With externship season approaching, many audiology students have their eyes on specific positions and are considering how to best make their applications stand out. Your resume and interview are two key opportunities to tell prospective employers about yourself and what you would bring to the role.
Resume
Your resume is often the first impression you’ll make on a potential employer and is an opportunity to highlight your abilities, strengths and work ethic. It should show a progression of skill development and how you’ve become more efficient and effective as a clinician over the course of your university program and clinic rotations. Because all audiology students have similar core requirements, this will help you stand out more than simply listing the classes you’ve taken.
If you’ve had a job related to audiology while you’re in school, be sure to mention it in your resume along with the roles and responsibilities. If you haven’t built up a lot of work experience yet, you may benefit from using a functional resume, which is organized by skills rather than timeline.
Also include volunteer experience and extracurricular activities, such as hearing screenings, community events, conferences and trainings—these show your willingness to go above and beyond and offer insight into your personality.
Interview
The interview allows both you and the practice to determine if you’ll be a good fit together. You can prepare by conducting mock interviews with classmates and researching the clinic you’re meeting with. It’s also a good idea to look at the practice’s website before meeting with the team.
To help your interviewer get to know you, be ready to discuss:
- Why you picked that part of the country, the practice, and your field
- Your soft skills, like what makes you a good team player, how you handle conflict, etc.
To learn about the office culture and make sure the work environment is a good fit for you, you can ask questions about:
- What the interviewer liked about being an extern, or why they decided to become a preceptor
- What the interviewer likes about working there
- How the practice supports professional development
- Team dynamics, such as often the team you’ll be working with meets, how decisions get made, etc.
The interview is a great opportunity to make an impression with your prospective employer, and preparing ahead of time can build your confidence. It can also be a good way to build your network as you look for your first job after graduation.
For more information about how to find a meaningful position and make the most of your role, visit Fuel Medical’s resource library.
