Your Prescription For A Healthy Career

The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that eight of the 20 fastest growing occupations are in healthcare. In fact, more new healthcare jobs will be created by 2014 than in any other industry.

Why are healthcare careers so hot? Here are some of the major reasons:

§  Baby Boomers turn 60 this year. The population of elderly persons, who have greater healthcare needs, are increasing faster than the overall population.

§  In addition, Boomers' aging parents, whose life expectancies have increased in recent years, have caused the demand for home healthcare and residential care workers to increase significantly.

§  With the recent advances in medical technology, lifespans have increased, and new technologies make it possible to treat illnesses and injuries that in recent years may not have been treatable.

§  With federal law requiring that the healthcare industry technologically update its record-keeping practices and with health insurance becoming more complex, the need for administrative support in healthcare will also grow.

On top of these facts, many of those employed in healthcare will soon be retiring themselves, leaving vacancies in the industry. Now you can see why people interested in pursuing a healthcare career can be virtually ensured a lifetime of secure employment.

The Path to Healthcare

While it's not always necessary to complete a four-year degree program to work in the healthcare industry, the majority of occupations require completion of some kind of training program. Nurses, for example, may begin their careers with an associate's degree and Registered Nurse (RN) certification program.

According to a CareerBuilder.com job forecast, nearly one in five hiring managers in the fastest growing industries, including healthcare, will be hiring administrative and clerical staff. That's especially true in healthcare. Medical assistants, pharmacy assistants, dental assistants, and other administrative positions, which only require training programs of two years or less, will be among the fastest growing occupations.

With such a healthy future in the industry, the prognosis is good for those considering a career in healthcare.

To your job search success

Fran Watson
Career Coach

Resumes

Common Resume Blunders
by Kim Isaacs, MA, CPRW, NCRW

Make sure your resume is top-notch by avoiding the top resume blunders:

1. Too Focused on Job Duties

Your resume should not be a boring listing of job duties and responsibilities. Go beyond showing what was required and demonstrate how you made a difference at each company, providing specific examples. When developing your achievements, ask yourself:

• How did you perform the job better than others?
• What were the problems or challenges faced? How did you overcome them? What were the results? How did the company benefit from your performance?
• Did you receive any awards, special recognition or promotions as a result?

2. Flowery or General Objective Statement

Many candidates lose their readers in the beginning. Statements like "A challenging position enabling me to contribute to organizational goals while offering an opportunity for growth and advancement" are overused, too general and waste valuable space. If you’re on a career track, replace the objective with a tagline stating what you do or your expertise.

3. Too Short or Too Long

Many people try to squeeze their experiences onto one page, because they've heard resumes shouldn’t be longer. By doing this, job seekers may delete impressive achievements. There are also candidates who ramble on about irrelevant or redundant experiences. There is no rule about appropriate resume length. When writing your resume, ask yourself, "Will this statement help me land an interview?" Every word should sell you, so only include information that elicits a "yes."

4. Using Personal Pronouns and Articles

A resume is a form of business communication, so it should be concise and written in a telegraphic style. There should be no mentions of "I" or "me," and only minimal use of articles. For example:

I developed a new product that added $2 million in sales and increased the market segment’s gross margin by 12 percent.

should be changed to:

Developed new product that added $2 million in sales and increased market segment’s gross margin by 12 percent.

5. Listing Irrelevant Information

Many people include their interests, but they should only include those relating to the job. For example, if a candidate is applying for a position as a ski instructor, he should list cross-country skiing as a hobby.

Personal information, such as date of birth, marital status, height and weight, normally should not be on the resume unless you’re an entertainment professional or a job seeker outside the US.

6. Using a Functional Resume When You Have a Good Career History

It is irksome for hiring managers not to see the career progression and the impact made at each position. Unless you have an emergency situation, such as virtually no work history or excessive job-hopping, avoid the functional format.

The modified chronological format is often the most effective. Here’s the basic layout:

• Header (name, address, email address, phone number)
• Lead with a strong profile section detailing the scope of your experience and areas of proficiency
• Reverse chronological employment history emphasizing achievements in the past 10 to 15 years
• Education (New grads may put this at the top.)

7. Not Including a Summary Section that Makes an Initial Hard Sell

This is one of the job seeker’s greatest tools. Candidates who have done their homework will know the skills and competencies important to the position. The summary should demonstrate the skill level and experiences directly related to the position being sought.

To create a high-impact summary statement, peruse job openings to determine what’s important to employers. Next, write a list of your matching skills, experience and education. Incorporate these points into your summary.

8. Typos

One typo can land your resume in the garbage. Proofread and show your resume to several friends to have them proofread it as well. This document is a reflection of you and should be perfect. 

To your job search success!!

Fran

Job Search Stuck?

As a Careeer/Employment Counsellor/Coach, I try to keep ahead of what is going on in the job market, this involves reading articles and chatting with people.  Here is an excerpt from a recent article I read...

 

"If your job search is stuck, and it can happen regardless of how qualified you are and how many jobs you are applying for, one question that you should be asking yourself is "What can I do differently?"

Regardless of the type of job you are applying for, just sitting at your computer and applying for jobs isn't going to work. I've heard from job seekers who have submitted hundreds of applications and have heard nothing.

Whether you are applying for an hourly retail store position or a top level management position, there are things that you may able to do differently to get your job search back on track." (read more)

If you need help with your job search, I am available.  I do counselling/coaching via the internet and telephone, so it doesn't matter where you live. 

To your job search success

Fran
http://www.franwatson.ca/bio.html