How to Land an Interview and Get the Job!

Most of the information in this section is going to be specific to school-based clinicians; however, there will be some general guidelines for the interview process and tips on how to give the best first impression you can during an interview!

I walked down the aisle for graduation with a Master of Science degree in hand on May of 2014, but my official graduation date wasn't until September 1, 2014 (that's just how it worked at Brooklyn College). I spent the entire summer emailing speech supervisors, reaching out to people I knew personally in the field asking them if they knew of any agencies looking for Clinical Fellows. I also googled "Speech Pathology jobs in Brooklyn, New York" and put my personal information on several websites. I was getting emails and phone calls asking me if I was willing to travel across the country to accept a job, which I wasn't.

At the end of August, a speech supervisor contacted me and sent me on two interviews in one day! Being that these were my first two job interviews, I was extremely nervous. The first interview was for a speech therapy position in a Middle School located in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn. The second interview was for a position in an elementary school in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. If I were to get only one of the jobs I was hoping for the elementary population.

Tips for the interview:

1) Dress appropriately- Try not to wear shorts, short dresses or skirts; don't expose you're midriff and don't show cleavage. Best bet would be going for the business-casual look. You do not have to spend a lot of money on an outfit for an interview in order to look professional. The day of my first interview it was very hot outside. I wore a pair of black and white pants from H&M and a black sleeveless collared shirt from Forever21.

2) Ladies, don't put on tons of makeup- Of course you want to look alive and glowing during your interview! But it is important to look modest and show that you aren't going to be late for work on a daily basis because you're putting a full face on every morning! A little bit of blush, some mascara to make your eyes pop, and some natural lipstick/gloss is all you need. Harsh makeup like eyeshadow and bright lipsticks can distract your listener from focusing on all of the wonderful knowledge you are sharing during your interview.

3) BE PREPARED!- I cannot stress this point enough! Come to the interview with a well-thought-out portfolio which holds all of the wonderful hard work you have done over the years (from college, grad school, or previous job experiences). Use dividers to label different sections in the binder. My portfolio contained the following sections: Resume, Workshops, Session Plans and S.O.A.P notes, Clinician-created charts and templates, Diagnostic Reports, and Clinician-made materials. Anything that you think will show off your skills and what an amazing clinician you are should be included in the binder. I also put each page in plastic sheet protectors to prevents rips or stains on paper. Below you can see the cover of my portfolio.

4) Anticipate questions that may be asked- Prior to the interview, do some research on the facility and the position they want fulfilled. I had friends who went on interviews a year before I did and I asked them what types of questions were asked during the interview. Always be honest during an interview and if you do not know the answer to a question, inquire about it. Asking about something you are uncertain about shows that you want to learn and that you don't know everything!

5) Follow up with a "Thank You" letter- After your interview(s), send the person who interviewed you a "thank you" letter or card expressing your appreciation for their time and consideration. This is professional and thoughtful. I have never heard of doing this before and when someone told me about it I said "I don't want to be a kiss ass," but when I asked other people it seemed to be a pretty commonly known thing to do. (Guess I missed the memo on that one.. or do I get off the hook easy since these were my first real interviews for my career?!)

So, you might be asking yourself, WHY should I be taking interview advice from this Samantha girl? Well, because I got the job at the elementary school and started working on the first day of the school year!