Since 2020 millions of people around the world have switched to working from home. As a school based speech therapist I never imagined that this was in the cards for me. I thought there was no way I could provide ethical evidence based practice to school age students in a virtual format. BUT I was so so wrong. Virtual speech therapy has been proven to be efficient and effective for school age students, with a variety of job opportunites available. In this post I will discuss figuring out why you want a change in placement, considerations when searching for a virtual position, where to look for virtual jobs, and pros and cons of virtual therapy.
Figuring out your why
After three years of being an in person school based speech therapist I was burnt out and dreaded waking up for work in the morning. I knew I was not ready to leave speech therapy and had no interest in switching to a medical setting. I mean come on the summers and holidays guaranteed off is just too sweet to give up!
So I started looking into virtual positions in the Winter of 2023. I knew I wanted more flexibility in my schedule, and was sick of driving 30 plus minutes too and from work. After three months as a virtual SLP I am loving myself for being brave and switching to virtual speech therapy!
Without the commute I get an hour back in my day that I can use for myself to work out, read, and work on side hustles.
Considerations
As I started finding virtual positions and interviewing with companies I learned more and more about what I wanted and what I did not want in a virtual speech position. Here are some of the things you may want to consider:
Contracts vs. being a full time employee
Hourly pay vs. salary pay
Benefits
Does the company offer Speech Therapy Assistants or Teacher Assistants in person
Contracts
Many companies that hire virtual speech therapists do so with one year contracts in mind. As a young adult who is getting married this year, trying to buy a home and just generally establish myself, I did not feel comfortable taking a year to year contract with a company. If you are more flexible in this then there are many positions available throughout the year that recruiters are eager to hire for.
I knew I wanted a company that would be more stable with guaranteed school districts that have worked with them for many years successfully. Contracts may vary depending on what the company has procured for the school year. Some companies may start the interview process and not yet have any virtual positions secured for the school year. This will be an important question to ask during your interview process.
Hourly Pay vs. Salary Pay
Coming from a school district I was used to being on a salary and getting paid throughout all 12 months. I am someone who values the routine and consistency in their income. I chose to look for a company that offered a 12-month pay cycle for school based therapists in order to keep that consistency. Some companies may not have flexibility in pay schedule and will only pay during the 10-months you are working.
It is important when looking for your new job to consider how much your expertise is worth on an hourly basis. There is always some room for negotiation when interviewing. Be sure to research hourly rates in your area to ensure you are getting a competitive pay rate.
Another thing to consider if you are looking for a school based position is if you would get paid for direct and indirect time. Depending on where your school is located there may be closures for bad weather. Ask questions about getting paid during holidays, school closures and summers as this will affect your yearly income.
Benefits
Health benefits were something I really considered when searching for a new position. As a 28 year old who is no longer on their parents health insurance and not yet married I knew that finding a company that offers health benefits was important to me. I was surprised that many of the companies who offer contractor virtual speech positions do not offer health benefits. In most cases they offered higher hourly pay rates that you would then apply to your own health care policy. Consider if this is something you are comfortable with or if health care coverage is a non negotiable.
SLPA or In person assistant
Another thing to consider is if the company or school district you will be working for offers a Speech Language Pathologist Assistants (SLPA) or another in person assistant (e.g. teacher assistant or aide). If you are virtual and the students are attending a brick and mortar school, in person assistance is invaluable. They can assist with pulling the students to the speech room, monitoring behaviors, printing materials and so much more. If you are virtual and your students are also virtual this may not be an important consideration.
Where to look for jobs
So you’ve figured out your reason for switching placements, and are now aware of some of the considerations when job hunting but, where do you begin your search? Maybe you already have and I congratulate you, starting is the hardest part! One of the first things I did was google search “Virtual SLP jobs near me” . Some of the places I looked were Indeed, and Ziprecruiter as well as some local district websites. From there I would either apply to the position using the website’s programmed process or I would go to the company’s website and apply directly. Most times the companies reply within a few days and the interview process can move quickly so be prepared to schedule phone calls and zoom meetings with recruiters.
Pros and Cons of Virtual
If you are like most speech therapists you have a type A personality! Same! I would recommend creating your own pros and cons list regarding switching to virtual speech therapy. Here are some of the things I included on mine:
PROS
No commute
Comforts of home, including safety
Flexibility and ability to travel while still working
CONS
It can be harder to build relationships with peers (e.x. Teachers, principles, secretaires)
Some families and peers can have hesitations or doubt over the efficacy of virtual speech therapy. You may have to work to dispel these myths and fears at your school.
So we have discussed finding your why, considerations when job hunting, where to look for jobs and pros and cons of virtual therapy. For each SLP these considerations may vary depending on what stage of life you are in and exactly what you are looking for. I also want to state that this is not an exhaustive list of considerations, job sites and pros and cons; they are just from my own experience. I have no regrets with my decision to switch from in person to virtual speech therapy, the flexibility and comforts of home are unmatched. Speech Therapy is a vast field that allows for therapists to switch things up in placement every so often so I encourage you to do what is best for you and your life!
Love,
Kenna