Top tips for finding your first speech therapy job

As you may know it is increasingly difficult for new graduates to find a job as an allied health professional within he NHS.  Latest figures show that 80% of new grads can not find jobs.  Within speech and language therapy this figure is growing year on year.  Some universities are now recommending that trained therapists take on jobs as speech and language therapy assistants, to gain experience.  However, SLT departments within the NHS are reluctant to take on graduates as assistants as they are not likely to stay in the job long term.  

 What can you do to find a job as a newly qualified SLT?

There are many ways you can try to find a job. 

 

1.  Don’t limit yourself to working in one area of the country.  This will increase your chance of finding employment.  

2.  Send your CV out to as many places as possible.  

3.  Take on as much voluntary work/ relevant paid work as you can to make your CV stand out from others.

4.  Make an excellent impression whilst you are on placement.  This way if a job comes up in the department you stand a good chance of a least getting an interview.  

5.  Try not to specialise too early.  Even though you might want to work with adults perhaps take a Paediatric job to get a foot into the department. 

6.  If you can not find a job consider working abroad to gain experience.  You will gain far more experience working as a therapist than an assistant.  It will also look good on your CV and expose you to different models of therapy provision.  Personally I would avoid working as an SLT assistant as you may find it too frustrating not being able to do what you are trained to. 

 

7.  Go to your careers centre for advice on how to write an excellent CV and do mock interviews.  The more practice you get the better it will be when you are faced with the real thing!!

 

8.  Ask any qualified speech and language therapists for advice such as what they are looking for when going through application forms and at interview.

 

9.  Don’t lose heart!  The job situation will improve.  Try and keep your skills up to date and keep sending off your CV.  You never know what’s round the corner.

 

10.  If you can’t find a job straight away think about getting involved in some relevant research  at a university.  You should look for employment that isn’t too far removed from speech and language therapy.

 

If anyone else has some top tips please leave a comment.

 

Good Luck! 

  

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