SLP Clinical Fellow (SLP-CF) Recruiters
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Hiring an SLP Clinical Fellow means matching patient needs with a developing clinician and a supervisor who can provide consistent observation, feedback, and case review.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
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What does this hire really come down to?
An SLP-CF is completing supervised professional experience after graduate preparation in speech-language pathology. Before opening your search, define the setting, patient population, documentation expectations, and supervision arrangement. We screen for preparation and fit with that assignment. You complete your own credentialing and clinical assessment, including confirmation of the state authorization needed for the fellow to practice.
Start with the work the fellow will perform each day. An outpatient pediatric schedule differs from inpatient rehabilitation or skilled nursing. Ask which evaluations, treatment sessions, caregiver discussions, and team meetings the position includes. If swallowing work is part of the assignment, establish how competency will be assessed and who provides direct clinical support.
The supervisor arrangement deserves the same attention as the candidate search. A strong graduate cannot replace missing supervision.
What do we check before you see anyone?
Graduate preparation: Which clinical placements most closely match your caseload? Useful answers name patient groups, assessments performed, treatment planning responsibilities, and what the graduate handled under supervision. Distinguish observation from hands-on experience. Practice authorization: What state license, temporary license, provisional credential, or other authorization applies to this assignment?
- We review the candidate’s stated status and supporting documents. You verify current authorization and any supervision conditions before practice begins.
- Clinical reasoning: When an evaluation produces conflicting findings, what would you review with your supervisor? Look for discussion of history, assessment limitations, functional observations, and questions needing clarification, rather than unsupported certainty.
- Session management: How would you adjust a session when a patient becomes fatigued or disengaged? A useful answer describes recognizing the change, discussing adjustments within the plan, documenting the response, and seeking guidance when needed.
- Documentation and communication: How did you connect a treatment note to measurable goals during your placements? Ask for a de-identified example explained verbally. Listen for objective observations, patient response, and clear communication with the supervising clinician.
- Feedback and fellowship tracking: Describe feedback that changed your approach to a later session. Ask how the candidate tracked supervised experience and reviewed progress. Useful answers show specific changes and an organized way to discuss remaining development needs.
These are recruiting discussions about experience and stated credentials, not a substitute for clinical assessment. Your organization completes formal credentialing, license and privilege checks, and the hiring decision.
Where do we find them, and why would they move?
Our search can include recent graduates with placements in hospitals, rehabilitation programs, skilled nursing facilities, outpatient practices, and school-based services. The placement setting matters more than its label alone. We ask what the graduate actually assessed, documented, discussed with families, and reviewed with supervisors.
We may also consider fellows seeking a different setting or supervision arrangement. If someone is already completing a fellowship, clarify completed experience, mentor records, and what can transfer under applicable rules. A move may reflect relocation or a better patient-population match. We ask directly rather than assuming the reason.
Which mistakes stall the search?
A common mistake is advertising a fellow opening before confirming mentor availability. If the supervisor already has a full treatment schedule, observation and feedback need explicit time in the staffing plan. Another is treating all graduate placements as equivalent. A candidate with strong school-based experience may need additional assessment and support before handling your adult rehabilitation caseload.
Confusing fellowship participation with independent practice authority or completed certification. Check state authorization separately from progress toward the ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology.
How would we run the search for this opening?
Tell us the patient mix, expected daily duties, schedule, and mentor arrangement. We screen graduate clinical experience, credential status, work history, and reasons for choosing your setting. Before an offer becomes a start date, confirm authorization, mentor eligibility, observation arrangements, and fellowship records.
Define the assignment
Separate tasks the fellow will perform from tasks needing further training or direct review. We also clarify whether the opening is specifically for a clinical fellow.
Review preparation
Our questions test how candidates explain clinical decisions and respond to feedback. You receive information relevant to your interview and assessment.
Confirm the supervision plan
We focus on permanent contingency placement: No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire. We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
Tell us the role and setting. We will discuss the work and terms with you before a search begins. There is no fixed shortlist or placement promise.
What happens next
- The initial conversation clarifies the work, location and search terms.
- Ivan or a senior team member will reach out soon.
- When we recommend someone, you get reasons for fit and open questions to assess. We support interviews and offer discussions.
- Fees.
- No upfront fee. Pay only if you hire, under the signed agreement.
- Exclusivity.
- Set out in the signed client agreement.
- Confidentiality.
- We agree the brief before outreach. This is not a promise of absolute anonymity.
- No hire.
- No hire means no fee on standard searches.
National median annual wage. SOC 29-1127, Speech-Language Pathologists.
BLS reports Speech-Language Pathologists as one occupation. It does not publish a separate estimate for SLP Clinical Fellow (SLP-CF), its setting or its engagement terms.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025-05, released 2026-05-15. View source. See the full guide.
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Can our only SLP supervise a fellow?
Possibly, if that clinician meets the applicable mentor criteria and has time for the required supervision. Review their treatment schedule and absence coverage before deciding. Identify an eligible mentor, available observation time, and a backup plan for absences. Ask how feedback reaches the fellow before the next similar case, rather than waiting for a scheduled progress meeting.
Should we include swallowing cases in the fellow’s caseload?
Describe those cases before interviews and ask about relevant supervised experience. Your clinical assessment should determine appropriate duties, training, and oversight.
Can we hire someone whose fellowship is partly complete?
Yes, but review documented experience and the proposed mentor transition. Confirm how applicable fellowship rules and state authorization affect the remaining period.
Does an SLP-CF already hold the CCC-SLP?
Do not assume so. Verify certification status separately from graduate education, fellowship progress, and state permission to practice.
What should our interview include beyond discussing placements?
Use a case discussion drawn from your patient population. Ask what the candidate would clarify, document, and bring to the supervisor.
What should you send us about this role?
Send us the role, where the person will work and what needs to change with this hire. We will ask about the work, not just the title. Share any license or schedule limits that could rule someone out before we begin the search.
Tell us about your caseload and available supervision. We can help you define an SLP-CF search that matches the work and the support you can provide.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire. We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
What happens next
- The initial conversation clarifies the work, location and search terms.
- Ivan or a senior team member will reach out soon.
- When we recommend someone, you get reasons for fit and open questions to assess. We support interviews and offer discussions.
- Fees.
- No upfront fee. Pay only if you hire, under the signed agreement.
- Exclusivity.
- Set out in the signed client agreement.
- Confidentiality.
- We agree the brief before outreach. This is not a promise of absolute anonymity.
- No hire.
- No hire means no fee on standard searches.
Which other positions in this family should you consider?
Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA) · Certified Hand Therapist (CHT)
What happens beyond the introduction?
We explain our recommendation in writing and flag what your team still needs to assess. We gather interview feedback, resolve practical questions and support offer discussions. The goal is the right person for the work, not simply a shortlist.
Read the full six-step search process · Compare recruiting models
What are the fee and payment terms?
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire. The signed agreement sets the fee and when it is due, along with the placement terms. We agree those terms before the search starts and before any candidate introductions. Temporary or contract coverage is a separate arrangement.
How long will it take to see a short list?
That depends on the job, schedule, available people, and what your employer can offer. We discuss those constraints before outreach and update you as candidates respond. We do not promise a fixed shortlist date. We check the job brief before arranging interviews. Tell us which parts of the role you can change.
What if a candidate receives a counteroffer?
We ask why the person wants to move and discuss competing decisions before an offer. A counteroffer can still change their choice. Keep the duties and offer clear rather than assuming more money settles every concern. Tell us early if parts of your offer cannot change, so the candidate hears it from us first.
What are the replacement terms?
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement. Ask us to walk through those terms before you sign, so you know how a replacement would work for your opening and who would start it.
What do we not do in a standard permanent search?
We do not bill standard contingency search by the hour or simply repost your job. Temporary coverage is a separate arrangement. Any retainer or different engagement must be agreed, not assumed. Tell us early if you need coverage while the permanent search runs.