10 Tools For Finding A Job In Medicine

As the job hunting experts at About.com will tell you – finding a position in the health care field can be a bit overwhelming, especially if you’re just getting started in the industry.

First and foremost, you should decide which medical job is right for you. Research various careers, including educational requirements, salary, hours, and job responsibilities. And, according to HealthCareJobs.org, you should always avoid making your career decisions based on what your friends or parents tell you. Thankfully, there is a wide variety of health care careers to suit every skill set. The key is finding the one that will keep you happy for years to come.

Second, once you’ve pinpointed the kind of position you want – you have to go out and find it. And, in this day and age – you’ll need all the job hunting help you can get. Job seekers need to arm themselves with tools that will help give them exposure in the job market – and a leg up against other applicants. In fact, according to a recent survey conducted by Challenger, Gray, and Christmas – networking should be your primary job search strategy.

That said, networking tops the following list of 10 tools for finding a job in medicine, compiled in part by The Industry Standard.

1.Networking – Develop contacts - friends, family, neighbors, college alumni, people in associations - anyone who might help generate information and job leads. You can take a direct approach and ask for job leads or try a less formal approach and ask for information and advice.

2.Social Networking Sites –Social networks provide a fresh avenue for professionals to make new contacts without the time expenditure incurred attending mixers or scheduling lunches. Sites like LinkedIn, ViralCommerce, and Twitter promote traditional networking, building relationships by e-mail and interviews. Instead of hunting for a specific job, members of the network look to reach out and expand their network, and in turn expanding their job opportunities.

3.Online Job Boards – For some job seekers, online job hunting sites do reap results. To increase your odds of success, Cheryl Palmer, an executive career coach at Call To Career in Silver Spring, Md., recommends finding specific association, organization or niche job boards that cater to the type of work you are looking for. Check out sites like: MedHunters, Medzilla, MedDeviceJobs, and HCJobsOnline.

4.Employer’s Websites – Check out the vacancies listed and the dates they posted. Follow the instructions on how to apply; most sites would request for an electronic submission and indicate your desire to be part of that company. If they request for a hard copy application, then do so in person. A good bet is to address your CV and application (you would need a good cover letter with the CV) to the HR Manager even if his/her name is not mentioned in the 'contact us' page.

5.Cold-Calling- According to G. A. Puleo & Associates Secrets of Cold Calling, the process demands self-confidence and knowledge. Although most beneficial to experienced professionals, cold calling can be effective for lower level workers by being in the right place at the right time. By understanding and illustrating specifically how you can benefit the targeted organization, you will automatically build your sense of self-worth and self-confidence automatically.

6.Send unsolicited resumes – Unsolicited resumes are those received by a company when no employment openings are available. According to employment expert Larry Zirtzman, these resumes should be sent with tact to prevent coming across like a nuisance.

7.Newspaper Classified Ads- Whether you are searching this section within newspapers, or in online newspaper editions - these employment ads are typically searchable by date, category, keyword and location. You may be able to upload your resume and apply directly online for jobs that interest you.

8.Job Fairs – The advantage to a live job fair is talking with real people about real jobs. It’s also a great opportunity to see what is out there, who is hiring and what kinds of jobs they have, and the pay.

9.Management Recruiting Firms - Recruitment agencies are paid by employers to find suitable applicants for job vacancies which the employers have. The fee is paid to the job agency (by the employer) once someone starts work or after someone has been with employer for the required time.

10.Part-time or Freelance Work – "Rather than one 'job,' think in terms of multiple positions. Breaking in to a new job may be easier if you aim for part-time work within a company," advises Katy Piotrowski, career counselor and author of "The Career Coward's Guides." "Line up multiple part-time positions and you'll benefit from more job security; if one position evaporates, you have the others to fall back on."