Speech Language Pathologist Resume Examples & Templates
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Speech-language pathologists are health care professionals who specialize in diagnosing and treating speech, language, communication and swallowing disorders.
Use our guide and speech-language pathologist resume examples to craft a winning resume that effectively showcases your skills and qualifications.
Start by editing this sample resume for a speech-language pathologist, or explore our library of customizable resume templates to find a design that matches your style.
Speech-language pathologist resume example (text version)
Katie Sinclair
Medford, OR 97502
(555) 555-5555
example@example.com
Skills
- American Sign Language
- Case management
- Treatment planning
- Articulation therapy
- Speech impairments
- Diagnosing conditions
- EMR / EHR
- Adaptive
Education
- May 2016
Multnomah University Portland, OR
Master of Science Speech Pathology - May 2013
Seattle University Seattle, WA
Bachelor of Science Communication Sciences & Disorders
Certifications
- Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology
- (CCC-SLP) from the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) – (2022)
Professional Summary
Hardworking speech language pathologist knowledgeable about proper diagnosis techniques and treatment strategies for communication impairments. Eager to help students deal with issues such as stutters as well as physical or emotional problems that affect communication. Always enthusiastic to take on new cases and support patients’ speech and communication goals through creative and effective treatment planning.
Work History
December 2017 – Current
Southern Oregon Audiology, Inc – Medford, OR
Speech Language Pathologist
- Work with an average of 10 families per day to help them cope with speech disorders and educate parents, siblings and guardians on how to remain a strong support network.
- Provide information on speech improvement techniques and non-verbal communication methods, including lip-reading and sign language.
- Create and implement treatment plans intended to address speech and language issues in collaboration with other clinical professionals.
August 2016 – December 2017
Northwest Regional School District – Hillsboro, OR
Speech Therapist Assistant
- Collaborated with 12 classroom teachers and school officials to design and implement instructional strategies.
- Helped patients set and attain realistic goals and documented clients’ progress toward established treatment objectives.
- Assisted with developing treatment plans based on in-depth knowledge as well as specific student needs.
September 2015 – July 2016
Telelanguage – Portland, OR
American Sign Language Interpreter
- Maintained message content, tone and emotion as closely as possible to the original idea.
- Conferred with subject matter experts and other colleagues to establish a precise understanding of specialized concepts and translate them appropriately.
- Attended 15 appointments per month with non-speaking individuals to translate conversations and documents.
Important resume sections
Contact details
Add your contact information to the top of your resume so hiring managers can reach you to set up an interview.
As our sample resume for a speech-language pathologist resume shows, your contact information must include your full name, city, state and ZIP code, phone number and professional email address.
If you have a LinkedIn profile and professional website, add them last. See our guide on how to write a resume for additional tips and examples.
Personal statement
A personal statement, also known as a resume summary, is a concise, three-to-five-sentence statement that tells the hiring manager who you are and what you offer.
Your summary should include one or two professional accomplishments and notable job-relevant skills. It should also touch on how long you’ve been in the industry.
Here is a speech-language pathologist resume sample resume summary:
“Dedicated and compassionate speech-language pathologist with over five years of experience diagnosing and treating a diverse range of speech, language, communication and swallowing disorders across all age groups. Proficient in conducting comprehensive assessments, developing individualized treatment plans and providing evidence-based therapy to optimize communication and swallowing function. Skilled in collaborating with interdisciplinary teams, educating patients and families and advocating for the needs of clients. Passionate about making a positive impact on the lives of individuals with communication challenges.”
If you are applying for your first job or changing careers, you can use a resume objective instead, but remember to focus on what you bring to the table.
Skills
Create a skills section on your resume so hiring managers can see if your skills fit the job requirements. Add your job-relevant speech and language pathologist resume skills to a bulleted list.
Here are a few key skills of speech-language pathologists:
- Assessment: Speech-language pathologists evaluate individuals to determine the nature and extent of their communication or swallowing difficulties. This involves conducting tests, observing behaviors and analyzing medical histories.
- Therapy: Speech-language pathologists provide therapy sessions to individuals with communication or swallowing disorders. Depending on the client’s needs, these sessions may be one-on-one or in group settings. Therapy sessions typically focus on improving specific skills or addressing particular challenges.
- Research and advocacy: Some speech-language pathologists are involved in research to advance the understanding and treatment of speech, language, communication and swallowing disorders. They may also advocate for policies and programs that support individuals with these conditions and promote access to appropriate care and services.
It’s best to include both hard skills and soft skills to fully encompass your qualifications.
Work history
Whether this is your first job or you’ve been at it for decades, your speech-language pathologist resume must include a work history section to display your job history.
In reverse-chronological order, show your current and previous employers and provide company names, locations and the dates you worked for them.
Include three bullet points of measurable achievements for every job you list. For example:
- Achieved a 20% increase in expressive language skills among pediatric clients through the implementation of individualized therapy plans, incorporating evidence-based techniques and tracking progress using standardized assessment tools.
- Successfully reduced swallowing difficulties in geriatric patients by 30% through the development and implementation of dysphagia management protocols, including modified diets and swallow rehabilitation exercises, resulting in improved safety and quality of life.
- Led a team initiative to improve communication outcomes for stroke survivors, resulting in a 25% increase in functional communication abilities within six months of intervention implementation, as measured by standardized functional communication assessments.
Education
A speech-language pathologist resume must include an education section that lists the educational institutions you’ve attended and degrees conferred in reverse-chronological order.
Becoming a speech-language pathologist requires completing a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree in speech-language pathology and obtaining certification from ASHA to secure state licensure.
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Action words for your resume
Use action words and numbers to add impact to your resume.
Here’s a list of action words for a speech-language pathologist resume:
- Assist
- Provide
- Perform
- Prepare
- Maintain
- Organize
- Clean
- Observe
- Report
- Assess
- Document
- Engage
- Plan
Browse our 800+ resume examples for real-world samples for different career stages or unique situations.
Best skills for your resume
Review the job description closely and match the required skills to the skills and traits that fit you.
Some speech-language pathologist resume skills might include the following:
- Communication skills
- Assessment and evaluation
- Treatment planning
- Therapeutic techniques
- Patient care
- Collaboration
- Problem-solving
- Empathy and cultural competence
- Technology proficiency
- Documentation and record-keeping
- Continuing education
- Time management and organization
- Advocacy
- Clinical supervision and mentorship
- Flexibility and adaptability
Need a professional resume now? Our Resume Builder has all the tools you need to create a professional resume in minutes! Just fill in one of our templates, and you can make edits as you go, download your finished resume and save it in any file format you want.
Certifications for your resume
Speech-language pathologists may obtain various certifications to demonstrate their expertise and specialized training in specific areas of practice. Some common certifications for speech-language pathologists include:
- State Licensure
- Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP)
- VitalStim® Certification
- American Board of Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders (ABSSD) Certified Specialist
- Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT®) Certification
- Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) certification
See our speech-language pathologist sample resume for an example of how to display certifications on your resume.
Pair your resume with a matching cover letter
FAQ
How do you include keywords in a speech-language pathologist resume?
Including keywords in your speech-language pathologist resume is essential to ensure that it aligns with the specific requirements of the job you are applying for and increases the chances of your resume being selected by applicant tracking systems (ATS). Here are some tips for incorporating keywords effectively:
- Review the job description: Carefully read the job description and note down the key skills, qualifications and responsibilities mentioned. These are the primary keywords that you should include in your resume.
- Use relevant terminology: Incorporate industry-specific terminology, acronyms and jargon related to speech-language pathology to demonstrate your expertise. This shows that you have a strong understanding of the field and helps your resume stand out.
- Showcase specific skills: Emphasize your skills by incorporating them into your resume, especially those mentioned in the job description. For example, if the job requires experience with aphasia treatment, be sure to mention your experience working with patients with aphasia.
- Use synonyms and variations: To ensure that you capture a wider range of keywords, use synonyms and variations of job-specific terms. This can help your resume appear in search results for different keyword variations.
Remember to use keywords naturally throughout your resume and avoid keyword stuffing, which can make your resume look robotic and less readable.
What should a speech-language pathologist resume look like?
A speech-language pathologist resume should effectively showcase your expertise, qualifications and experiences relevant to the field. Here are a few tips:
- Clear header: Start with a clear header that includes your name, contact information, and professional credentials (e.g., CCC-SLP for ASHA certification).
- Organized skills section: Create a dedicated skills section where you can list technical skills (e.g., assessment tools, therapeutic techniques) and soft skills (e.g., communication, empathy) relevant to speech-language pathology.
- Simple formatting: Keep the formatting clean, professional and easy to read. Use bullet points for clarity, and ensure consistent formatting throughout the document. Avoid excessive use of color or graphics, as professional resumes often prefer simplicity.
We recommend taking a look at our resume template for a speech-language pathologist as an example. Explore our guide on what a resume looks like for additional design tips and tricks.
What is the best resume format for a speech-language pathologist resume?
For a speech-language pathologist resume, a chronological resume format is often the most effective. This format highlights your work experience, education and certifications in reverse-chronological order, starting with your most recent position and moving backward in time.
Speech-language pathology is a field where hands-on experience and clinical expertise are highly valued. The chronological format allows you to showcase your work history and clinical experience prominently, demonstrating your progression and growth in the field.
Employers typically prefer candidates with a consistent work history and a clear career trajectory. The chronological format provides a clear timeline of your professional journey, highlighting your stability and advancement within the field.
Remember to tailor your resume to the job description and ensure that your resume is well-organized, visually appealing and easy to read.
Best practices
- Use measurable achievements to describe your speech-language pathologist abilities and experience. For example, “Improved communication skills of 15 pediatric patients with speech and language disorders by implementing evidence-based therapy techniques.”
- Use action words to impact your speech-language pathologist resume.
- Tailor your resume to your target speech-language pathologist job.
- Use keywords from the job description throughout your speech-language pathologist resume. For instance, “speech therapy,” “communication disorders,” or “progress monitoring.”
- Format your speech-language pathologist resume so that it is easy to read by ATS software and human eyes.
- Lie about your speech-language pathologist experience and skills.
- Boast that you’re the “best speech-language pathologist.” Instead, provide concrete examples of relevant experience, such as utilizing communication devices and software to support communication and enhance therapy outcomes.
- Include irrelevant personal information such as your ethnicity and age.
- Add skills and experience not about being a speech-language pathologist. Focus on relevant skills, including diagnostic assessments and treatment planning.
- Forget to proofread. A speech-language pathologist resume with errors is unprofessional.
Interview tips
Research.
When preparing for a speech-language pathologist interview, it is important to research the school, hospital or organization to demonstrate your interest, knowledge and fit for the job. Here are some areas to research:
- Services and specialties: Familiarize yourself with the types of clients they serve, such as pediatric, adult or both. Understand the specific language disorders or communication challenges they address.
- Treatment approaches and techniques: Learn about their preferred treatment approaches, therapy techniques and evidence-based practices. Familiarize yourself with any specialized programs or interventions they may offer.
- Client population: Gain insight into the population they serve, such as specific age groups, diagnoses or demographics. This knowledge can help you tailor your responses during the interview.
By conducting thorough research, you will be well-prepared to engage in meaningful conversations during the interview and demonstrate your genuine interest in the role.
Practice.
Practice does make perfect. To prepare for your interview, start by reviewing the most common interview questions, such as:
- How would your coworkers describe you?
- What attracted you to this company?
- Give me an example of how you juggle multiple deadlines.
Write down two or three possible answers for each question, then practice answering them with a friend. In addition to behavioral interview questions, prepare for job-specific questions such as:
- What inspired you to pursue a career as a speech-language pathologist?
- How do you stay updated on current research and best practices in the field of speech-language pathology?
- How do you assess and diagnose speech, language, communication and swallowing disorders?
- Can you walk us through your process of developing individualized treatment plans for clients?
- How do you incorporate evidence-based practice into your clinical work?
Ask questions.
During a speech-language pathologist interview, you can ask the interviewer questions to gain insight into the organization, the role and the work environment. Here are some questions you might consider asking:
- What types of speech, language, communication and swallowing disorders are commonly encountered at this facility?
- Can you describe the caseload size and variety of cases typically managed by speech-language pathologists in this role?
- What resources are available to support professional development and continuing education for speech-language pathologists here?
- How does the organization measure and track outcomes for speech-language pathology services?
Prepare references.
Have professional references ready before you enter your interview — you never know if the hiring manager might want to contact them immediately. Ask a former manager and two former colleagues who can speak about your performance and who you know will give you an excellent review.
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Sources
- Our Lady Of The Lake University. Article. Gomez, Anne. Top 10 Speech Pathologist Skills
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Speech-Language Pathologists
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Article. Characteristics of the Ideal SLP
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Speech Language Pathologist Resume Example
Kellie is a Certified Professional Resume Writer with extensive experience in digital media. She is passionate about helping job seekers navigate their careers. She earned a B.A. in English and writing from Temple University.
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