| So you've been trying to become employed in | | | | 8. Think creatively about jobs in a department you |
| healthcare, or you've tried to enter healthcare | | | | want to be in, just not in the job you want to be in - |
| management, or you're trying to move from one job | | | | call temp agencies, computer schools, software |
| in healthcare to another. You've read other articles | | | | companies, any healthcare entity going through a |
| about working in healthcare management and have | | | | conversion, etc. |
| been soldiering on, but you're just not getting | | | | 9. Tell everyone (if you're free to talk about it) what |
| anywhere. You might have education, but no | | | | you're looking for - you never know who might help |
| experience or you might have experience but no | | | | you find it. |
| formal education. | | | | 10. Volunteer to do an informal project for someone |
| Healthcare is no different from any other field. It's a | | | | in the field - some topic they need information about |
| hodgepodge of what you know and who you know. | | | | but never have the time to do. |
| What everyone is looking for is expertise and | | | | 11. Join the American College of Medical Practice |
| authority and that can't always be demonstrated by | | | | Executives (ACMPE) and pursue board certification |
| a degree or years of experience. A new buzz phrase | | | | and become a Fellow in the college. These credentials |
| is "What is your value proposition?" or "How will you | | | | are quickly becoming the standard in the field. |
| pay for your salary and make me (doctor, practice, | | | | 12. Get a Google Health account and learn how to |
| hospital, health plan) money besides?" | | | | use it inside and out. |
| If you want to enter the field or climb the ladder in | | | | 13. Get a Microsoft Health Vault account and learn |
| healthcare management, you need to demonstrate | | | | how to use it inside and out. |
| that you have something of value that someone | | | | 14. Get accounts on any other personal health record |
| wants. Try some non-traditional ways of gaining | | | | (PHR) platform you can find. |
| expertise and demonstrating value, like the ones I list | | | | 15. Publish case studies on common problems in other |
| here. Yes, each of these will take time in addition to | | | | fields and how they were solved, and apply those |
| your current job, but it has the potential to give you | | | | solutions to healthcare problems. |
| a hand up to your next job. If you don't currently | | | | 16. Put a chart on your resume showing each skill you |
| have a job, you have lots of time to work on the list | | | | have and how it transfers to healthcare and brings |
| below, and when potential employers ask what | | | | added value to your potential employer. |
| you've been doing while unemployed, you have a | | | | 17. If you don't yet, get a Twitter account (free) and |
| great answer! | | | | start conversations with others in the field. |
| | | | 18. If you don't yet, get a LinkedIn account (free) |
| 1. Blog about the field you want to enter - learn | | | | and join groups that are talking about the things you |
| about the field and write about it. | | | | want to learn about (Twitter will give you more info |
| 2. Write about being in the middle of a transitional | | | | and friends, LinkedIn will make you more business |
| field and your experiences along the way - if you're a | | | | connections) |
| compelling writer, I'll publish it as a series on my blog! | | | | 19. If you aren't already, sign up for websites that |
| 3. Create a site of resources for others that already | | | | focus on what you are interested in, read them |
| do what you want to do. | | | | religiously and comment on their posts. |
| 4. Interview others in the field you want to enter | | | | 20. If you don't already, get your resume on (still |
| and publish the interviews. | | | | free I think) Add any goodies you can to your |
| 5. Ask people if you can shadow them for one day | | | | visualcv that demonstrate you know your stuff - |
| or a half day to understand what they do to see if | | | | recommendations, videos, charts, white papers, etc. |
| you're on the right track (who would say "no"? I | | | | 21. Find someone to mentor you who is |
| wouldn't.) | | | | well-positioned (locally, regionally and nationally.) |
| 6. If you haven't used voice recognition, invest in a | | | | 22. Volunteer to do some pro bono work for your |
| basic copy of Dragon and learn it inside and out. | | | | local professional group - your state MGMA, your |
| 7. Learn how electronic health records (EHRs) work. | | | | state medical society, etc. |
| If you've never used one, gain experience by finding | | | | 23. Join Toastmasters and polish your "elevator |
| someone who has one and volunteer your time to | | | | speech" so you can effortlessly let others know who |
| write a user's guide for them, or to use their user's | | | | you are and where you're heading. |
| guide and critique it for them. Do that for as many | | | | 24. Let me know what you plan to do, and how I |
| different EHRs as you can find. | | | | can help. |