Hospital Jobs, Medical Jobs, Healthcare Jobs

Dream jobs in the healthcare field come in all shapes and sizes. What you think is the perfect work environment may be someone else’s last choice. The job roles you find most rewarding could make someone else question their whole career. It’s important to spend the time exploring your personal
goals, values and requirements so that you can describe your dream job.
 

Even if you know what you are looking for, landing your dream job takes more than just checking
job postings or applying for open positions.
 

First Get Ready by determining what you would find most fulfilling. Next, Get Set — map out a
plan so when your dream job appears, you have everything you need to pursue it. Finally, Go!
Begin following your personal dream job action plan and pursue a fulfilling and rewarding career
in healthcare.
 

Assess your current situation.  

• What do you like about the job you have? What don’t you like?
  • Consider the hours, the location, the work environment, the culture, the pay
    and your coworkers.
  • If you are a recent graduate, what classes or internships did you most enjoy?
• What skills, education, training and experience do you have? Always keep a folder or computer
  file that lists any classes or trainings, each position you hold, basic job duties, special
  activities and anything else that might be useful information as you proceed to work toward
  your dream job.
• What are you best at? If you aren’t sure, ask your coworkers, former supervisors or
  trusted advisors.
• What’s important to you in your career?  Advancement, regular hours, excitement, lack of crisis
  situations, support for additional education, working with people, solving problems, salary,
  respect for your skills?

Explore the options. Check out other healthcare-related jobs where you might use your skills and
training. This might mean moving from a hospital to a clinic or changing from research to hands-on
care. It might also mean getting more training and gaining specialized skills to work with oncology
patients or take a position helping improve healthcare in emerging nations.

The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics provides useful information about general job duties,
employment outlook, training needed and more.

Describe your dream job. Imagine that you are excited to go to work each day. Write a description
that includes:

• What you do.

• Where you work. Is it an urban, suburban or rural environment — or something more exotic like
  a cruise ship or another country?Are you in a large medical complex? A hospital ER? A clinic?
  An academic environment?

•  Who you work with. Who are your patients, coworkers, bosses, clients?

• A typical day at work. Do you arrive and dive right in? Is there a buffer time while you get up
  to speed on the day’s work?

Evaluate and research. Determine where your dream job might exist. This could mean looking at other
jobs within your current place of employment, looking at jobs in a different type of organization or
looking at jobs in a different city.
 

Make a list of the skills and experiences that are necessary to work in the dream job you described.

• Look at job descriptions, articles or talk to people in similar jobs.

• Put a check mark next to the skills and qualifications that you already have.

Research employers to find out about types of jobs offered, corporate culture, values, work
environment and more.

Make a plan. Write an action plan that outlines the steps you need to take to be qualified
for your dream job.

• Do you need additional education or training?

• Do you need to gain experience through a stepping stone job, internship or volunteer position?

• What opportunities are there to meet people who are working in jobs similar to your dream job?
  (Networking is important because referrals are often the best way to find out about openings.)

• Do you need to update or rewrite your resume to highlight the skills and experience that go into
  your dream job?

• Do you need to practice interviewing?

You may have just a few steps or you may have many. Be sure your dream job action plan includes
a timeline for each step. For example, if your dream job includes going back to school, list the
classes you need, when you’ll take each one and when you intend to finish.

Start following your dream job action plan. If you have a plan but don’t act, you may not be ready when
the ideal opportunity arises. Your first steps might include:

• Registering for classes or signing up for training.

• Updating your resume.

• Making contact with people who work at your target employer.

• Watching for job postings that move you closer to your dream.

Post your dream job description and action plan somewhere at home where you will see it regularly.
It’s important to remind yourself of where you are heading. No matter how long it takes to follow
your plan, every step is putting you closer to your dream job and a fulfilling career.