Initial Meeting with Your Supervisor

Regardless of whether you have a formal or informal interview, you will be asked to have an initial meeting with your supervisor.  First impressions are important in your clinical journey.  Here are some best practices that will lead to a positive first conversation: 

• Arrive early for your interview, regardless of modality

• Project your eagerness and willingness to learn

• Share your clinical learning goals for the placement

• Discuss your class schedule (planned or actual) and sketch out availability with your supervisor.  Please consider client interaction, planning, and paperwork in this conversation.

• Bring questions you may have about scheduling or other topics

• Provide thoughtful answers to questions asked 

Below are some sample questions to prepare to answer during your initial meeting.  You are encouraged to come to Drop In Office Hours or meet with your SSA for additional support in preparing for an initial meeting and/or interview.

General Questions to be prepared to answer

• What brought you into the field of SLP?

• Why did you choose Emerson and online education?

• What type of experience are you hoping to gain?

• How can you contribute to culturally responsive practice through the lens of this setting?

• What coursework have you had that will prepare you for this specific placement?

• What types of diagnoses and populations have you worked with so far? (Don’t forget to include your simulation experiences!)

• How do you manage stress or handle difficult situations?

• When is feedback most useful to you- in the moment? After a session? What type of feedback do you find most helpful- written, verbal, a combination?

• What questions do you have for us?

• What would you do if you were unfamiliar with a diagnosis during a chart review?

School Based SLP Questions

• Do you have experience with children or schools in any context?

• Describe how you might prepare and plan for an individual treatment session, for a group session?

• What are some considerations you would make when providing either individual or group therapy?

• How would you build/maintain rapport with a child and their family?

Medical SLP Questions

• Walk me through the process of a clinical swallowing evaluation. When would you refer for an MBS or FEES?

• What types of communication disorders would you see in patients with ____ (e.g., left hemisphere stroke, right hemisphere stroke, TBI, Parkinson’s, etc)

Tell me about your experience with diagnostic evaluations. (Be prepared to talk about adult and pediatric experiences)

• How do you build/maintain rapport with a patient and their family?

• How comfortable do you feel or do you envision yourself being with initiating collaboration with other professionals (nurses, OT, PT, nutrition, doctors, etc.) in this type of setting?

Have a formal competitive interview scheduled?  Check out these helpful resources:

• Resource for interview prep 

• • Putting Your Best Foot Forward on your Resume recorded session

  • Putting your Best Foot Forward on your Resume slide deck

  • Wickedly Effective Interview Tips recorded session

  • Wickedly Effective Interview tips slide deck

  • The Power of Connection: Elevating Your SLP Career through Networking Recording

  • The Power of Connection: Elevating Your SLP Career through Networking Slide Deck