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Speech language pathologist skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted experts
Dr. Ruth Litovsky Ph.D.,
Dr. HyeKyeung Seung Ph.D.
Speech language pathologist example skills

One of the most important hard skills a speech language pathologist can possess is experience with patient care because this is necessary to master for any medical practitioner. It's also important for speech language pathologists to have the hard skill of experience creating treatment plans.


When it comes to soft skills, speech language pathologists should have strong communication skills above all else. Speech language pathologists will be working on building communication skills as a main function of their job, so a highly advanced set of communication skills are crucial.

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical speech language pathologist skills. We ranked the top skills for speech language pathologists based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 18.8% of speech language pathologist resumes contained patients as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a speech language pathologist needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 speech language pathologist skills for your resume and career

1. Patients

Here's how speech language pathologists use patients:
  • Administered screening, evaluations and examinations to diagnose and develop treatment plans to maximize functional independence of adult and geriatric patients.
  • Collaborate with multiple medical professionals in determining the most beneficial and appropriate plan of care for patients during intervention and upon discharge

2. SLP

SLP stands for speech-language pathologists. It is a field of experts in the language and speech sector. A speech-language pathologist diagnoses, assesses, communicates with clients, treats, and offers assistance to avoid communication and swallowing disarray in kids and grownups. A master's degree specializing in language speech pathology is a requirement to qualify in this field. Communication, compassionate, persistent, resourceful, adaptability, time management, and sensitivity include in the set skills necessary to operate in this field.

Here's how speech language pathologists use slp:
  • Identified need to improve interdepartmental communications and implemented use of SLP Microsoft SharePoint site with administrator level privileges for co-workers.
  • Acted as primary liaison between administrative staff, rehabilitation managers, multidisciplinary team members and SLP staff.

3. Speech-Language Pathology

Speech-language pathology, also called speech therapy, is the study and treatment of human communication and its disorders. It is a career in the health field where trained professionals diagnose and treat speech and physical communication problems in patients of all ages. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) offer a wide range of services - evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of communication and swallowing disorders in children and adults mainly on an individual basis, but also as a support for individuals, families, support groups, and providing information for the general public.

Here's how speech language pathologists use speech-language pathology:
  • Participated in Continuous Quality Improvement Program, organization of utilization review studies, and budget request for speech-language pathology services.
  • Provide in-services/training on issues related to speech-language pathology and the role of the speech-language pathologist in school-based special education programs.

4. Rehabilitation

Here's how speech language pathologists use rehabilitation:
  • Completed 6 months of clinical fellowship in acute care, inpatient rehabilitation, outpatient rehabilitation, and skilled nursing facility settings.
  • Collaborated with and provided quarterly in-services to nursing and restorative staff, social services, dietary and other rehabilitation staff.

5. Home Health

Here's how speech language pathologists use home health:
  • Completed extensive daily documentation and billing for services provided for inpatient/ outpatient and home health therapy.
  • Work consisted of contract work providing center-based and home health therapy for the developmentally disabled population.

6. Patient Care

Patient care entails the diagnosis, recovery, and control of sickness as well as the maintenance of physical and emotional well-being through the use of healthcare providers' services. Patient care is described as services provided to patients by health practitioners or non-professionals under guidance.

Here's how speech language pathologists use patient care:
  • Participated in Interdisciplinary Team Meetings, patient care conferences, in-services for facility staff as warranted, and utilization review meetings.
  • Worked with minimal supervision; independently made daily decisions regarding patient care and day-to-day operations of a satellite office.

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7. SNF

SNF is a kind of nursing home perceived by the Medicare and Medicaid frameworks as meeting long haul medical services needs for people who can work autonomously after a restricted time of care.

Here's how speech language pathologists use snf:
  • Provided speech/language/cognitive evaluation/therapy to school-aged students and adults in SNF.
  • Provided speech/language/cognitive/swallowing evaluation and intervention to residents in SNF.

8. Communication Disorders

Those mental disorders that inhibit or weaken the ability to detect, listen, comprehend speech in an individual are called communication disorders. Such individuals have trouble using language as a discourse to express themselves. The extent of the disability varies in people, some may have a difficulty in detecting sound properly while others might be completely unable to understand speech.

Here's how speech language pathologists use communication disorders:
  • Diagnose communication disorders and deliver individualized intervention.
  • Evaluated patients in the acute care setting for communication disorders, developed and implemented therapy for acute care and rehabilitation patients.

9. Acute Care

The branch of secondary healthcare which is responsible for giving short-term care to patients recovering from severe injuries or urgent medical problems is known as acute care. Acute care comprises multiple domains like; emergency care, urgent care, short-term stabilization, pre-hospital care, critical care, and trauma care.

Here's how speech language pathologists use acute care:
  • Provided evaluations and remediation services for adults with a variety of Cognitive, Communication and Swallowing disorders in an Acute Care Setting
  • Conduct informal and standardized assessments for speech-language/cognition and swallowing as ordered in acute care and acute rehabilitation settings.

10. CFY

Here's how speech language pathologists use cfy:
  • Supervised a Clinical Fellow during CFY; provided feedback during meetings, reviewed quarterly/annual reports, conducted session observations.
  • Completed CFY Provided evaluation and therapy services for children birth-15 in a multidisciplinary pediatric outpatient clinic.

11. Medicare

Medicare is a federal government insurance program that offers health care coverage to people who are 65 and above. In some cases, younger people with disabilities whose status is identified by the SSA can also avail the insurance program. Medicare covers the health expenses of people who are not able to afford it plus it protects the payee from rising health care costs.

Here's how speech language pathologists use medicare:
  • Completed documentation consistent with Medicare guidelines
  • Executed necessary documentation and implemented appropriate care plans, as indicated in compliance with medicare, medicaid, private insurance companies.

12. Autism

Here's how speech language pathologists use autism:
  • Provided innovative social skills training in a group setting for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders and/or other identified social pragmatic deficits.
  • Design personalized communication programs for elementary school aged children with a variety of complex communication needs with autism spectrum disorder diagnosis.

13. Dysphagia

Here's how speech language pathologists use dysphagia:
  • Created various programs and in-service education workshops on thickened liquids to increase building awareness of the severely profound dysphagia patient caseload.
  • Manage dysphagia by developing and implementing appropriate treatment plans including rehabilitative exercise programs, diet modifications, and feeding tube recommendations.

14. Language Services

Language services are services that are rendered to clients, customers, investors, or groups of persons with difficulty or inability to understand basic English. The service could also involve having established communication with the deaf and dumb using sign languages.

Here's how speech language pathologists use language services:
  • Established goals/objectives with consideration to educational program planning, and implementation of appropriate speech/language services on a regular schedule of therapy.
  • Conducted and attended interdisciplinary/academic ARD meetings for all students receiving speech/language services across multiple campuses within the VISD.

15. IEP

Here's how speech language pathologists use iep:
  • Created and implemented IEP s, completed and documented evaluations, collaborated with special education teachers and maintained confidential files.
  • Participated in IEP meetings and discussed assessments completed with administrators, general education teachers, psychologists and parents.
top-skills

What skills help Speech Language Pathologists find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on speech language pathologist resumes?

Dr. Ruth Litovsky Ph.D.Dr. Ruth Litovsky Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Professor, Department Chair, University of Wisconsin – Madison

-Ability to work closely with others
-Organization
-Creative problem-solving
-Teamwork and strong communication skills

What speech language pathologist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Dr. HyeKyeung Seung Ph.D.Dr. HyeKyeung Seung Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Professor and Chair, California State University, Fullerton

Technology including APPs will be used more in clinical settings. However, good clinical skills will not replaced by any of the technology.

What hard/technical skills are most important for speech language pathologists?

Anthony DiLollo

Director of the Davies School of COSD, and Professor, Texas Christian University

Technical competence in evidence-based assessment and treatment across the scope of practice is the baseline for all clinicians. The ability to not only plan and execute assessment and treatment but also to accurately document therapeutic activities is critical. In addition, clinicians need to effectively talk about what they do and why their services are needed and will be effective.

What soft skills should all speech language pathologists possess?

Jason Rosas

Assistant Professor, Adelphi University

All SLPs are competent communicators, and they will need this skill to negotiate remote scheduling and teaching parents/caregivers how to set up equipment for telepractice. It's important that SLPs practice patience and flexibility. Explaining procedures, training caregivers, and problem-solving difficulties that arise takes time. In addition, SLPs may need to deviate from routines and schedules, which requires significant flexibility.

What type of skills will young speech language pathologists need?

Whitney Schneider-Cline Ph.D.Whitney Schneider-Cline Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Associate Professor, Graduate Program Chair, University of Nebraska Kearney

Graduate students completing our program will continue to need skills in providing quality clinical services across diverse populations in various modalities. Graduates from the University of Nebraska Kearney speech-language pathology program have training and experience in telepractice (and have for several years - before the pandemic) and across various settings to give them the breadth of clinical skills to be successful professionals. We strive to develop our graduate students, so they are equipped with the skills necessary to provide appropriate evidence-based services, document these services professionally, advocate for their clients and profession, and instill life-long learning habits, so they stay informed well beyond our program.

What technical skills for a speech language pathologist stand out to employers?

Denise Ludwig Ph.D.

Professor, Grand Valley State University

Technical skills such as software programs for health data/information and education program data entry are important for employers and as previously indicated, telepractice/tele-education skills will become more important for the future. Meeting improvement goals for health care, in the form of the Quadruple Aim, and for education, ESSA, will continue to rely on increased efficiency, effective, and patient/client/student outcomes.
Do you want to know more?
Read more about what experts have to say about speech language pathologist

List of speech language pathologist skills to add to your resume

Speech language pathologist skills

The most important skills for a speech language pathologist resume and required skills for a speech language pathologist to have include:

  • Patients
  • SLP
  • Speech-Language Pathology
  • Rehabilitation
  • Home Health
  • Patient Care
  • SNF
  • Communication Disorders
  • Acute Care
  • CFY
  • Medicare
  • Autism
  • Dysphagia
  • Language Services
  • IEP
  • Speech Therapy
  • Compassion
  • Adaptive
  • Nursing Home
  • Medicaid
  • Early Intervention
  • Speech-Language Therapy
  • Therapeutic Services
  • Language Disorders
  • Therapy Sessions
  • Oral Motor
  • Excellent Interpersonal
  • Language
  • Kids
  • Remainder
  • Aphasia
  • Group Therapy
  • Good Judgment
  • English Language
  • Language Development
  • AAC
  • Discharge Summaries
  • Intervention Services
  • Family Education
  • Barium Swallow Studies
  • Public Schools
  • Voice Disorders
  • Developmental Disabilities
  • Traumatic Brain Injury
  • Team Work

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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