Boots-to-Scrubs
How to Get the Job in the Healthcare (or any) Industry
Presented by:
Deborah Berkovitz
Career Placement Coordinator
dberkovitz@mpi.edu
www.mpi.edu
T: 781-397-6822
Presented by:
Mark Hall
Allied Health Faculty
mhall@mpi.edu
380 Pleasant Street Malden, MA 02148
Where do I begin?
• Do your Research – be honest with yourself, spend time thinking about what
you are passionate about. It is important to be aware of your military skills
and how they will translate into the civilian world.
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Setting Goals – Have a plan in mind
Thinking and staying positive – Motivation, Enthusiasm and Self Esteem
Confidence – Making this your mission
Success can be determined by one’s attitude
Writing the Resume - Purpose
• The purpose of the resume is to get the interview
• Your first introduction to the employer
• Do not eliminate yourself by writing a poor resume
Writing the Resume
• Gathering your information – Employment History, Education, Dates, Locations and Technical
vs Soft Skills
• Organize the information – keep items relevant depending on the job whether It be in healthcare
or other
• Taylor your resume to the needs of the hiring company and the available position. Focus on your
specialized knowledge and what you can offer. (This can help you narrow the scope of your
resume).
• Choose the right resume style – Chronological or Functional (Chronological Resumes present
information in a timeline approach) (Functional Resumes group work experience and skills by
skill area or job function – Functional Resumes can be used to minimize employment gaps, and
highlight more relevant skills instead of position titles and company names
General Information on Resume Writing
• Contact information on the top: Full name, current address, telephone numbers, email address
• Professional Objective: Allows the employer to understand what type of job you are looking for – broad but
specific
• Technical and Soft Skills – Very important as they emphasize the experience that you have that is relevant to
the position. I.E. Foreign language, computer software/hardware, supervisory/management, CPR/First Aid,
vital signs, Medical Terminology - Organized, Dependable, Reliable, Confident, Dedicated
• Education – Begin with your current and list your degrees, state dates (Military training can also be listed
here
• Work Experience – Describe any paid or non paid experiences which have given you workplace skills. Detail
your title, employer name, location, dates and job title. Focus on experience and skills that are relevant. Be
specific. Use numbers, or descriptions.
The Job Search
Organizing, Networking and Planning
• Organize your job search – know your field, update your resume, have your references available and aware that you are
applying for jobs and develop goals for your job search
• Identify what jobs you are interested in and do the research. For example: in healthcare, research job titles that you may
find interesting such as Medical Assisting, Nursing, Phlebotomy an compare what the company is looking for to what you
have done or you might find interesting. You can do this by going on Google.com and typing in the name of the job title.
The more research you do from the beginning the easier it will be.
• Next you should find out what it takes to get these jobs i.e. training, education or just previous work experience. Some
positions such as Medical Assisting, Phlebotomy an Nursing all require that you go to school and get a certificate. There are
also other certifications that will enhance your skills and make you more marketable. Healthcare employers are now
requiring that you take the national exam following your certification in order to get hired. If you are interested in Nursing,
then once you complete your certification, you would then study for your NCLEX exam which would make you a Licensed
Practical Nurse.
Organizing The Job Search
• Once you have done your research and figured out what job type is best for you it’s always a good idea to
research how much is that type of job paying. Here are two websites that are very beneficial: www.salary.com
and www.bls.gov these websites will allow you to research the field, the exact job and what locations pay
better. These websites are great for healthcare jobs or other fields.
• Once you have that, you can then search on certain websites for those type of jobs: Indeed.com,
Monster.com, Simplyhired.com, Careerbuilder.com, Medhunters.com, and even Craigslist.com.
• Also, hospitals, primary care physician offices, labs all have their own website and will have their open
positions posted on them.
• There are other effective ways to search for jobs including: attending job fairs, utilizing staffing agencies,
employment offices and even professional organizations. If you attend school, your school might have a
career services department and they too can offer you job assistance.
Networking
• Networking – labeled the most effective way of finding employment. Most
of the best jobs are never advertised. 30%-40% of openings are filled by a
referral
• What is networking: discussing your future goals with family or friends who
are in the field. What networking is not, is asking for jobs.
• The big reason for networking is that most of the best jobs are never
advertised. Companies, especially big ones, like hospitals will ask internally
who the employers know and who they think would be a great fit for the job.
Networking
Social Media
• Uses of Social Media in Healthcare – Networking and Job Searching
• Employers will check Facebook, Twitter and Google before making a hiring
decision. Google yourself and check all of your privacy settings
• Use Social Media to connect with employers and follow their corporate page,
join discussion groups
• LinkedIn – The best professional social media website, it is more focused
than Facebook or Twitter as its purpose is designed for professional
networking and not for fun.
Social Media – Healthcare or Other