Health is a fast-growing sector, with the US Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasting a 15% growth in healthcare employment by 2029. This is not a surprise when you consider how vital the sector is to keeping us all fit and how crucial a role people employed within healthcare play. Along with good career prospects and the many varied roles on offer, health has become a very attractive sector to work in.
Of course, it also attracts those who have an interest in helping others and caring for people in their hour of need. If you have an interest in health careers, then the satisfaction they bring is hard to achieve elsewhere. How can you turn this interest into a fully-fledged career?
Do some research first
A good tip to start with is doing some in-depth research to make sure that a professional career working in healthcare is definitely for you. While you might have a caring nature and be interested in helping people, the reality of working in health can often involve much more than this. It really is key to think about everything that a healthcare role might bring (both emotionally and the tasks you might have to carry out) before moving into this sector. In the same vein, you should also research various roles in health. This will help you find one you like and one that sees you carrying out tasks you will enjoy.
Get the right qualifications
The next step is to look at what qualifications you need for your preferred healthcare career. If you do not already have them, then you need to study for them. The good news is that this does not always have to take a long time!
If you fancy becoming a registered nurse, for example, there are some courses about now that offer faster learning. Wilkes University is a well-known name in education and offers accelerated BSN programs to students. These programs allow you to get the qualifications you need in one year while still maintaining high academic standards. As this shows, getting the right qualifications for the career you want in health does not have to involve many years of study.
Brush up on your soft skills
As well as academic learning, you should brush up on your soft skills when looking at turning an interest in healthcare into a career. As well as needing to have the right practical and technical knowledge, healthcare workers must excel in interpersonal skills, communication, teamwork and organization. It is, therefore, a good idea to make sure that the skills you have in these areas are the best they can be. This will surely help – whether you are dealing with age groups most at risk from mental health issues or liaising with colleagues on a case.
A career in healthcare awaits
If you fancy making a career from healthcare, then the above tips should help. Along with your already present burning passion to help people, they will really stand you in good stead. If you can work hard to add these final pieces to the puzzle, then you should be able to make that dream career move you have always thought about.