Are you feeling like your career as an SLP is no longer for you? Does what once ignited you full of passion now seem like a dull flame or just embers? You’re not alone in these thoughts, and you aren’t out of options! Your skills, education, and experience set you up for success in other ways. It’s time to explore new horizons and consider viable alternative careers for SLPs!
Reimagine Your Role Within Speech-Language Pathology
Before diving head first into the many alternative careers for SLPs, stop to consider if a possible shift within the profession might rekindle your excitement.
Consider these options:
- Becoming a Clinical Supervisor
- Exploring travel therapy
- Switching settings
As a clinical supervisor, you can step back a little from so much hands-on therapy and invest your time and efforts more into developing upcoming SLPs. You can do this as a supervisor in your current school setting by mentoring graduate students or choosing to work as a clinical supervisor at a graduate school.
Travel therapy allows you the chance to work in a variety of diverse settings and locations. Sometimes this change can be just the shift you need from your mundane routine!
Other times, changing to a different setting can provide a fresh perspective and new challenges that keep your work engaging— transition from schools to private practice, hospital, SNF, or teletherapy.
*Consider other ways to avoid burnout as an SLP too!
Leverage Your Skills Within Related Fields
If shifting within the profession is something you’ve already tried or just isn’t what you want to do, then it’s time to consider other options!
Your background as an SLP has equipped you with many sought-after skills perfect for the education world and related fields, like:
- Pre-K Director or Teacher
- Teacher’s Assistant
- Special Education Coordinator
- College Disability Services
- Educational Publishing
- Nonprofit Organizations focused on Child Advocacy
- Administrative Roles in education, rehab, or medical settings
With each of these options (& more!), you can stay connected to helping the same population that you have invested so much time into but in a different way.
Consider Your Current Struggles
As you leverage your skills to find a new career, also consider what you currently struggle with the most as an SLP.
If the daily grind of therapy sessions is weighing you down, pursuing a career as a Special Education Coordinator or an administrative assistant might be a good alternative as your tasks will be less hands-on with students and more administrative in nature.
If the administrative tasks of writing IEPs, progress reports, and RTI are your nemesis, consider a job that allows you to be more present with your students like a Pre-K teacher or assistant. The pay will be less than you’re accustomed to as an SLP, but the improved work-life balance might be exactly what you need!
Expanding into New Industries
It’s also important to remember that you don’t have to choose a new career that aligns closely with your SLP training. You are more than capable of moving into a completely different industry.
It’s not worth sticking with a career you don’t like (even if you have school debt left). Pursue something that sparks your passion!
Evaluate your limiting beliefs and test the waters before making a big change.
Follow Your Passion
Give yourself permission to explore your other passions more deeply!
Maybe you’ve always been interested in dental hygiene, love creating pottery, or have a passion for leading outdoor adventures. These can all be great options for you.
The non-clinical skills you’ve developed as an SLP will help you in your areas of interest too:
- Empathy
- Problem-solving
- Effective communication
- Planning & goal-setting
Limiting Beliefs
Also, take a little time to identify and write down the thoughts that are holding you back from taking this jump. Oftentimes, these ideas aren’t as big of a deal as you have worked them up to be in your mind.
Choosing to stay in the educational field or related ones just because you feel it is “what you know” can hinder your happiness and personal growth! Likewise, avoiding a change because you will be “starting over” isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Test the Waters
With such a big change in mind, consider volunteering or working part-time in another field to help you figure out what you want to do next. Utilizing your downtime, like summer break or weekends, can also be helpful.
This allows you to test the waters without making immediate, significant changes to your life!
Reflect and Reignite
Finally, prioritize your mental health as you embark on a new career path.
Don’t overlook the value in self-reflection of your time as an SLP or in-depth evaluations of your potential new career.
As you work to reignite your passions, establish clear and achievable goals for your transition out of the field of speech-language pathology into your new field.
Will you need any new certifications?
Do you need support as you rework your resume?
How can you begin building a new network?
Making a fresh start in an environment that fuels your passions and aligns with your personal life goals is a courageous decision!
Remember, your path in life doesn’t have to be linear to be successful. By exploring alternative careers for SLPs, you’re not just leaving a job— you’re taking a step towards a journey that is more rewarding for you! You are worth it!
For more in-depth information on navigating change, try This SLP Life.
You may also be interested in reading:
How To Embrace & Nurture Your Identity as an SLP
4 Ways to Start Fresh in the New Year for Success as an SLP
