One reason you may have chosen healthcare as a career is the ever-changing pace and the idea that every day is different from the last. But even in the excitement and fast paced energy driven drama that fuels your day, the most seasoned healthcare professional should still take some time and give their career some self-assessment. You may very well be locked in for life but if there’s one thing you should know, especially in today’s economy, it is to always have a Plan B.

Hospital Dream Jobs is not only for the healthcare professional looking for work but also the one who maybe be looking for a change mid-career. Whether you’re a fresh face in the hospital or a 30-year veteran in the operating room, review these eight tips from an article on making the best of your career featured on About.com

Love your job or find a new one.

Love it or leave it certainly rings true when it comes to doing something your whole life. If you’re struggling at work or dreading every morning because you have to get up and go to work, perhaps it’s time to look elsewhere. The beauty of healthcare is there are so many different possibilities to look at if one area isn’t the right fit.

Update your Curriculum Vitae (CV) or Resume.

Always have a resume updated and ready to provide to anyone who asks. The last thing you want to do is spend an entire night trying to remember employment dates and job duties of the last three positions dating back 15 years.

Join a professional healthcare association.

The best way to stay on top of your profession and the latest trends and developments is to join the professional association that is specific to your role. Joining these groups also provide you with networking opportunities and job listings.

Always network.

If you’re currently looking for work then you know the best way to land your next job is to network. And if you’re currently working it always pays to know who is who in your organization and to ensure that they know who you are too.

Engage via social media.

The best social media for career advancement, which is also a form of networking and a way to keep your resume up-to-date, is to get on Linked In. It is widely known that most companies use Linked In as a way to find their next employee and if you’re not on there someone who is will get the call. See a helpful article and Linked In and Job Searching.

Identify and partner with a reputable healthcare recruiter.

Think of this as hidden networking. Good recruiters work confidentially so you can share your professional goals and they can help you find that next step in your career without jeopardizing your current one.

Evaluate your health career goals.

The healthcare industry is changing as fast as technology so to keep up you may need to assess your career goals to make sure you’re on the right path. Are your goals manageable? Do your goals make sense right now? Whatever your aspirations may be, it is important to stay focused on the career direction that makes the most sense for you.

Find a mentor or become a mentor.

If you’re new to the healthcare field, find a seasoned healthcare worker you can trust and get to know them. This counts as networking and you’ll be better off as your finagle your way around the system and make the most of your new path in life. And conversely, if you’re a seasoned healthcare worker, perhaps what you need to kick start your passion again is to take someone under your wing. Staying in touch with the newest graduates keeps your pulse on the new technology and what’s being taught in the classroom.

Whatever your career goals may be, look to Hospital Dream Jobs to find your next job in healthcare whether it’s an entry level position leading you to higher ground or a new position where you can grow more.

Now that more and more people are applying quickly for jobs when they become available, acing the interview is a very important to step to obtaining your dream job. In this competitive market, standing out is essential. Here are some tips to help get you there:

1. Only apply for jobs that you are well-qualified for. The old adage “apply for every job possible” is usually a waste of time. For every job open, there are a ton of applicants who have the specific experience for that job and you will only stand out above those people if you have more than they have. Stick to your niches and to your areas of strengths to put yourself in a position to ace the interview.

2. Assume that everyone else is as qualified as you are and that they have great personalities. Seek other ways to put your best foot forward and truly make yourself irreplaceable to your future employer-even before you become employed. What can you bump yourself up on?

3. Before your interview, research the employer. Reviewing their website and printed material will give you a heads up about the company and help you appear more knowledgeable about them during your interview.

4. Consider advanced training. Where else can you go in your training? Can you continue education in your field? What about management classes? Consider the education that will help you become more valuable to a potential employer and follow through on it.

5. Ask questions. The interviewer might give you a chance to ask questions during the interview. Questions that are somewhat in-depth about the company are great as they show that you want to learn more. Be wary about asking for specific salary, benefits, etc. Of course you have the right to know these but it can give the impression that those are the only important things to you. Save them for after the employer calls you about the next step in the process.

6. Bring your references to the interview and a copy of your resume, even if you have already turned them in. I can’t tell you how many times an employer is unable to dig them up for interviews or “didn’t have time to go back to the office to grab them” but it has happened to me. It saves everyone time and grief if you can just hand another copy over.

7. Dress professionally. Shake hands firmly. Look your interviewer in the eye. Beware of nervous habits such as leg bouncing, twisting hair, and “umm’s”. Enough said. See an interview here with an HR Director on more of that.

You will find resume writing tips galore on the Internet and in books. Some are great ideas. Others, not so great. When searching for resume samples you will find several dozen samples that are offered as the “best” style to use. But the information can be confusing and overwhelming.

What’s the best way to write a resume that is compete, honest and stands out from the crowd? I recommend that you first write an outline. It will be an invaluable tool as you organize, format and write your resume. Include the following in your notes:

1. Your goals- Write them all down and then compact it to an objective that clearly states a goal that your potential employer will see on your resume. Do not include desired salary and be careful about self-serving statements. (Consider what you can provide for the employer versus what you want from them).

2. Your Job History- Dig up your job history, including name/address of employer, dates worked, salary and specific duties. Also note any special accomplishments while in that job position.

3. Your Skills- Make a list of the skills that you have and don’t forget the basic ones. Remember that not everyone can type at the same WPM that you might be able to and believe it or not, not everyone knows how to use the Internet. Add any special skills that might be applicable only to the positions that you are applying for.

4. Your Education- List your education, including the name/location of the school, dates attended and concentration of study, including your high school. Include any classes, seminars and continuing education. Include degrees and certifications obtained.

5. Your Awards- If you have obtained awards in your professional or personal life, make a list of them including the year received and what they were for. Also include any publishing credits you might have.

6. Your Volunteer Activities- If you volunteer your time outside of your home to help others, include this on your outline. This shows that you are a caring individual with goals other than earning a living.

7. Your References- Prepare a list of people who might be willing to be a reference. Call them or send them an email to make sure that they are okay with it. Concentrate on those you know from a professional arena and ones you’ve known longer than a year or two, if possible.

In the next post, we will discuss how to organize and format your resume to be the best that it can be in this competitive job market.

by Liat Nachman

When you are seeking employment with a new company, you should always include a resume cover letter with your resume. The purpose of the cover letter is to introduce your resume to the employer and to declare your interest in a position with the company. It is the first thing that a prospective employer looks at when evaluating you for a position with the company.
As such it is as important, if not more important than your resume and the interview itself. This is because if your cover letter isn’t good, the employer will never see your resume and you will never get an interview.

The following is what you should include in your cover letter:
1. Elaborate on your employment objective – In your resume, there is a section at the beginning where you put what your employment objective is. In your resume cover letter this is where you have the opportunity to elaborate more on your employment objective. The objective should be clear and concise and should make a prospective employer interested in bringing you in for an interview.
2. How you found the job and what you know about the company – When beginning your resume cover letter, you should talk about how you found the job. If you found it on a web site, list the name and the URL of the web site. If you really want to impress a prospective employer list some information about the company that attracts you to the company. This will show the prospective employer that you did your homework and you really want to work there, which is always a good thing.
3. Be concise and to the point – The cover letter is not the time to write your life story. Make sure you avoid rambling and keep your letter clear and to the point. Generally speaking, if your cover letter is more than a page long, it is way too long. Your goal is to get them just enough information so that they will want to call you in for an interview. They will find out everything they need to know to make a hiring decision at the interview, not just from reading the cover letter.
4. Include your qualifications – The resume cover letter should expand on your qualifications. It should highlight the key points of the resume that makes you uniquely qualified for the position. This is why you should always use a specific cover letter for a specific position. One of the worst things you can do is have a standard cover letter that you use for each and every position you apply for. Employers will pick up on this and you won’t get called in for an interview.
5. Finally, you won’t believe how many people forget this in their resume cover letter. You need to include several ways to contact you. You should include your phone number, your email address and your address. With your email address, you should have a professional email address. If your only email address is youngthughustler@yahoo.com, sign up for another free email address that is more professional.

These guidelines will help you get more interviews.

About the Author

For more information and tips on writing resume cover letters effectively, visit ProResumeSecrets.

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“I think the needs of both the job seekers and employers are in getting lost in the current environment,” says Hospital Dream Jobs founder, Allison Rapaport. “My goal is to listen to their needs and have the website evolve to meet these needs.”

In 2008, Rapaport brought together her experience in web development, communications and job searching with her interest in healthcare to develop Hospital Dream Jobs.  Because she also had contacts in the healthcare and technology field, there was a natural fit with developing content for the site as well.

The response has been overwhelmingly positive. Hospitals/Employers are excited about the ability to search for qualified leads to fill positions and receive alerts from Hospital Dream Jobs with links to the resume of interested parties. They also enjoy the added coups of being featured via video clips on the site and on the Hospital Dream Jobs blog. The ability to set up a profile page with more about their facility is another popular option.

For job seekers, the site is a virtual goldmine as it not only lists jobs listed with Hospital Dream Jobs but also pulls in listings from other healthcare job sites. In addition, there are numerous job resources, including lists of top hospitals, educational podcasts, links to educational facilities/hospitals and a list of recruitment and staffing agencies. The site has 400 job categories and thousands of listings. The job seeker also enjoys the ability to upload their resume/cover letter, send and receive messages, save job searches, create job alerts and learn more detail about the particular hospitals that interest them.

The goals for Hospital Dream Jobs include:

1. Provide quality and a high quantity of healthcare job listings from all parts of the country.

2. Support job seekers as they progress in their career. Offer job listings, tools to track their job search, career advice and resources, and information to stay current.

3. Offer hospitals and recruiters great advertising for their organization and the ability to attract the best in personnel.

4. Maintain an environment that is personable and responsive for all users.

Join us today by signing up for a Job Seeker or Employer account!