Latest / The Comeback Career Podcast with Fexingo: Returning After a Gap, Stay-at-Home Re-Entry / Returning to Work After a Career Gap as a School Speech Therapist
Transcript
- Lucas: So there's a question that comes up a lot in our listener mail, and it's from people in licensed professions, the ones where you can't just brush up on Excel and call it a day. And one of the most common is speech-language pathology. Today we're looking at a specific case, a mom who stepped away for six years and then went back to work in a public school system. Luna: That's a really good one because the licensing piece can feel like a wall. You're not just relearning a skill, you're proving to a state board that you still deserve to practice. Lucas: Exactly. And before we go deep, I want to mention something that's been on our minds. We deliberately don't run ads on this show. We keep it ad-free because we think that's the right way to have these conversations. If you've gotten something out of our episodes and want to support that choice, the link is buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. No pressure, it's just a way to keep this going. Luna: And honestly, it's listeners like you who make this possible. We really appreciate it. Lucas: Alright, back to the path. So this woman, let's call her Sarah, she was a practicing SLP for five years before she had her second child. She and her husband decided she'd stay home for a while. Six years later, she's ready to go back, and the first thing she hits is the license renewal question. Luna: And that's a big one. Every state has different requirements for continuing education and renewal cycles. Some are every two years, some are every three. And if you let it lapse, you might be looking at reinstatement fees and extra coursework. Lucas: Right. In Sarah's case, she had let her license lapse during year three of her gap. So when she started looking at returning, she found she needed to complete thirty continuing education units, which is a typical requirement, and then apply for reinstatement. The good news is most states have a formal process for this. It's not a dead end, it's just a checklist. Luna: And that checklist can feel overwhelming, especially when you're also trying to get your kids to school and manage a household. But it's doable. You just have to break it down. Lucas: That's exactly what she did. She started with online CEU courses, which are flexible and can be done in small chunks. She focused on areas she knew would be relevant to a school setting, like pediatric language disorders and augmentative communication. She also found a few live webinars that allowed her to ask questions and interact with other SLPs. Luna: That's smart. She wasn't just checking boxes, she was actually building her confidence back in the clinical language. Lucas: And that confidence matters. When she finally did apply for reinstatement, she submitted her transcripts and proof of CEUs, and within six weeks she had her active license again. But then came the second big hurdle, which was the job search. Luna: And this is where a lot of people get stuck. You have the license, but you haven't practiced in six years. How do you convince a school district that you're not rusty? Lucas: So Sarah's approach was to be upfront about the gap but frame it positively. On her resume, she listed her clinical experience first, then added a section called 'Professional Development' where she listed the CEUs she had completed. She also included a line about being a stay-at-home parent, and she highlighted skills like time management, organization, and communication. Luna: I like that. She's not hiding the gap, she's owning it and showing what she gained from it. Lucas: Exactly. And when she got to the interview, she didn't wait for them to ask about the gap. She brought it up herself. She said something like, 'I've been out of the field for six years, but I've used that time to stay current with best practices, and I'm eager to apply my experience in a school setting.' She had a specific example ready, a case study from one of her CEU courses, to show she wasn't just talking. Luna: That's a great strategy. And I bet it helped that she was applying during a shortage. Schools are desperate for SLPs, so they're often more willing to work with someone who's returning. Lucas: That's a real factor. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment for speech-language pathologists will grow much faster than average over the next decade, and schools are feeling that pinch. So districts are more open to candidates who might need a little ramp-up time. Luna: And in some states, they even offer temporary licenses or provisional certifications that allow you to work while you're finishing up requirements. Sarah didn't need that, but it's worth knowing about. Lucas: Good point. In fact, let me just emphasize that for anyone listening: if you're looking to return to a licensed profession, check if your state has a provisional license or a re-entry pathway. It can take the pressure off if you need to start working before you've met every single requirement. Luna: So Sarah got the job. But I'm curious about the actual transition back to work. She'd been home for six years. How did she handle the day-to-day? Lucas: That's the part that doesn't show up on a resume. Her first few weeks were about re-learning the pace and the paperwork. She told us she spent a lot of time reviewing IEPs and familiarizing herself with the district's procedures. She also asked a lot of questions, which she was a little embarrassed about at first, but it paid off. Luna: Yeah, there's this pressure to pretend you know everything, but asking questions is actually a sign of confidence. It shows you're invested in getting it right. Lucas: And she found that her time as a stay-at-home parent gave her a real edge with her students. She had a kind of patience and a knack for connecting with kids that she might not have had before. One of her students, a kindergartner with a language delay, made more progress than expected, and the parents specifically thanked her for her 'mom energy.' Luna: That's lovely. And it goes to show that the skills you build at home are transferable. You're not starting from zero. Lucas: She also had to navigate the logistics, like childcare for her own kids. She and her husband adjusted their schedules so she could start early and be home by mid-afternoon. It wasn't easy, but they made it work. Luna: And what about the financial side? Did she have to take a pay cut compared to what she was earning before? Lucas: Interestingly, no. School districts in her area had raised pay scales significantly in the six years she was out, so her starting salary was actually higher than what she left. That's not always the case, but it's worth negotiating. She did a quick salary survey before her interview and used that to ask for a step that reflected her previous experience. Luna: That's a great tip. A lot of returners assume they'll have to start at the bottom, but that's not necessarily true. Your past experience counts, and you should negotiate for it. Lucas: Right. And in Sarah's case, she got a salary that was equivalent to what she would have earned if she'd stayed, adjusted for inflation. She also negotiated for a mentor, which is something a lot of districts offer but don't always publicize. Luna: A mentor is huge. It gives you a go-to person for all those little questions without feeling like you're bothering the whole team. Lucas: And now, a little over a year in, Sarah says she feels like she never left. She's even started supervising a graduate student who's doing their clinical placement, which is a sign that her school district sees her as a seasoned professional, not a newcomer. Luna: That's a really encouraging place to end. But I want to go back to something you mentioned earlier, the idea of a re-entry pathway. Are there other specific resources for SLPs who want to return? Lucas: There are. The American speech language hearing Association, ASHA, has a 'Return to the Profession' section on their website with FAQs, state licensing boards, and CEU resources. Some states also have mentorship programs specifically for returning professionals. And ASHA's job board sometimes highlights districts that are offering incentives for SLPs to come back. Luna: And I've heard of some online communities where returning SLPs can connect with each other, share tips, and even find study partners for the Praxis exam if they need to retake it. Lucas: That's a good point. Some states require you to retake the Praxis if your license has lapsed for a certain number of years. Sarah didn't have to, but if you're in that boat, don't let it scare you. There are prep courses and study groups that can help you pass. Luna: So, bottom line, a career gap in a licensed field is not a cliff. It's a speed bump. You need to plan, you need to be strategic, but the path is there. Lucas: Exactly. And Sarah's story is proof that it's not just about getting back to where you were, it's about bringing everything you've learned along the way. She's a better clinician because of her time at home, and she's happier because she gets to do both things she loves. Luna: I love that. And if you're listening and you're thinking about making that move, we hope this episode gives you a little bit of a roadmap. Lucas: That's it for today. We'll be back tomorrow with another story from the world of career comebacks. Until then, keep thinking about what's next.