Looking for a medical job can be a daunting experience. With more than 350 different healthcare careers on offer with the NHS alone, it’s difficult to know where to begin.
The good news is that the medical sector is one of the few industries that continued to grow throughout the recession, and is still growing today. Currently, the NHS employs more than 1.7m people and there are approximately 20,000 job opportunities offered every month.
This means that there is a lot on offer for entry-level candidates – and here’s how to get that first foot in the door.
Have Your Qualifications Sorted.
It sounds simple enough, but the most important part of finding a job in healthcare is having the right education and qualifications for the role. Each specific job role has different requirements and when it comes to working in healthcare, you need to have the right credentials.
For instance, if you’re thinking of a career as a General Practitioner (GP) you will need to have undertaken a 5-year degree course at a medical school, for nursing you are required to have a Nursing degree, and for pharmacy you need to obtain a Masters Degree in Pharmacy and pass your pre-registration training year. If your plan is to apply for one of these high profile healthcare jobs, check the job criterias and know that you’re pursuing the correct degree course and gaining any supplementary experience that will be necessary.
However, there are also many healthcare careers that don’t require you to have a degree. The NHS has vacancies for school leavers in fields such as administration, domestic and catering services, and portering and maintenance. In some trusts you will find that there are opportunities for trainee healthcare assistants who support the nursing staff. With these careers, you will be able to gain experience on the job and complete relevant training as you go.
How Do I Find Out About Job Openings?
Knowing where to begin your job search can be very tricky. Once you have decided on the kind of job you are looking for, using medical job boards online can be really useful. There are specific boards for each career, such as Staff Nurse for nurses and the British Dental Journal Classifieds (BDJ) for dentists. Slightly larger jobs boards that cater for the whole of the healthcare industry, like Jobs4Medical, can be a good way to find a wider range of job opportunities as more employers will list their jobs on these sites. If you want to work specifically for the NHS, then you can go directly to the NHS job listings site.
If you know the location where you want to be based, check the job advertisement section in local newspapers and magazines, and enquire at local hospitals, health centres and clinics in the area. Send an email asking about any job opportunities that they might have and ask to have your name kept on file for future openings. Sometimes it’s also a good idea to go in person and hand in a CV. This way you can make a good impression and it might be the key to being the first to know if a relevant opportunity does arise.
Getting Your Foot in the Door.
The hardest part for any new graduate is getting your foot in the door. The best way to make an impression is to appear professional, enthusiastic and motivated. Make sure you look good on paper, create a good profile online, sound professional on the telephone and be polite but friendly face-to-face.
A well-written CV is essential. Make sure to include your career objective so that potential employers know you’re thinking long-term. Highlight your relevant experience, including your qualifications and any hands-on training. Tailor your CV for each job. Create a basic CV with all of your details and information included, but don’t send this out. For every job application you make, you should tailor your generic CV to the specific job that you’re applying for.
Being up to date with industry news is vital. If your application gets through to a telephone or even a face-to-face interview, then your industry knowledge will be tested. Reading the news headlines is a good place to start, but even better, follow leading medical news sites and journals on Twitter and like the Facebook pages of your local hospitals and centres. This way you have national and local medical news covered.
Employers Want to Hire You.
Yes, it’s true. Many people forget this one, especially when it comes to the interview, but remember that the employer is looking for reasons to hire you. If you’ve already impressed them on paper and over the phone, then they will most likely just be looking to confirm that you come across just as well face-to-face. Speak confidently and don’t rush. If you’re unsure how to answer a question take a sip of water and think it over. Listen to what they have to say and ask questions – this shows that you are interested in the company.
About the author.
Ron Stewart | CEO Jobs4Medical | Jobs4Medical
Ron Stewart has worked in the recruitment industry for 30 years, having owned companies in the IT, Construction and Medical sectors. He is currently running the Jobs4Group, and is CEO of Jobs4Medical.
Connect with Ron at:
Website: http://www.jobs4medical.co.uk/
Twitter: @jobs4medical
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/jobs4medical
LinkedIn: uk.linkedin.com/pub/ron-stewart/3/b15/a97
