(by Christine Sleight, Reprinted from the Journal of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association)
Once students have written their resumes and found out where the vacancies are, they must obtain an interview as the next step towards getting that job. Applicants should send letters (not form letters) to the person in charge of hiring, addressing him or her by name if possible. A copy of the resume should be enclosed.
The cover letter should state how the writer learned of the vacancy, availability for an interview, and should point out parts of the resume which apply to this particular job. For example, if the vacancy is in a public school, the applicant should mention student teaching experience. Or, should the job involve working with preschoolers, the applicant might direct the reader’s attention to volunteer work done at a local daycare center.
Sometimes the response to the original letter and resume is to mail the writer an application. Answers to questions in the application may duplicate information contained in the resume, but it should be filled out anyway. Employers find it easier to review an applicant’s credentials if they are arranged in a familiar format. All blanks should be filled in; any irrelevant questions should be answered with not applicable.
The completed application should be returned with another cover letter, stating that the application and another resume are enclosed. It is possible that the first resume was not saved.
Job seekers should send off the letter, resume and application, and wait. They should wait about two weeks, or two weeks after any closing date for applications. If no word has been received, they should write again, expressing continuing interest and requesting information on the status of the application.
If a person is invited for an interview, it often means that other candidates have been eliminated and the person is being seriously considered for the job. He or she should dress as if already in the job, wearing to the interview what would be worn to work. An interviewer will react favorably to a calm, poised job seeker. The relaxed applicant will admit to not knowing all the answers, or to needing time to think them through.
The interview can be broken down into two parts: the questions the employer will ask, and the questions the job hunter will ask. The interviewer will ask about educational and clinical experiences. A school superintendent, hospital personnel director or other person who is not in the field may pose such queries as: What is the cause of speech (language, hearing) problems? What are the most prevalent disorders? What does speech (language, audiology) have to do with other disciplines? An audiologist or speech-language pathologist conducting the interview may want to know details about the applicant’s knowledge of testing and treatment procedures. Either type of questioner may want to know why the candidate chose the field, and how he or she would work with other members of the treatment team. If feeling intimidated by what may seem like an ordeal, the interviewee should remember two things:
1) an employer wants to see an applicant’s best side during an interview, and
2) the applicant has questions to ask also.
A candidate for a job should prepare a list of information needed. After the interviewer is finished, the candidate should review the list to see if any points have not been discussed. Included on this list should be questions concerning specific duties, hours, salary and future salary increases; size of caseload and who determines its size and composition; fringe benefits like medical and life insurance, vacation and sick time; convention and inservice course attendance for professional enrichment and possible reimbursement for it; what reports must be written, and what clerical help is available to help prepare reports; what materials, equipment and supplies exist or can be ordered; and what are the opportunities for retention, tenure and advancement? In addition, the applicant will want to meet the person who will be the immediate supervisor, and determine if Clinical Fellowship Year supervision is available; meet the other team members; and get a guided tour of the facility, along with information about its history, long range goals and funding sources. The answers to all these questions should fit together to make a picture of what the job would be like. It is usually an incomplete picture, because some things can only be found out after the employee begins work. However, the information obtained in the interview should provide much of the background.
If the applicant is not hired, she or he should write to the employers, thanking them for considering the application, and if appropriate, request that the application be kept on file for any future vacancies.
Most employers are required by the Amended Civil Rights Act of 1964 to provide equal opportunities to people regardless of race, color, religion, sex or national origin (Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972). The agency implementing the Act is the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Questions about possible discrimination should be referred to the Office of Compliance Programs, 2401 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20506, or to a District Office. Addresses of District Offices are listed in the telephone directory.