9 Top SLP Resume Questions answered by Demi Friitz, Founder of the SLP Resume!

The Missing Link for SLPs Podcast Full Transcript Mattie Murrey 00:03 Resumes, right? We need them. They're just like taxes. They're an unnecessary evil, in my opinion, but in our next guest's opinion they are not. They're something she loves to do. We're going to be talking with Demi Fritz, who is the SLP resume expert. So, hang on, grab a cup of coffee, turn the volume up, and get ready to listen to an exciting engaging episode all about SLP resumes Welcome to The Missing Link for SLPs Podcast. Have you ever wished you could go back and tell your younger self a way to do something better, or something that you’ve learned, or, gosh, just those words of wisdom that you would have loved to have known when you first started? That's what this series is all about. I am interviewing guests, and we reflect back on their words of wisdom, and what they didn't learn in grad school. And you'll be surprised by each one of these episodes. So, sit back, listen, and enjoy. Hello, and welcome to this episode of The Missing Link for SLPs podcast. We are here with a very, very requested guest today. I am so glad she's here. Welcome, Demi. Demi Fritz 01:25 Hi, I’m so excited to be here. Mattie Murrey 01:28 So, today we are talking things that you are deeply immersed in, all things SLP resumes, right? Demi Fritz 01:34 Absolutely. That is my life now! Mattie Murrey 01:37 You are so popular. Your name is Demi Fritz. Tell us a little bit about yourself. Demi Fritz 01:43 So, I started SLP Resume a few years ago because if you've ever Googled “speech pathology resume”, quite literally nothing comes up. So, I started kind of writing down what I was doing, how I was getting these offers, and I found out I was pretty good at actually creating resumes. So, what I actually started doing, too, was reaching out to employers and graduate school administrators. Like just cold emailing them. Just being like, “Hi, my name is Demi, I'm looking for research on resumes. What do you guys want to see?” And all of the information that I've collected over the years is what we use to create these beautiful works of art, in my personal opinion! Mattie Murrey 02:25 Good! Demi Fritz 02:26 But that is kind of how I got started, and how we've kind of gotten to this point, and it's been quite a roller coaster. I actually just left my full time – or my part time/full time therapy job to do SLP Resume full time 100 percent, and I'm very excited about it! Mattie Murrey 02:43 Excellent. That's why so many people are saying reach out to you, reach out to you. So, we're going to be talking about three SLPs who have come to me, just through their coaching program, and part of the coaching they've done with me is resumes, which is why I reached out to you. So, we're going to discuss three different scenarios today. One of them is for an SLP who is actively working on her resume, and has a bunch of questions. Another one is another SLP who is going to be prepping for an interview. And the third SLP we're going to be talking about today is transitioning out of the SLP area and moving into something different. Demi Fritz 03:22 Okay. Mattie Murrey 03:22 So, ready to jump in? Demi Fritz 03:24 Absolutely. Mattie Murrey 03:22 All right. So, our first one is – her name is Mary, and she is the one that is actively working on her resume. So, question number one from her – is it necessary to list all of your full time jobs on your resume? Demi Fritz 03:38 It depends. So, I hate to kind of be this person, but resumes are so different for each person, and I don't necessarily have hard and fast rules for people. So, if you're in the field for five, 10, 15, 20 years, you might not list every single job you've ever had because that would be a 15 page document. Mattie Murrey 04:00 Mhm. Demi Fritz 04:00 So, instead, I kind of look at what the whole person brings to the table, and if there's specific jobs that the person had that are more related to the setting that they're applying to, I'll put those on, and maybe omit some other ones that are not as relevant. But it also – you want to showcase maybe your gaps. So, the short answer is no, not necessarily! Mattie Murrey 04:24 So, what does she then do with the full time jobs and those little part time peer positions? Do those go on there? What does she do with those? Demi Fritz 04:32 Is she applying – if she – I guess my question to you is, is she applying to the medical setting? Or is she applying to the education setting? Mattie Murrey 04:39 Medical. Demi Fritz 04:40 Okay. So, everything that's medical should be on your resume. But what you can do is omit some of those maybe pediatric placements, or educational placements that just don't bring as much relevance. Now, the key is, though, when you are writing your different experiences, everything has to be different. So, your descriptions can't just say over and over again like, collaborated with people to facilitate success, or worked with dysphasia patients. Everything has to be unique, and that is something that I have really gotten good at over the years. But that is something that employers definitely want to see. They don't want to see anything repeated over and over again. Mattie Murrey 05:25 So, I know there's going to be listeners who are like, let me go look at your Instagram and your website. Demi Fritz 05:30 Yeah. Mattie Murrey 05:30 So, while they're listening to this podcast, can you tell them where to go right now, so they can open up and look? Demi Fritz 05:37 Perfect. I love that idea. So, my website is www.slipresume.com. And then my instagram handle is just @SLPresume. Pretty simple. I did not get creative with the name. It was pretty much just it like came to me! But tons of information. Mattie Murrey 05:55 I bet you pop right up on the searches though. Demi Fritz 05:57 Oh, yeah. It’s great. Yeah. Mattie Murrey 05:59 Yeah. Super focused. All right. So, with Mary, she's got her answer about what to do with all of the full time jobs, peers, and things like that. Can her resume be more than one page? Can it be like two pages, and would an extra third page dedicated to patient success stories be acceptable? Demi Fritz 06:16 Okay. Two pages is the absolute maximum. I would not do a page with the patient success stories. I would just include those success stories within your descriptions in your two pages. So, include maybe a patient that did really well within your experiences. And then, two pages is totally fine. I have not heard of an employer say one bad thing about a two page resume. I think it's more for the business world. So, what happens like in the business environment is resumes go through an HR department, and then get transferred to another place. For us, it's very different. Usually we go to an HR department, but it's also speech pathology. It's not like you're applying to Director of Sales, Director of Marketing, Director of this and whatever, and trying to sort out where your resume actually goes to. So, two page resumes are totally fine because of that lack of sorting process. It's very simple. Mattie Murrey 07:13 So, what do the SLPs do, who have a period of several years in their job history where they’ve switched jobs frequently? Like short travel contracts, and things like that, and just other changes – mostly due to personal reasons outside of the career, but moved across the state several times. How do you deal with that information on a resume? Demi Fritz 07:35 On a resume, I would just keep it simple. I wouldn't bring more attention to it. But in an interview is where I would talk about it, and I would maybe explain some of the reasons why you moved. But that's more of an interview question than a resume one. Mattie Murrey 07:50 Okay. So, we're going to talk, and the next section of this podcast is about interviews. So, we will double back to that. Demi Fritz 07:57 Okay. Mattie Murrey 07:57 Sometimes it's hard to prioritize the different sections on a resume. So, can you go over the main sections of a resume to have? Demi Fritz 08:06 So, yes. There are different ones just based on different experiences, obviously, but the basic ones, and most common ones for professional SLPs – this is not for graduate students or for undergrads, because those are completely different – but for professional SLPs, you want to include a professional experience, which is anything that you have any professional experience as a speech pathologist, education, a summary of skill section, and what this section is, this replaces the objective statement. Unfortunately, objective statements have kind of become outdated and less relevant. So, instead, what I include is a summary of skill section, and that just outlines soft skills. You can include your professional development. You can include assessments, maybe, that you're really – that you know really well in and out. You can include research. That kind of information. Mattie Murrey 09:03 How about awards? Demi Fritz 09:04 For professional SLPs, if you have awards from graduate school, omit them. But if you have awards from your job that you've been awarded, then I would include those. Mattie Murrey 09:17 Would that include the ASHA ACE award? Demi Fritz 09:21 Yes, and you can put that under – I've had a few of these and they've kind of all gone in different places just because of where the person was working, but I've included them in organizations. I've included them actually under licensures, under the ASHA licensure section, and just said this person received this award from ASHA. And then, I've also included them in an award section. Mattie Murrey 09:44 Okay. And also, you said list strengths. Demi Fritz 09:48 Yes. List strengths is very important. Mattie Murrey 09:51 So, like writing skills. Demi Fritz 9:54 Yes. So, you don't want to just give a one word type thing. Give a short little idea. So, like, for example, on the last resume, I just wrote “Commitment… “ Hold on. LLet me pull it up. “Commitment to … “ I have it like pulled up on my screen or I would pass on this, but um … Mattie Murrey 10:14 I love it. One of the things that I get feedback from the podcasts that the listener says is they love the real world examples that we have. So, yeah. Pull it up. Demi Fritz 10:23 Perfect. So, the last thing that I wrote on – or the last person's I wrote, “Commitment to building relationships with clients and families to facilitate success”. So, it's a little short blurb. It’s not necessarily a sentence, but it just is a characteristic that's definitely important in our setting. Mattie Murrey 10:39 And about how many of those should be on a resume, ballpark? Demi Fritz 10:43 Five, six. Mattie Murrey 10:47 Okay. Demi Fritz 10:47 Four, five, six, yeah. Mattie Murrey 10:50 Thoughts on including extra education, like VitalStim, MBSImP? Demi Fritz 10:59 Yep. Those can all go in your professional development section, or a certification section, just depending. I know I keep saying this, but it really depends on your own experiences. If you have five or six of these certifications, I would make a whole certification section. You need at least three different certifications, or licensures, or awards, to make a section out of it. That's kind of my rule for that. Mattie Murrey 11:24 So, if you have – so, you just said a two page resume. Demi Fritz 11:28 Yeah. Mattie Murrey 11:28 And you have a section filled with job history. Demi Fritz 11:32 Yeah. Mattie Murrey 11:32 And you need to include some of the strengths. If there's not enough room for everything, what gets cut? What's the priority to keep on the pages? Demi Fritz 11:44 Hmm. Job history, for sure. If you're more than five years out, you can leave off your graduate clinical experience. That's kind of my rule for that. So, be done with that after five years. You always want to include your licensures, because that actually helps get you through applicant tracking systems. And that, if you're applying to hospitals, or if you're applying to big education school districts, that will help you get through those. I can't – it really – like it depends. Like after a few years of being in the field, maybe leaving out some of those less related jobs. Like maybe you were a teacher before, you would leave that off now. You just kind of have to look at the whole person. Mattie Murrey 12:29 So, is it better to add more information and details and accomplishments during your job history, rather than list every job in your history? Demi Fritz 12:38 Yes. Mattie Murrey 12:38 Or is it -. Okay. That's what I thought. Demi Fritz 12:41 Yeah. Mattie Murrey 12:41 How do SLPs deal with gaps in their work history due to health related issues? Demi Fritz 12:49 Again, and not the place on the resume, that's going to be more for an interview. If there is a significant gap, what people will probably infer is maybe time off for kids or health reasons. And if that gets brought up at the interview, you identify and talk through that. Have a plan or a story to put into place for that interview portion. But for a resume, you can't … Mattie Murrey 13:12 Mhm. Demi Fritz 13:12 … you can't really write it like, oh, I've had health issues, that's for this gap. Like it just doesn't make sense. Mattie Murrey 13:17 Right, right. Demi Fritz 13:12 Yeah.. Mattie Murrey 13:18 When I’ve revised resumes as hiring, I see the gap in there, and I'm just like you said. I assume it's for, you know. And I know the gap is there, and, frankly, it's probably none of my business. Demi Fritz 13:32 Yeah. Mattie Murrey 13:32 So, then I'll bring some questions up, as appropriate, in an interview. Demi Fritz 13:36 Absolutely. Mattie Murrey 13:38 Should I make my name significantly bold and bigger than the text to readily make it stand out from the rest of the resume? Demi Fritz 13:46 Yes. So, without giving away too much, because I want to make sure that I'm protecting what my clients are also paying for, you want to make sure that you're adding some variation in your resume. Change the fonts for the titles, bold, italicized. Use different portions to help it not look so mundane throughout the whole resume. Yeah. Mattie Murrey 14:09 Mhm. Okay. So, last question on the resume section. Are resume templates worth the money? Demi Fritz 14:14 No! Oh, my gosh! [crosstalk] No! Please don't. Please don't do that. Etsy has a lot of templates. Every single Etsy template I've seen does not pass through applicant tracking systems. I'm just telling you guys. Even if it says it does, those are not built for SLPs, okay. Those are built for other occupations. So, do not purchase them. Don't waste your money. It's not worth it! Mattie Murrey 14:40 So, tell us more about SLP tracking systems – application tracking systems. Demi Fritz 14:46 So, basics, without going into the hours of research that I've done into these. Basically, it's a way for a computer to get you through the initial scanning process. So, basically, a lot of medical settings will have this. A lot of, like I said, big school districts will have this. But it's basically a way to scan to see if you qualify for the position. Mattie Murrey 15:12 Mhm. Demi Fritz 15:12 So, those resume templates that we were just talking about, don't often have that information listed. So, then you're leaving out and omitting a ton of information that could be relevant to the position that you're applying for because they were not built for an SLP. So, please don't waste your money on those. Just come to me! I promise that everything gets through tracking systems with me! Mattie Murrey 15:39 Well, and I was just going to say, if you guys have any questions, go check you out at SLP Resume, and your website. Demi Fritz 15:47 Yes. And I wanted to also give your listeners a discount code. I created it about 10 minutes ago. Mattie Murrey 15:54 Great! Demi Fritz 15:54 So, I just wanted to have that on there. So, the discount code is FRESHSLP15, I usually only give followers 10% off. So. I'm going to have that for you, and give your followers 15%. So, FRESHSLP15 is what I have it down as. Mattie Murrey 16:14 Excellent. So, the discount code, FRESHSLP15, and thank you! Demi Fritz 16:18 Of course. Mattie Murrey 16:19 I just mentioned that we are about closing in on 41,000 downloads. Demi Fritz 16:25 Okay. Yeah. Mattie Murrey 16:25 So, I am sure you will get some traffic. And this is all about what this podcast is about. It’s collaboration … Demi Fritz 16:31 Yeah. Mattie Murrey 16:31 … and pulling together other SLPs who are in our field, and like me, passionate about what we're doing. Demi Fritz 16:31 Yeah. Mattie Murrey 16:31 So, are you ready to shift to the next section of the podcast? Demi Fritz 16:42 Yes. Mattie Murrey 16:31 Okay, interviewing skills. This is from someone named Sarah, and she is actively interviewing for positions – again, a med SLP. Demi Fritz 16:53 Okay. Mattie Fritz 16:53 Please explain why you're interested in this position? What's a good way to answer that question? Demi Fritz 16:58 So, I'm actually going to hold off for one second on that question, and I just want to give you guys a little background on why I think I'm an expert on interviewing because I think it's important to know where your information is coming from. A lot of people are claiming to be interview experts, and all this. And it has taken a long time, a lot of practice to get to this point. So, I have interviewed for 25 positions. I've received 25 offers. I have also been on 12 different interview panels for the school district, and for a private practice that I worked for previously. And then, I've also interviewed people to be on my team. So, I have a team of six now, and I've interviewed at least 30 people, 40 people, to actually get those six positions. So, it has been quite a process collecting all of this interview information, and I just want to give the background, because when I listen to these podcasts, I'm like, “Well, how does she know what she's doing?!” So, I just like to let people know, I know what I'm doing from all of this experience. Mattie Murrey 18:04 I love it! I love it! That – you know, self advocacy, right there. This is who I am. This is all about – I've got a coaching called the Badass SLP … Demi Fritz 18:14 Yeah. Mattie Murrey 18:14 … and they're like, what's a Badass SLP? You just gave that definition. This is who I am, this is what I do, and this is why you want to come to me. Demi Fritz 18:21 I don't know if you know anything about the Enneagram, and I don't know if your followers do, but I'm an eight, which means I am very into self advocacy or self-confidence. Mattie Murrey 18:31 Yay! Demi Fritz 18:31 I want to push other people to be there too. And so, that's kind of what I'm all about. Mattie Murrey 18:37 Excellent. Demi Fritz 18:37 And that’s who I am, and I love that! Mattie Murrey 18:40 All right. Well, very impressive! Demi Fritz 18:40 Yes, sorry. So, let's get back to this question that you just asked about. Tell me why you want the position. Mattie Murrey 18:48 Mhm. Demi Fritz 18:49 Research. Oh my gosh, you guys, don't just stick to the first page of Google. Unfortunately, very little information comes up on that first page. I have gotten articles, press releases, figured out who I'm going to be interviewing with, and find out what they're passionate about. Really get to the core of why you want this position, and what aligns with the research that you're doing for the position, and kind of merge those two things together. So, research, research, research! Go to three, four, or five pages of Google. I know, whoever does that? That's craziness. But I promise, you'll get some good stuff. Mattie Murrey 19:27 Excellent. And then practice? Demi Fritz 19:31 Practice, but here's the thing, you don't want to sound like a computer robot that has every answer memorized. I think it just sounds like you're not yourself. And the resume is really to see what knowledge you bring to the table. Mattie Murrey 19:48 Mhm. Demi Fritz 19:48 The interview is to see if you're going to be likable, if you're going to be a good team member. Mattie Murrey 19:51 Mhm. Demi Fritz 19:51 I have hired people that I seem to connect more so, over somebody who is more qualified, just because that's the person I'm going to be working with. I want to have that person on my team. I enjoy their presence. And that's what they want to see in an interview. So, if you're a person like me who did not have a 4.0 GPA when I graduated grad school, or if you are a person who maybe didn't have the best clinical experiences, but has a really positive and optimistic point of view and is very likable, you will probably get a position over somebody who did. So, just try to show yourself with more than these recorded answers that you kind of have created. Yeah, the more memorable you are, the better. Mattie Murrey 20:35 So, what about the SLPs who are not the bubbly here I'm going to be a great team member? How do you overcome some of those challenges? Demi Fritz 20:46 So, I do a lot of work with these SLPs, because there are a lot of introverted SLPs, and I think that's something to overcome in an interview setting. What we start with is a ton of confidence building. If you can feel confident in a situation, you can put forth those soft skills, and those characteristics that are going to fit that position. So, we do a lot of confidence building. And just a few little confidence building tips for your followers. The first thing is you are not nervous for an interview, you are excited. You need to shift that mindset. Mattie Murrey 21:21 Mhm. Demi Fritz 21:22 The physical function, or the physical outputs of excitedness and nervousness are the exact same. It’s what your brain actually identifies as the situational factors that tell your brain, “Oh, I'm feeling super nervous”, or “Oh, I'm feeling super excited”. So, if you can identify your nerves as excitement, oh my gosh, you're going to feel so much better going into that interview. The other thing is manifestation and visualization. And I know this sounds like hoaxy, but I swear it works. So, if you actually manifest yourself in a position, and you are seeing yourself five years down the road, and loving your job, and being there, and like just living for every day, it's you're excited to be there, your brain will subconsciously make decisions to get you there … Mattie Murrey 22:08 Mhm. Demi Fritz 22:08 … and that's super cool. It's worked for me myself with this business, literally. Like I’ve manifested this, and that is what I wanted. So, it works. And then the last one, I have so many, but I'm like trying to also respect my clients. Let's do – Mattie Murrey 22:28 For the rest of those, go look at your Instagram, because you have fantastic Instagram posts. Demi Fritz 22:35 Sure. Superman pose, let's do that one. So, stand in front of a mirror and stand like Superman, and tell yourself what an amazing human you are. SLPs are kind of known for being the people who pour from an empty cup because we don't often give ourselves credit and give ourselves confidence. We just want to help everybody else feel good about themselves. So, take a minute, feel good about yourself. Don't pour from an empty cup, it's not worth it, I promise. You're going to burn out. Mattie Murrey 23:06 I agree. And those that have come that I've worked with, it's really exciting, whether you go – just find some resources, like Fresh SLP, Baddest SLP, SLP Resume, somebody who you resonate with to polish the skills, improve the skills. Target whatever that you need to, to move forward in your career. Demi Fritz 23:28 Yeah. Mattie Murrey 23:29 So, interview questions. How would you explain your ideal setting to work in? Any thoughts on responding to a question like that? Demi Fritz 23:39 I think it kind of goes along with what we just talked about. It’s like what are your values aligned with? What are – what kinds of things do you resonate with when you're looking for job postings? I know for me working at the last – I was working for Alex Zachos at Meaningful Speech a year ago, or a few months ago, and I just left, but she aligned with my values. She focused on kids and play and growth, and understanding what kids need in order to get there, and that resonated with me. So, you have to really see what's going to fill your bucket and excite you on a regular basis. Mattie Murrey 24:18 So, again, that goes back to the research you said. Demi Fritz 24:21 Oh, yeah. Mattie Murrey 24:21 Make sure you know where you're going. Demi Fritz 24:23 Yeah. Mattie Murrey 24:24 So, this next question is a little tougher in interviews. Please explain your most recent hands on experience working in the “blank” setting – school setting, outpatient, rehab, medical, whatever the setting you're applying for. That seems like such a broad question. What are they looking for with that, Demi? Demi Fritz 24:38 Okay. So, for this question, I would say interview prep is kind of the way to go, because I have a whole tactic of how to prepare for these types of questions. But, basically, you're going to want to not memorize answers to questions, like I just talked about. Instead, you're going to want to memorize stories. And in interview prep, we'll actually work together to kind of mold these stories, and understand how to present them for questions that are a little more challenging, and open ended like this. Mattie Murrey 25:10 All right. Last question on the interview section. Actually, I can think of two questions, is how do you target, during an interview, the gaps that you have on your resume for personal reasons? Demi Fritz 25:24 So, wait for them to bring it up. So, let's say they say, “Oh, there's a big gap here. What’s – what happened here?” And if it was for a personal reason, you can kind of just say, you know, “There was some personal stuff going on at that time. I'm really excited about being back in the field… Mattie Murrey 25:38 Mhm. Demi Fritz 25:38 … during that time, I took some CEU courses to stay relevant”. List some of those, maybe. Or say something like, you know, “I stayed up on the research, I was very involved in this way”. Basically, what they want to know from that question, is if you've studied up, if you've kept your mind working in the SLP field. And even if you have not, you've probably had to keep up your ASHA certification. So, you had to take some CEUs, right? So, you can usually like list a few of those, and just kind of answer it like that. But don't – you don't have to like tell any personal information about yourself. Don't let them trick you into doing that. That's not necessary. Mattie Murrey 26:18 I like how you touch on it, and then shift it around into a positive, and I'm excited to be back. Demi Fritz 26:24 Yeah. Mattie Murrey 26:24 So, it’s that language, that mindset. Demi Fritz 26:26 Yeah. Mattie Murrey 26:26 What do you do, though, if an interview does start to go sideways, for whatever reasons? Demi Fritz 26:32 Okay. This is the best question, and I get this question all the time. So, what I personally have done, because there have been interviews where I'm like, “Oh, no, I'm – nope, this – I'm not the mindset. This is not going well”, and I've taken a step back. Give yourself a minute. Take a drink of water, try to take like three or four diaphragmatic breaths. Mattie Murrey 26:54 Mhm. Demi Fritz 26:54 And so, breathe from your lower lungs. Get that heart rate down. And recenter yourself, refocus. Try to focus more on your stories. Try to focus more on showcasing those positive qualities instead of knowing everything. Usually, when I would get flustered is when I was asked a question that I didn't know, and I get so like, “Oh my gosh, I'm supposed to know this. This is everything”, you know. But it's okay that you don't know, okay. I promise you. They are not going to judge you. They're not going to be upset with it. Actually, I've – a little tip for you guys, is if you do say “I don't know” in an interview, an easy follow up with where you're going to find the information. So, “Oh, I don't really know much about stuttering modification therapy. I'm going to find it on the ASHA website. Or I'm going to talk to a professor that I had, who I know is very knowledgeable on the subject”. Then, when you follow up within 24 hours of your email, or within 24 hours of your interview through an email, include the answer to that question. Genius. Because it shows them that, one, you know how to find the information, and that you are a go-getter. I've gotten three separate job offers from doing this exactly, and the people have told me it was because I did this. So, take the extra second. It's okay to say I don't know. It helps you reduce your flustered feeling because you're like, “oh my gosh”, you know… Mattie Murrey 28:13 Mhm. Demi Fritz 28:14 … and it works. So, just make sure you follow up. And I do have a template available on my website for following up after an email, or after an interview, if you need that, so. Mattie Murrey 28:25 And your website, once again? Demi Fritz 28:26 www.slpresume.com. Thank you. Mattie Murrey 28:30 Got it. So – yeah, anything I do to help you. Demi Fritz 28:34 Yeah. Mattie Murrey 28:34 So, resumes, interviews, email etiquette, following up is – go find your template, make sure that you follow up with those items that were discussed in the interview. Demi Fritz 28:45 Yep. And I do have different templates for different phases of your career. So, I have them specifically for CS, and I have them specifically for professional SLPs, just because it's going to be different information. Mattie Murrey 28:58 Mhm. Demi Fritz 28:58 So, there's different ways to word things, and different information you’re going to present. I also have job negotiating templates too. So, after you get the offer, don't be afraid to negotiate. It's so important. At least try. It doesn't hurt to ask. Okay. So, those templates are available as well. Mattie Murrey 29:16 So, I've got this really fun course I do, SLP Rejection Challenge. It’s where you ask, and you get used to hearing no. So, you start off with the little no’s. Can I have a refill on a pop? Can I do this? Demi Fritz 29:27 Mattie Murrey 29:27 And you get used to not handling them in a personal manner. It’s nothing personal. It's, you know – but being brave, rather than not asking those questions and then later on wishing you had. Demi Fritz 29:38 Yeah, absolutely. It's important to be able to take rejection, and to take feedback and to run with it. Mattie Murrey 29:47 And something else you did that I really like is when you were doing the role playing of, “Oh my gosh. I don't know”. You added humor into your response. Demi Fritz 29:55 Right. Mattie Murrey 29:56 So, so, so important. All right, last question, our last case scenario. These scenarios come from clients, SLPs that I coach. And what about the SLP who is transitioning out of our field? Any thoughts on resumes and interview tips there? Demi Fritz 30:12 It depends on what field they're transferring to. So, if they're transferring more to the business world, I definitely would rework some of how you say certain things. Just like some – I have a lot of clients that transfer from the business world into speech pathology, and who need their resume reworked. So, just make sure you're selecting the right power words, and that you're focusing on the soft skills that are important to the field that you're applying to, not the one you just got out of. So, for example, like people who are transferring in from the business world – sorry, that's just – that's what I have experience with. And instead of focusing on more analytics and data, maybe I focus more on compassion, and empathy, and active listening, because those are going to be more important for a speech pathologist than analytics. So, just kind of looking back, and looking at your power words, and making sure you're incorporating those. Mattie Murrey 31:08 And then, I guess the flip side would be true. A lot of SLPs moving out of our career go into IT, and things like that. And so, it's taking the skills that we have – communication, building rapport, and moving that into the resume there. Demi Fritz 31:21 Absolutely. That's for sure. Yes. And if you are transferring into the speech pathology field, please reach out to me. It is a very challenging resume to write when you're coming from a different field into the speech pathology field. So, I'm happy to help you, and kind of guide you as to like what you need to include. So, it’s an important one. Mattie Murrey 31:42 It is. Do you have – I'm so grateful for your resource, your website, wow. Demi Fritz 31:51 Thank you. Thank you. Mattie Murrey 31:53 So, do you have – if somebody – a lot of questions I get – a lot of clients I get are shifting from the school or the medical setting into teaching programs. Do you have any resume or tips for them? Demi Fritz 32:07 So, I actually have a teacher on my team. I did this last year, because I was getting a lot of the same requests, where “I’m – I was a teacher, I'm coming into speech pathology”, or “I'm a speech pathologist, and I want to become a teacher”. So, I have found that with those resumes it's really important to kind of remove the jargon from our resumes. Sometimes we get a little like pragmatic language, or we get semantic feature analysis, like that kind of stuff. And focus it more on the teaching aspect of it. So, focusing more on leadership, focusing more on structure, because teachers need to be a little bit more structured than SLPs, I think, at times. That kind of thing. Mattie Murrey 32:53 It's for sure a different mindset, and a skill set. I thought stepping out of my clinic and moving into being an assistant professor would be a little smoother, right? Talk about what I love. Demi Fritz 33:04 Yeah. Mattie Murrey 33:05 And it’s – yeah, different terminology, different skill sets. So, having that would be reflected in the resume. Demi Fritz 33:12 Absolutely, yeah. Mattie Murrey 33:14 All right, Demi, one last question. You are part of the What I Didn't Learn in Graduate School Series. So, what is one thing you did not learn in graduate school that you want to share? Demi Fritz 33:24 That I didn't have to know everything. I think a lot of grads graduate with the idea that they're supposed to be dysphasia experts, and early intervention experts, and language intervention experts, and that's just not the scenario. That's not the case. Mattie Murrey 33:39 Mhm. Demi Fritz 33:40 So, what I wish I would have known is to just learn the basics my first few years. Get down the idea of actually just being a speech pathologist, and that the rest will come. You will find your niche, and you will take the CEUs that will get you to become that expert, but right now, just focus on the basics. And, you know, helping the kids, building rapport, understanding them, and understanding how to help them or your adults that you work with as well. Mattie Murrey 34:07 All right, any final comments? Demi Fritz 34:10 Just the last thing I wanted to say was if you are applying to graduate school, if you are a clinical fellow, if you're a professional SLP, I have resources for everybody. And I absolutely love what I do, and you see that through my work. So, please reach out. Follow me on Instagram @SLPresume. Mattie Murrey 34:30 And use the discount code FRESHSLP15. Demi Fritz 34:34 Yeah, FRESHSLP15. Mattie Murrey 34:37 There it is, FRESHSLP15. Demi Fritz 34:38 Yeah. Mattie Murrey 34:39 Excellent. Thank you so much for your time today, Demi. Demi Fritz 34:41 Thank you, Maddie. I appreciate it. Have a nice day. Mattie Murrey 34:52 I hope today's conversation has created some aha moments for you, and motivated you to become a better SLP, continuing to connect some of those missing links between what you know and how to use that knowledge. Thank you for downloading The Missing Link for SLP’s Podcast, and if you enjoyed the show, I'd love you to subscribe, rate it, and leave a short review. Also, please share an episode with a friend. Together, we can raise awareness and help more SLPs find and connect those missing links, and get the information needed to help them feel confident in their patient care every step of the way. Follow me on Instagram and join the Fresh SLP community on Facebook. Show Notes are always available. So, come learn more at freshslp.com Let's make those connections. You got this!