It's common knowledge that the medical field is rapidly growing, and shows no signs of slowing anywhere in the near future. Quite the contrary, with expanding waistlines - and thus, health and weight complications - on the rise, and new healthcare legislature being introduced, we are unlikely to see the medical sector retract in our lifetime. With that development comes an enormous range of different careers within the general medical field, whether private, corporate, and government in nature. Additionally, the pay and difficulty levels vary immensely, from medical assistants that merely require a certification to highly specialized surgeons that require a decade of school and training, but also collect a decent paycheck in return. There literally is something for just about anyone considering to move into the medical field. One additional benefit has to be the mobility and flexibility when the subject of moving or transferring is approached. Someone with, for example, an RN certification could move either next door or around the globe, and that kind of value is not available with a great many other career paths. Doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel are in great demand almost everywhere on the planet. Perhaps the first item to prepare for is medical school itself. If you happen to know early on that you are wanting to pursue this type of degree, it helps immensely to aim for electives in that area as early as your freshman year of high school. Classes dealing with math or science, especially biology, anatomy, physics and chemistry go a long way toward establishing a base from which to jump into medical school. Prior to high school graduation, the opportunity to take the MCAT (Medical College Admissions Test) will appear, and performance is essential. A score of 25 or higher will be looked at first. In addition, be prepared to show documented history of volunteer and intern work performed at a medical facility. An opportunity interview at various medical institutions will present itself, and this is a process to take very seriously. Some questions to consider: Does the school interview only those who have gone through extensive screening or is the interview mandated by residency and certain threshold scores on MCAT? Is the interview a final step in the selection process or a preliminary step? A few things the interviewers will be looking for include how well the applicant communicates, the various personality impressions that are projected, and whether the the person's demeanor is one that inspires confidence and trust. Today's world provides a number of logistical challenges, so you will find that more and more students are preferring distance learning, such as that provided by The College Network. Completing a degree or certification entirely online has its appeal, not the least of which is flexible hours to complete assignments. While the more basic nursing certifications and degrees are relatively commonplace, admission to MD/PhD programs is highly competitive, with a heavy emphasis on research. Those seeking to apply will soon discover that most advanced programs require significant research experience and the emerging ability to translate what was learned in a laboratory into relevant treatment for a patient. A great deal is also related to writing, as most institutions will request a statement outlining why the MD/PhD program was chosen, and also strong letters of recommendation from professors and other mentors in their field. You will want to plan on these requirements early, so as to ensure the admission process goes as smoothly as possible. For more information on MD/PhD programs, the AAMC provides a very helpful list of FAQs for MD/PhD Program Applicants. This post was originally published at an earlier date.Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Is your job search turning into a grind with no end in sight? It may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your entire approach.
In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organized—a practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives.
For professionals on the job hunt, a little spring cleaning (metaphorically speaking) could be a great way to reinvigorate your job search. Here are a few strategies your job search spring cleaning should include.
Reevaluate Your Job Search Approach
BigstockMake a list of the last handful of jobs you applied for and see if you can identify any positive or negative trends. Consider things like:
- How did I learn about this job?
- How did I apply for the job?
- Did I earn an interview?
- What was the ultimate result?
A lot can be learned about your job search approach just by answering these questions and identifying patterns. For example:
Negative Trends
You discovered five jobs through job boards, applied to all of them via the job boards, and never heard back from any of them.
The common pattern here is applying through job boards. This isn't to say that job boards don't serve a purpose in the job search process, but they have their limitations, and you can't run your job search entirely off of them. When you apply through a job board, there's a good chance that your materials will never get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and never be seen by an actual person.
One simple fix is to research who the hiring manager or recruiter is that posted the position and email your materials to them directly.
The more efficient fix would be to take a proactive approach by putting together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and start making connections on LinkedIn with people who work at those companies. You may already know some people who work there or have connections that can refer you to some individuals.
This is a great way to network your way onto a company's radar.
Positive Trends
You applied to three jobs via referral, were invited to two job interviews, and made it through multiple rounds of interviews for one of the jobs before being passed over for someone with a little more experience.
The pattern here is that getting referred to a job by a professional acquaintance is a great way to land a job interview. This indicates that you're leveraging your network well and you should continue to focus on your networking efforts.
The next step is to review the interview process and determine what went well and what needs to be improved. Sometimes the interviewer will provide feedback, and that feedback can be valuable. However, not everyone is comfortable with giving feedback.
Chances are you probably have a good idea about areas of improvement and the skills you need to gain. Put together a plan for addressing those shortfalls.
The good news in making it deep into any interview process is that it indicates that the company likes you as a potential employee (even if the timing just wasn't right) and the experience could be a roadmap to a job with that company at a later date, or another similar opportunity elsewhere.
Give Your Resume & Cover Letter Some Much-Needed Attention
BigstockAre you continuously sending similar resumes and cover letters to each job opening with only minor adjustments? If so, your strategy needs some serious spring cleaning.
Let's start with resumes!
Every resume should be tailored to the position in order for it to stand out to recruiters and hiring managers. It may seem like a lot of work, but it's actually less work than submitting the same resume over and over again and never hearing back.
The reason why it's so important to tailor your resume is that throughout your career, you acquire numerous skills, but the job you're applying for may only be focusing on 6-8 of those skills. In that case, those skills must rise to the top of the resume with quantifiable examples of how you successfully used those skills at previous jobs.
Remember, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes. They need to be able to tell from a quick glance whether or not you're a potential candidate for the position.
While updating your resume, you could also spruce up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting the skill sets that you want to be noticed for by recruiters.
As for writing a good cover letter, the key to success is writing a disruptive cover letter. When you write a disruptive cover letter, you're basically telling a story. The story should focus on how you connect with the particular company and job position. The story could also focus on your personal journey, and how you got to where you currently are in your career.
If your resumes and cover letters aren't unique, now is the time to clean things up and get on track.
Build Your Personal Brand
Just because you're looking for work doesn't mean that you don't have anything to offer. Use previous career experiences and passions to build your personal brand.
Ask yourself, "How do I want other professionals to view me?"
Pick an area of expertise and start sharing your knowledge and experience with your professional network by pushing out content on your LinkedIn and social media accounts. Good content can include blogs, social media posts, and videos.
By sharing content about your experiences and passions, you slowly build your personal brand, and others will start to notice. The content could lead to good discussions with others in your network. It could also lead to reconnecting with connections that you haven't spoken to in years, or making new connections.
You never know when one of these connections could turn into a job lead or referral. The trick is to get on people's radars. So, when you're cleaning up your job search, be sure to build a plan for personal branding.
Maintain Healthy Habits During Your Job Search
BigstockYour job search is important, but it's even more important to know when to pull back and focus on personal health and spending time with family and friends.
There are actually things that you can do for your own enjoyment that could help your job search in the long run, such as:
- Grab coffee with a friend - It's good to engage in light conversation with friends during challenging times. And if your job search does come up, remember that most people have been through it themselves and you never know when a friend may provide you with a good idea or lead on a job.
- Volunteer - Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and help others. In addition, if you develop a little bit of a career gap while looking for a job, you can always talk about how you filled that time volunteering, if you're asked about it during a job interview.
- Continue to focus on other passions - Are you a fitness nut? Blogger? Crafter? Continue to do the things that bring you happiness. And if you're in a position to profit from your passion through a freelance job or side hustle, even better!
Spring is the perfect time to clean up and improve your job search so you can land the job you want. If you're struggling to find a job, follow the tips above to reinvigorate your job search—and watch your career blossom!
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.