You have been preparing for your experiences, and you were excited to gain professional growth. You have been working to perfect your resume and prove yourself during interviews during the hiring process.
Then, COVID-19 hit us…Due to this uncertainty, it may have put a hold on your expected position.
Don’t freight – you can still virtually build your resume and be an amazing applicant!
- Get involved in research at your university
Find a professor that does research that interests you. Reach out to them and see how you can get involved within any capacity. Whether itโs data analysis, collecting data, or completing screenings, these are all components that can provide you necessary with skill in graduate school. This can lead to positions such as: research assistant, research volunteer, or research intern! - Complete an independent study with a professor
Independent studies are opportunities that allow you to gain course credit while exploring your own personal interests on a deeper level. For instance, an independent study I completed was with a professor who explored neurological development. I proposed an independent study where I researched the correlation between neurological development and speech-language development.
Read more about how to start an independent study in this post! - Take on a leadership role within an organization
This can be done at your university or within your community. Moreover, I created a Pre-Speech Language Pathology Association at my undergraduate university and was involved in several other organizations with a leadership role.
Taking a leadership role allows you to develop essential skill sets needed as an SLP, such as collaboration, detail-orientation, and problem-solving.
Check out this post to learn more about how having a leadership role has impacted me! - Pick up some courses in psychology, American sign language, or any other language
Having prior knowledge about vast populations will allow you to stand out. You can even add a minor if your schedule permits! If you’re interested in some courses to take, check out this post! - Find a job in medical billing or insurance
This would allow you to have prior knowledge about how insurance and billing works. Having medical billing/insurance job is useful to your advantage, as it is needed knowledge for SLPs. You can work from home with this position! - Reach out to local speech-language pathologists
You can build rapport with the SLP and see if they would allow you to volunteer/observe in the future! Ask questions that you have. Demonstrate your interest in the field! Some clinics allow a volunteer position that allows you to gain observation hours and prepare therapy materials for clinicians as well. Down the road, you may even be able to ask for a letter of recommendation!
These experiences have all been addressed on my resume; I found great strength, skills and knowledge through these experiences! Make sure to find a position that works best for YOU!