginning with the aphasia with techniques like constraint-induced therapy and conversational coaching help work on the apraxia at the same time with great results."
Written by Ryan Brunner
10. Why are you the best candidate for us?
How to Answer
We recommend talking to your coworkers and family to ask them what your one unique thing is. You may be surprised at the consistency in their responses, and it will give you great insight into how to answer this question. Perhaps you'll mention that your prior experience in working with multiple patient populations of children, elderly, and special needs groups have allowed you the breadth of experience necessary to be an effective SLP. You may mention that you are frequently praised for your ability to be an articulate and effective communicator, or you may discuss how you have a knack for empathizing with patients.
Written by Heather Douglass
Entry Level
"If you hire me for this position, you'll quickly find that I'm a patient focused therapist that will strive to meet all of the needs of my patients in an efficient and effective manner. I came into this field because of my desire to help people in need and my motivation each and every day will come from them."
Written by Ryan Brunner
Answer Example
"My 10 years of experience working within the school system as a Speech Pathologist makes me the best candidate for this position. I have a strong passion helping kids at the middle school level, when children are often at the most trying times of their young lives."
Written by Heather Douglass
Experienced
"As a new and growing team here, I know that my experience as a Speech Language Pathologist couple with my ability to mentor younger SLP's will be a great asset to your organization. As someone once took me under their wing being a new speech therapist, I jump at every chance I get to pass along knowledge and skills to young therapists."
Written by Ryan Brunner
11. Describe your clinical experience during your internship or residency programs.
How to Answer
Think about the highlights of any clinical experience you had and outline them at a high level. If you were exposed to any unique situations, now is the time to share them! Your unique exposure will set you apart from other candidates and may land you the job!
Written by Heather Douglass
Entry Level
"As I'm interviewing now, I am currently participating in my fellowship in a large hospital. As part of a large team of therapists there, I am being exposed to a wide variety of patients and conditions. I have worked with adults and children experiencing conditions like stroke, TBI, cardiac arrest, chemical dependency and mental health disorders. This experience is providing me with a well-rounded base when I enter my first job as an SLP."
Written by Ryan Brunner
Answer Example
"In my undergraduate training, I worked both in and out of the classroom on volunteer activities that placed me in both educational and hospital settings working with speech pathology teams. I have integrated experience within the hospital setting as part of a medical team involving speech-language pathologists, and I have been able to observe the evaluation and treatment of multiple types of patients."
Written by Heather Douglass
12. What are your research interests?
How to Answer
Every speech pathologist has different interests, so feel free to share what you truly are interested in. Your employer will likely turn around and ensure you are able to pursue these interests at some point in your career, so now is the time to be candid! Whatever your desire is, now is the time to share it. It is good to know if the organization you are interviewing with conducts research in the field.
Written by Heather Douglass
Entry Level
"A definite goal of mine is to pursue research into alternative communication methods. I believe that research is the key driver into advancements in any medical field and I have a strong passion for it moving forward as an SLP."
Written by Ryan Brunner
Answer Example
"I'm interested in working with special needs children in the educationaI setting. I'd like to be part of tracking children undergoing active speech therapy and their overall educational progression."
Written by Heather Douglass
Experienced
"My interest in research is staying up to date and reading the latest research in the field of therapy with children. As an experience school Speech Language Pathologist, I want to be on the front line with the children and rely on the research of others in the field. I have participated in research on the data collection end of things and felt very gratified in participating in this manner."
Written by Ryan Brunner
13. Would your friends or family say that you have patience?
How to Answer
Absolutely! Your career choice requires patience, and the interviewer wants to hear that you have the patience required to continually support patients including those whose progression may be quite slow. Think of a time when your family or friends commended you on your patience, and tell the interviewer what they told you. It will surely impress!
Written by Heather Douglass
Entry Level
"Yes they would. I have always been a patient person and this trait was handed down to me by my mother, who raised three children on her own. Watching her calm demeanor while she held down a job while raising us gave me all the inspiration I need to handle any situation patiently. My friends and family all know me as a person that has the ability to work with and help people from all walks of life and different backgrounds with ease."
Written by Ryan Brunner
Answer Example
"Patience is an important characteristic that I have as a Speech Pathologist. I am able to step back from moments of frustration, which I do know will come with this work, and objectively rather than emotionally evaluate how to proceed with a given situation. Through the course of my career, I have experienced many situations that have required this virtue and my ability to set emotion aside and think objectively have been critical."
Written by Heather Douglass
Experienced
"Working a full career as a Speech Pathologist, I have definitely worked on and developed my patience over time. From a young age, I had a dream of working with children and my ability to work patiently with them came with ease right away in my career. Where I became frustrated early in my career was working with parents and caregivers of children who were struggling. Over time, I learned to take an individualized approach with each person while maintaining a professional demeanor and this approach has enable me to be more patient with them. I find today that I work with ease with all peple that I encounter."
Written by Ryan Brunner
14. Are you okay working the same career for 15 years?
How to Answer
Yes! The interviewer wants to hear that you are excited about the speech-language pathology field. If you come with a lot of experience, talk about changes in the field during the course of your career and how those have helped you stay refreshed in your mind working in the field. If you are a newer graduate in the field, talk about your passion in helping people and how you look forward to doing that throughout your career.
Written by Heather Douglass
Entry Level
"I am looking forward to working for many years and retiring as a Speech Language Pathologist. Getting a glimpse into the career field through my schooling and fellowship have showed me that the job is one that is continually changing and no two days are the same. I thrive on being a life-long learner and look forward to carrying that thought forward into this career path."
Written by Ryan Brunner
Answer Example
"This is exactly what I hope to do. This is why I have invested as much as I have to this point in my training to become an SLP. I feel that this a career that can allow me to have a good life at home and be dedicated to my family, while spending work time that feels fulfilling and worthwhile, knowing that there are differences to be made in other people's lives. How fortunate a person to get to be a part of that each day!"
Written by Heather Douglass
Experienced
"Having worked in the field for over ten years, I'm greatly looking forward to twenty more years working with children that need me. I came into this field to work with kids and I have found great personal pleasure in doing it so far. Not many jobs allow a person the ability to work so closely with a great client base and have work days where no two are the same. I look forward to this for many years to come!"
Written by Ryan Brunner
15. Why did you decide to become a Speech and Language Pathologist?
How to Answer
What is it that makes you wake up each morning and get excited about going to work? Perhaps it is the patients. Perhaps you really love seeing people succeed. Maybe you saw a speech and language pathologist as a child and it inspired you to become one. Share your true passion with the interviewer.
Written by Heather Douglass
Entry Level
"During my high school years, I was very driven to pursue a career in healthcare. Through a shadowing program in my high school, I spent time shadowing a nurse, a physical therapist and a social worker. The most influential of the shadowings that I did was with our school Speech Pathologist. In her words, she was "able to improve the lives of the kids that she worked with on a daily basis" and the career was very fulfilling to her. I really liked being in the school setting with her and decided to pursue this as a career."
Written by Ryan Brunner
Answer Example
"I decided Speech Pathology was the right career for me when I was able to see the difference it makes in people's lives. It requires empathy, patience, and clinical acumen, and I possess all of these characteristics."
Written by Heather Douglass
Experienced
"I grew up with a father that was a physician and my mother was a school teacher. In hopes to get the best of both the healthcare and the educational worlds, I decided to study Speech Pathology . I feel very fortunate to have worked in the field for so long and see so many of the great developments in the field over time."
Written by Ryan Brunner
16. What are your experiences using oral motor approach to improve speech clarity?
How to Answer
As a Speech Pathologist you may use oral-motor therapy to develop awareness, strength, coordination and mobility of the oral muscles. Tell the interviewer that you use this therapy when working with patients that you are treating with feeding therapy. Tell the interviewer that it helps you determine why a child is having difficulty in a particular area and helps you create an oral-motor-feeding plan individualized for the child.
Written by Heather Douglass
Entry Level
"During my schooling, I was fortunate to be able to learn and work with strengthening exercises for all of the sounds in human speech. Whether it would be using horn blowing exercise to work on lip movement or using the Cheerio trick to work the tongue, these exercises can be effective when working with children on their speech clarity."
Written by Ryan Brunner
Answer Example
"A case in which I would use oral-motor therapy to help speech clarity is when saliva is collecting in the mouth and causing slushy-speech. However, it may not be a speech disorder. If I determine that the root cause of this is a swallowing disorder I will consult with a pediatrician to form a disciplinary team."
Written by Heather Douglass
Experienced
"In my recent position working on an inpatient rehab unit for adults, I have found oral motor therapy to be extremely beneficial for patients experiencing both swallowing and speech related issues due their condition. Many of my patients experience dysphagia have benefited from simple oral motor exercises and the benefits from the exercise aided in both swallowing and speech function. I am familiar with my oral motor therapy techniques that can be customized to each patient's situation."
Written by Ryan Brunner
17. Talk to me about the controversies surrounding non-speech oral exercises?
How to Answer
As a Speech Pathologist, you may choose to perform non-speech and speech oral exercises to treat your patients. Blowing, tongue push-ups, pucker-smile, tongue wags, big smile, tongue-to-nose-to-chin, cheek puffing, blowing kisses, and tongue curling are a few non-speech oral exercises. Tell the interviewer your preference and a success story.
Written by Heather Douglass
Entry Level
"In my training program for my Master's degree, my faculty were firm believers in these types of exercises and I was able to witness their effectiveness first-hand with students. Making sounds requires movements and people that are struggling with their speech often need practice and exercise with these movements. Similar to a football player stretching their legs before practice or a game, the non-speech exercise help patients when it comes to their speech therapy."
Written by Ryan Brunner
Answer Example
"I feel that this has become less of a controversy over the past few years, and feel that doing non-speech oral exercises have shown to be an effective means of treatment with obvious benefits to the patient or student."
Written by Heather Douglass
Experienced
"I remember when the studies came out regarding the ineffectiveness that non-speech exercises have on patients receiving speech therapy. Like any research in our field, I read the documents and developed my own conclusions with my team at the time. I am a believer in these types of exercises if a particular patient's situation requires it. I've seen non-speech oral exercises be effective for both children and adults when they were struggling with phonetics after an injury. In these situations, I don't hesitate to use the exercises."
Written by Ryan Brunner
18. Do you prefer working with children or adults?
How to Answer
For this question, it is important to know the position that you are interviewing for and catering your response to the job you are applying for. If the role focuses on children, say children. Express that you enjoy working with adults if it is focused this way. Talk about why that is the population you like serve and your motivation for that.
Written by Heather Douglass
Entry Level
"Coming into my first job out of school, I am hoping to work with an adult population. My motivation to enter the field goes back to watching my grandmother work with a SLP after she had been diagnosed with ALS. Seeing how her treatment early on after the diagnosis helped her live a much fuller life at the end was very inspirational to me and I hope to be able to bring that joy to other families experiencing the same thing my family once did."
Written by Ryan Brunner
Answer Example
"I feel that I am able to work well with either; however, I prefer to work with children. This is why I would like to turn the focus of my experience and training toward the educational environment, as I would like the opportunity to consistently and daily be able to work with children. Speech is something that will continue to develop for every child as they grow, and for those that it does not come so easily too, I would like to be a part of the group that changes that. "
Written by Heather Douglass
Experienced
"Having worked with both populations throughout my career, my passion in the field was started in working with children. But, as I've worked more and more with the adult population, I'm ideally looking for an organization where I can work with both populations to keep my skills up on both ends. This position allows the opportunity to work with both children and adults and I think you'll find my well-rounded experience with both population to be an asset here."
Written by Ryan Brunner
19. Describe to me your best therapy session?
How to Answer
The interview wants to hear that you enjoy your job. Now is the time to get excited about sharing your passion! What is your favorite memory from a therapy session? This will make a great answer for this question. Briefly, give an overview of the session, and explain why the session was so great!
Written by Heather Douglass
Entry Level
"During my work experience in my Master's degree program, I was fortunate to be able to work in an elementary school setting. While there, I worked with a young girl that was struggling with her speech skills and these struggles were creating a lot of stress for her in the classroom. In one brief meeting with her, I could tell she was a bright student. I explained to her, in terms she would understand, the steps we would take to work on her speech and she began crying tears of joy and hugged me. Her seeing a light at the end of the tunnel for her struggles with her speech really made my day and our sessions from there on our went wonderfully!"
Written by Ryan Brunner
Answer Example
"I had the opportunity to be involved with a patient in the hospital who had become increasingly frustrated every day at their lack of progression, although they clearly were trying. This was a frustrating point for the SLP, myself, as well as the patient. I watched the patience and empathy of the SLP in his care and time that he took with the patient, and watched the patient relax with this care and considerable time spent with him. It did take some time, but over days and then weeks, we all saw immeasurable progression in his speech and this made all of the time spent worth it."
Written by Heather Douglass
Experienced
"Having worked in many settings in the field, I am a firm believer that the key to a successful overall therapy with a patient is their belief in what we are doing together and their willingness to let me guide them. This belief started with a young man I was working with that was suffering from severe speech issues. To get him to become a believer in our sessions together, I took our first meeting together to get to know him and what interested him in life. Finding out that he was a fan of Disney movies, I was able to incorporate the characters he loved into his sessions from there forward and making them very successful."
Written by Ryan Brunner
20. What speech therapy method do you practice the most?
How to Answer
Be prepared to share your most used speech therapy method. The interviewer is simply looking to understand your approach. Tell the interviewer that the method used will depend on the particular speech or language challenges. Your interviewer will be able to decipher the types of patients you see on your resume and now is a great time to talk about your therapy methods. There is no right or wrong answer here. Tell the interviewer what tricks and tools you use while treating articulation and communication issues.
Written by Heather Douglass
Entry Level
"As a new graduate from my program, I have a great basic overview of the effective methods to providing speech therapy. During my clinical fellowship, I really appreciated gaining first-hand experience on oral motor therapy techniques with children. The marriage between movement and sound is huge with children struggling with certain sounds and I worked with them on facial massages and other exercises to help both phonation and feeding problems."
Written by Ryan Brunner
Answer Example
"When providing speech therapy with children, motivation can be a roadblock. I like to use speech games, flash cards, toys, hand puppets to keep sessions on track and encourage my patients to work harder. By taking a fun approach with the youngsters, I find they are more engaged and progress better when engaged."
Written by Heather Douglass
Experienced
"Coming from an inpatient hospital setting, I have strong experience working with adults that have suffered from both stroke and brain injuries. To aid in their speech therapy, I begin most treatment with tongue exercises. These exercises often help muscle memory in the tongue, making our speech therapy sessions much more productive."
Written by Ryan Brunner
21. What are your experiences working with cognitive disabilities?
How to Answer
As a Speech Pathologist, you work with severe patients with autism, Down Syndrome, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and even dementia. Some of your minor cases may involve attention deficit disorder (ADD), dyslexia and dyscalculia. Choose a success story to tell the interviewer about. Tell the interviewer about the situation, how you intervened and what the outcome was.
Written by Heather Douglass
Entry Level
"During my fellowship, I worked with a young Downs Syndrome student that was receiving speech therapy. In working closely with the Special Education teacher in the school, she made the recommendation for speech therapy based on the student's lack of progression in phonology. After an initial assessment, my plan for therapy was recommended to be slower based on his cognitive delay but his parents were very grateful for and on-board with the plan for him. My experience in his therapy was so valuable as I experienced first hand how important an individualized plan was to each child that I worked with."
Written by Ryan Brunner
Answer Example
"These can be some of the most challenging patients to work with, as their inability of effective speech is only one manifestation of a larger deficit. This is where I believe a team approach, one of the multiple specialties, becomes effective. I remain dedicated to the patient's treatment and work with other providers to improve the patient's overall improvement."
Written by Heather Douglass
Experienced
"Recently, I worked with a young woman who had been in a car accident and suffered a brain injury that impaired her both physically and mentally. She was experiencing both dysarthria and dysphagia, making her speech therapy a long process. While working with her, it was important for me to be in continuous communication with her physician team to monitor progress and for me to report back to them as well on a regular basis. After her initial assessment, I put a long plan into place that we are currently still working on. I see this patient three times per week now and she continually is progressing based on our work together."
Written by Ryan Brunner
22. What experience do you have working with language disorders?
How to Answer
Working with patients that have difficulties pronouncing sounds, have articulation disorders, and stuttering issues are your specialty. Tell the interviewer about a particular patient. Explain their challenge and how you helped them overcome and improve.
Written by Heather Douglass
Entry Level
"Coming out of graduate school, I was fortunate to be able to work in a school setting for my program's work experience. While there, I worked with several students with language disorders. One particular student was experiencing a sever speech delay and I had the opportunity to work closely with him in his therapy. After ruling out hearing loss of any sort, we implemented a speech therapy program and educated his parents on the importance of reading to him at home and asking him a lot of simple, easy to understand questions."
Written by Ryan Brunner
Answer Example
"My caseload at my current position is quite low. I'm excited at the opportunity to continue training to gather more educational experience where I will be able to work with patients with a variety of language disorders."
Written by Heather Douglass
Experienced
"Having many years of experience working in an inpatient hospital setting, I have worked with many patients suffering from aphasia due to a stroke or TBI. We have found as a care team that intense speech therapy is most effective for stroke patients while still hospitalized. When these patients show up in our hospital, I prioritize their therapy and set up individual plans based on my initial assessment of the client."
Written by Ryan Brunner
23. Describe how you currently work or communicate with caregivers?
How to Answer
Interviewers want to hear that you enjoy working with a team. You may talk about how you collaborate with physicians, nurses, and ancillary providers of the patient's care team. This is a good time to mention that you understand how busy physicians and nurses are, so you work very hard to communicate succinctly with them when presenting treatment plans and evaluations. Be sure to mention that you understand you are a part of a team, so you always make yourself available for further questions or recommendations.
Written by Heather Douglass
Entry Level
"Every patient that is receiving therapy from a Speech Pathologist is being care by as part of a much larger team. During my experience working on an inpatient unit during my fellowship, it was extremely important for my to be in communication with all members of the patients care team. Fully realizing that nursing staff and physicians were busy with their full patient load, my communications with them were detailed while being brief and to the point. In my fellowship, I also learned quickly how important patient documentation was in the EMR."
Written by Ryan Brunner
Answer Example
"I have great open communication channels with the providers I work along side in our clinic. We are a strong multidisciplinary team providing the best care to our patients and I contribute that to our effective communication."
Written by Heather Douglass
Experienced
"In my current position, I work with patients that have been referred by physicians from several different healthcare organizations in our area. While working off-site from each of the referring physicians, I had to take the time to learn the preferences in communication for each of them. Some prefer a phone call, others prefer an email and I tailor my approach to communication with each one on an individual basis. I have found that this has helped me get the fastest responses possible when I needed them."
Written by Ryan Brunner
24. Do you like to work in teams or are you an individual achiever?
How to Answer
As a Speech Pathologist, you will work with other medical professionals as well as one on one with your patient. Express to the interviewer that you work well in either environment. You may mention that you are an independent learner, but you significantly enjoy working as part of a care team while working one-on-one with patients.
Written by Heather Douglass
Answer Example
"I work well in either setting but believe a team approach, specifically in healthcare settings, provides the most comprehensive care for the patient in every aspect. No single provider can address all of the complex needs of many hospitalized patients."
Written by Heather Douglass
leveL yrtnE
"In all reality, I thrive in both environments. As an individual, I know that this position will require me to be alone in the field at times and I have the ability to make sound decisions on my own with little direction needed. As part of a larger team, you'll find that I am a person that contributes great ideas and takes direction from others well. I love being in a team environment because we all can learn from our experiences as a larger team to help our patients for the better."
Written by Ryan Brunner
25. What are your experiences working with articulation?
How to Answer
As a Speech Therapist, articulation is one of the milestones to accomplish with your clients. Tell the interviewer about the steps you follow during the process of articulation therapy. Of course, the work doesn't stop with you. Tell the interviewer about the lesson plans that you send home with parents to the therapy can continue at home.
Written by Heather Douglass
Entry Level
"As a new graduate, my Master's program did a great job of training me in articulation therapy. I didn't get the chance to work directly with children during my clinical fellowship, but I know the process well. To begin, working with the person on making the sound individually in isolation while working with them on how to mouth the sound. From there, it is important to then progress the person through sounding it out in syllables, words, sentences and conversation consecutively."
Written by Ryan Brunner
Answer Example
"My patients may suffer from hearing loss, apraxia, oral motor deficits, sensory issues or phonological processes. Articulation therapy is essential to improving their speech and developing their language. I've worked one on one with patients as well as built lesson plans for families to work upon."
Written by Heather Douglass
Experienced
"Having worked with adult populations for a long time, I don't get the frequency of working with patients on articulation therapy that I would working with school aged children. I've had some stroke patients that I found articulation therapy to be effective with when they were on the road to communication recovery. By progressively working with them on the sounds that they are struggling with, I've seen great progress using the technique when needed."
Written by Ryan Brunner
26. What kind of help do you need to do your best work?
How to Answer
As a Speech Pathologist, you may be an independent learner as well as someone that thrives in a team environment. Be sure to tell the interviewer that you always try to solve problems on your own first, but having a mentor to assist you when necessary keeps you feeling successful and striving to achieve more. Wrap it up by mentioning that you pride yourself on your ability to remain dedicated throughout hard situations that you choose to devote your time to.
Written by Heather Douglass
Entry Level
"As a new SLP, my main goal is to work with a group where I can work closely with a group of Speech Pathologists. While I am confident in my abilities exiting my Master's program, I would like the ability to learn from other experienced pathologists and have the ability to bounce thoughts and ideas off of them if needed. This position with your group sounds to be a great opportunity for me to be able to do this."
Written by Ryan Brunner
Answer Example
"To do my best work I thrive in a positive and empowering enviornment. Working with positive people motivates me to do my best work."
Written by Heather Douglass
Experienced
"Having worked in a small school district for many years where I was the only Speech Pathologist, I learned quickly to work independently while making critical decisions on my own. To thrive in this environment, I enjoy working with a strong team of professionals on both the teaching staff and administrative staff that don't hesitate to ask for my expertise when needed. We all have our areas that we specialize in and together we all work for the greater good of our students."
Written by Ryan Brunner
27. What are your thoughts about inclusion and pull outs as therapy models?
How to Answer
As a Speech Pathologist you may have had the opportunity to work with children within the classroom. As a Therapist you may lean one way or another in regards to how you conduct your therapy: Inclusion or pull out. Be honest with your observations and experiences regarding this topic. There are no right or wrong answers as this is a highly debated subject.
Written by Heather Douglass
Entry Level
"In my fellowship, I was able to work with a Speech Pathologist that effectively used both the pull out and inclusion techniques with children. Working with her, I learned that each child's situation is unique and will determine which situation will work best for them. For a student that needs to remain in the classroom and not be withheld from lessons, it was important that their therapy was conducted with the class. This method enable the teacher to also be engaged in the process. Certain situations, like where a student had a sever impairment, called for pull out one on one therapy. For these students, the one on one time was much more effective and efficient for both the student and the class as a whole."
Written by Ryan Brunner
Answer Example
"I prefer the pull out method. I feel that removing the child causes less of a distraction to the rest of the class. Imersing the child in therapy with others on the same level allows the focus to be on them 100%."
Written by Heather Douglass
Experienced
"I tend to utilize pull out one on one therapy more often than not with my students as I find that the personalized time with the students is much more effective than the classroom setting. However, there are times where the teach and I have worked on effective inclusion strategies that can help benefit the student at times as well."
Written by Ryan Brunner
28. Describe the special education referral process.
How to Answer
As a Speech Pathologist, you may provide services in a school, private practice or a large medical facility. If you have experience providing services to children on an IEP, explain the process and role you hold within the school system. If you haven't had the opportunity to provide services to children, that is OK! Explain your current role, how you easily adapt to your surroundings and working within a school would be an easy transition.
Written by Heather Douglass
Entry Level
"During my work experience as part of my Master's program, I was fortunate enough to work in a local elementary where I was exposed to a few IEP planning processes. Working with my supervising Speech Pathologist, I was able to be an integral part of the team of educators that created the plan for each student and put it into action. I learned that the SLP needs to give vital information about the student to be able to put a full IEP into place and then work off of that plan moving forward."
Written by Ryan Brunner
Answer Example
"I haven't had the opportunity to work within the school system yet but this has been an area of interest for me. I look forward to learning more about my role in the school system and providing care to children needing my services."
Written by Heather Douglass
Experienced
"In my current district, I work with a team that consists of myself, the school psychiatrist and the occupational therapist when a teach or parent asks for an evaluation. Based on the request, I then schedule one on one time with the student for testing, ensuring that this happens in a timely manner. Following my testing, my team and the teacher then meet to work on the student's individualized education plan. My input, along with the other members, is an integral part of ensuring that the students plan is tailored to their needs. Following the implementation of the IEP, I provide my therapy as needed and give progress reports to parents and the teacher as necessary."
Written by Ryan Brunner