Professionals in the healthcare industry are in a growing field. It’s estimated that the number of healthcare jobs will rise 18% over the next decade.
But healthcare professionals also need to market themselves effectively, because there is also stiff competition for the increasing number of jobs. Here are five tips to follow to become more marketable.
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Use LinkedIn
LinkedIn has become a site where people network, establish their brands, comment on industry trends, and showcase their skills and qualifications. It’s essentially the country’s go-to source for all things job-related. Your colleagues use it. Your potential and past supervisors use it. Employers use it. Recruiters and staffing agencies use it.
You need to be on LinkedIn with a profile that clearly shows your qualifications, jobs, certifications and education, at a minimum. Share thought leadership with articles on issues of interest to your sector. Connect with colleagues. Establish your brand by showing what’s important to you. (Hobbies and causes you are passionate about can be displayed too.)
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Make sure your resume is up-to-date
Add any new jobs with clear reference to your achievements. Update it when you get a new certification (and delete any old certifications). If you take a continuing education (CE) course, list it on your resume. Delete any older CE material that may no longer be relevant.
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Keep your credentials updated and in a safe place
Clinical work is a credentialed profession. The types of credentials preferred can change over the years. Many working nurses, for example, started out with an associate degree. But it is becoming more standard practice to hire only nurses with a bachelor’s degree in nursing. Keeping current with the preferred degree will make you more marketable. If you are taking classes toward a bachelor’s degree in nursing, be sure to put that on your resume.
If you are in clinical work, you must have copies of your diploma, license, registration and any CPR certification when you are considered for a new job. Keep all of these in a safe place.
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Be proficient with computer systems
Increasingly, the healthcare profession is an electronic workplace. While you may deal with patients, you need to deal with electronic records and digital equipment nearly everywhere you go. You need to display full proficiency and a comfort level with computer systems.
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Approach a job search with flexibility
If you’re in a job search, you’ll be more marketable if you consider a variety of roles. Some organizations, for example, have more opportunities in temporary roles than in permanent ones. If you are open to temporary work, it can be a way to break into those organizations.
Look at opportunities that give you exposure to various specialties, organizational types and technologies. The more varied your experience, the more marketable you will be.
If you’re in the healthcare field, we can help
There are a multitude of opportunities for people with experience in healthcare, in a wide range of fields. To find out more about local healthcare jobs, contact us today.
