Turning Down an SLP Externship Offer

All graduate students in a Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) program must complete externships and obtain 375 direct contact hours in order to graduate. Some programs match students to sites while others let the students find their own placements. For students who have the opportunity to find their own placement, they may have the unique experience to have more than one offer. It can feel awkward but this is a good problem to have. Below are 5 tips on turning down an SLP externship offer in a professional way.

Express Gratitude

Begin by expressing your sincere appreciation for the placement offer and the time and effort the site invested in considering you. The site did take time to set up the interview, complete the interview, reach out to references, etc. That should be acknowledged.

Be Prompt

Respond to the placement offer as soon as possible to avoid leaving the site hanging. They may be waiting on your response before they reach out to other applicants. Even worse, they may be starting to make plans for your arrival. It shows respect for their time and allows them to explore other candidates if needed.

That being said, there may be reasons that you need extra time to make a decision. Maybe you have other interviews lined up or you need to talk with your program about the site. If possible, ask them for a deadline that you need to respond or let them know when you can give them an answer.

Be Positive

Don’t criticize the site or its policies, even if that is the number one reason you are not accepting the offer. Perhaps the SLP was unprofessional during the interview or told you that they often won’t be on-site to directly supervise you. Those are both red flags, but not something you have to point out. You can simply mention the ASHA supervision guidelines. See the next tip for ideas on what to say.

Offer an Explanation

While it’s not mandatory to provide a reason for declining, it can be helpful for the site to understand your decision. If comfortable, you can mention factors like better fit elsewhere, family commitments, or a change in personal circumstances. Let them know if you had multiple offers and found one that was a better fit, maybe that is related to caseload, location, or hours available on site. However, keep the explanation concise and professional.

Keep the Door Open

Conclude your response by expressing your continued interest in the site and its future opportunities. This leaves room for potential collaboration down the line and maintains a positive relationship with the organization. Maybe it wasn’t a good fit for an externship but you may want to reach out when looking for a CF or after.

Remember, turning down an SLP externship offer respectfully can help maintain a good professional reputation and leave the door open for potential opportunities in the future.

For more externship tips, check out my other blogs HERE.