Ask Actalent: Niche Healthcare Certifications and Careers with a Bright Future

Healthcare is one of the most active employment sectors in the United States. And with an aging population, the upward trend in healthcare hiring isn't stopping anytime soon.

But not all healthcare careers are equal in terms of their potential for long-term growth. How do you get your foot in the door? What skills are most in demand and offer the greatest opportunity for growth?

Actalent hiring experts answer these questions all the time. We askedJoe Purdy, an account manager with extensive experience in healthcare to share his advice for health profession hopefuls.

If someone had a desire to pursue a healthcare career, what recommendations would you give them?

"In typical Actalent fashion, I would ask more questions to understand the person's specific goals. My first question would be what do you really want to do? Do you have a passion for helping people and being hands-on with people clinically? If so, then I would look at healthcare systems and hospitals. There are so many different specialties that are needed within a typical hospital, you can see what speaks to you most and find what niche you want to aim for."

How would somebody get a start without necessarily committing the money and time required for advanced degrees?

"There are some great entry-level positions in healthcare, like medical assistants, phlebotomists and pharmacy technicians. Depending on requirements that can vary state to state, these jobs often have certification requirements. But even in states where there isn't a certification requirement, if you go the extra mile to take that test and obtain that license, you'll have a better chance to get placed into an entry-level position even if you don't have direct on-the-job experience. Certifications offer a great opportunity to get your foot in the door. They never hurt your case."

Is there a particular healthcare certification that is the gold standard for helping candidates get a leg up in their careers?

“好吧，有CCM认证成为一名认证案例经理。这不是一个入门级认证。这对于已经注册了护士或社会工作者或正在寻找成为案例管理人员的人的人来说更像是。但CCM肯定会发出强大的向雇主发出候选人真正知道他们正在做的事情。它有一个要求您必须由CCM主管提供赞助，或者在案例管理中经历的某人，所以您必须执行一些合格，但它是值得的。“

"For more entry-level positions like medical assistant or pharmacy technician, definitely go for those certifications. A lot of candidates for those positions have a diploma but not the certification, so going ahead with the certification can give you a foot in the door."

Let's say somebody has certifications and a certain amount of experience already, what are some next steps they can take to grow their career?

"Well, in terms of the greatest areas of employer need that I see, it's registered nurses who can do utilization review, HEDIS (Health Effectiveness Data Information Set), and quality assurance review. All those are niche skill sets that really stand out as particularly rare and valuable."

"Registered nurses often work 12-hour shifts on their feet, moving heavy bodies around the hospital, and a lot of them are working on a PRN (pro re nata - basically on call rather than full time) basis. And I've seen a lot of people actually end up being really successful who go in never having done HEDIS before; now they have a permanent job where they've become a supervisor. It can be a great path forward for anybody who's worried about burnout and looking for a niche that'll propel them off the nurse's floor."

Any advice for people looking to move into placements that will help develop these niche skills?

“很多护士都有一些巨大的恢复，因为他们是在PRN的依据工作的。有时，如果这些是PRN分配或没有的全日制展示持续很长一段时间。所以，我总是告诉别人才能尽可能清晰地清除每个职位的参数。这样，​​看到它的所有人都对他们的工作历史有了很好的了解。“

了解更多

Want to know more about niche healthcare careers? Check out previous articles on the subject, such as "New Pharma - Creating Jobs & Saving Lives."

Get help

If you're looking to get your foot in the door and develop niche skills and experience that can help you build a career, consult an expert for advice. Specialists like Joe Purdy can help you to prepare a career strategy based on your specific skills and goals. Just reach out.

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