Want to make a difference?

Healthcare is the second fastest growing employment sector in the U.S. with 4 million new jobs predicted to be added by 2026, Modern Healthcare reports. If you’re a woman looking for a rewarding career with potential for growth, healthcare is a great choice. Before you can start applying for jobs, you need to meet the educational qualifications demanded by hospitals and outpatient medical centers and brush up on your job-hunting skills to help you land your ideal position.

If you’re ready to pursue an exciting and engaging career in healthcare, here’s where to start.

Earning Credentials

Educational qualifications vary depending on what type of healthcare career you want. If you want to be a doctor or a hospital administrator, you’ll need to pursue an advanced degree. Registered nurses require a bachelor’s degree; however, many healthcare jobs only require an associate’s degree and/or certification. These careers are a great fit for people who want to get started in their career quickly without spending a lot of time or money on schooling.

The Best Schools lists a wide range of healthcare professions and details what qualifications you need to get started in each career path. They also have information on career growth for different jobs so you can identify which roles are in high demand.

Preparing for the Job Hunt

Once you’ve obtained your qualifications, it’s time to set your sights on job hunting. Before you start sending out applications, there are a few steps you need to take.

First, update your resume. You’ll need to tailor your resume for individual jobs you apply for, but a strong base resume makes that easier. MAS Medical Staffing recommends making your resume scannable, because the average hiring manager only spends about six seconds looking at it before deciding if you’re a viable candidate. Write a clear objective and list all the education, certifications, and licensures that qualify you for the job. Hiring managers not only want to see that you have the necessary skills, but also that you’re committed to ongoing education and professional development. Don’t forget to highlight soft skills; while healthcare professions are highly-technical jobs, the importance of bedside manner can’t be understated.

It can be hard to include all the relevant information in your resume while also keeping it streamlined and scannable. Try using online resume templates to ensure your resume looks clean, not clunky.

Next, update your LinkedIn profile to reflect your new objective and educational experience, then Google your name to see what other information will show up when potential employers screen your online reputation (trust us, they will!). If there’s negative information you’d rather employers not see or there’s simply not much to see at all, you can work with a reputation management company to generate positive content like blog entries and press releases that reflect your achievements. A reputation management team can use their knowledge of search engine optimization to ensure that positive content is what shows up on the first page of search results.

Applying for Jobs and Interviewing

When you’re ready to look for jobs, don’t rely on general job boards like Indeed. There are better options for women seeking healthcare careers. Check out HospitalJobsOnline.com, which lists a rotating selection of open positions from administration jobs to RN to healthcare IT and everything in between. When you use an industry-specific search site, you don’t have to sift through hundreds of irrelevant postings to find what you’re looking for.

The final hurdle new healthcare professionals need to cross is the interview. A professional appearance is obviously important, but that’s not all you need to excel in a hospital interview. Research the organization you’re seeking to work with to learn about their values and accomplishments so you can explain exactly why you want to work there. Always bring a copy of your resume and practice your answers to interview questions. You may be asked why you entered the field and what your biggest failure has been to date. Be prepared to answer honestly, but know how to approach these questions with tact and dignity from the get go.

Your first job in healthcare sets the tone for your medical career. By getting the right credentials for the job you want and carefully preparing for your job search, you give yourself the best shot at landing your dream healthcare job. From there, the only place to go is up!