Sell Yourself Properly During Healthcare Job Search
Positions in the health care industry continue to be in high demand, but employers still have a nice-sized pool of candidates to choose from, giving them the freedom to be picky. Knowing how to sell yourself during a healthcare job search is one way to ensure you get in a lot faster.
Many rightly consider searching for a job a full-time job in and of itself. In fact, it’s quite similar to having a position in sales. There are some principles salespeople hold strongly to in order to be successful that can also help guide those seeking a healthcare job to achieve their goals. Read on to learn what these principles are and how to leverage them to your advantage.
1. Know Your Product
In order for a salesperson to convince potential customers to buy, they must first have an in-depth knowledge of the product they’re promoting. It’s the only way they can convincingly explain the features and benefits of ownership.
When you’re seeking a position in healthcare, the product you must know is yourself. It’s not just about your skills and credentials, but the total package. Remember that there are many graduates of the same medical program you attend, equipping them with the same education and level of experience that you get.
Why should an employer choose you over them? What special things to do you have to offer? This is information that you would do well to be able to express clearly.
2. Know Your Customer
Businesses are ever looking for ways to gain more insight into who their potential customers are. It’s not rare for a company to spend a vast sum of money on market research. They make such large investments because they know that knowing their target market better can lead to more sales and customer loyalty.
Whenever seeking a position at any firm, research that company first. This is true whether you’re seeking to work at a fortune 500 company, or a small doctor’s office. Having insight gives you an edge because you can use the information to present yourself as a stronger candidate.
3. Be the Solution
Salespeople are known for their ability to convince potential customers to become buyers by presenting a product as the solution needed. These professionals know their customers want to walk away from the transaction better off than when they came. They know they won’t make sales if the product being promoted can’t be presented as the best solution.
Many medical facilities are flooded with business and they recruit only out of dire need. They need more than just a warm body to take up space and be on the payroll; they need workers that can ease some of the burden and resolve issues.
Knowing your customer well helps you to be a successful candidate. Fulfill the reason for the employer’s search; for instance, they may be seeking a tech-savvy allied health professional. Hiring the right candidate allows them to provide patients with better care while making their working environment a more pleasant place.
4. Be Likable
One of the biggest stereotypes of salespeople is that they have big, toothy smiles. They work hard to make their potential customers perceive them as friends. They know that being likable makes convincing someone to buy a much easier thing.
HR personnel have long confessed that the hiring decision often boils down to simply whether they like the candidate or not. It may seem like an injustice, but less qualified job seekers often get positions when competing against candidates with more impressive credentials simply because the hiring manager liked them better.
In the healthcare industry, it’s vital to fit in well with the team because it makes teamwork go smoother, which is important to providing the best patient care. Therefore, employers are justified for choosing one qualified candidate over another simply because of likability.
The source of your training is key to entering the job market prepared.
Learning how to successfully conduct a job search in the medical field can take just as much training as learning medical terminology, anatomy, phlebotomy, and so on. For this reason, be sure to choose a health program that gets you just as prepared for the job search as for the career itself.