Happy 2015!
With each New Year comes a time of reflection, goal setting, and resolutions. For many American workers, this means setting goals to be healthier, advance their career, or both. In the medical profession, both are typically relevant. Today, however, we’ll focus on how to make 2015 your standout year for advancing your medical career.
As a healthcare professional, there is an abundance of paths your career can take. Healthcare is one of the most dynamic and growing fields, with a wide range of opportunities for advancement. Your skill set, ability to adapt to change, and how you interact professionally all play a major role in determining your success. Use these key tips to stand out from your peers and advance your career this year.
Create goals.
You can’t advance your career if you aren’t aiming. The first step towards achieving success is defining what success is and setting goals to achieve it. Take a minute and reflect on what “advancing” means to you. More autonomy? More money? A longer title? Goals should be personable, achievable, and measurable.
Adopt a results-driven attitude.
Sleep-walking through the workday is not the path to advancement. Instead, focus on work that gets results and tracks your success. At the beginning of each day, create a list of tasks that need to be accomplished and check them off as you power through. Doing so helps improve organization and will impress management.
Look for the next step on the ladder.
The quickest way to gain credibility in the workplace is by exceling at your job. Therefore, it’s important to understand what the next step to advancement in your organization is. Schedule a meeting with your supervisor to discuss what the next challenge is. If they can’t provide clarity in how they measure growth, it may be time to look for advancement opportunities elsewhere.
Be proactive.
Always be thinking about how you can go above and beyond in your current role. Are there projects that you could help others with? Are there areas that you see room for improvement? Come up with ideas and work with your manager to apply them. Don’t get sucked into the hamster wheel of the same day-to-day routine. Be proactive and ask to do more. The people that are constantly seeking new challenges and opportunities are the ones managers have top of mind when promotion opportunities become available.
Do your homework.
Every year, the Bureau of Labor Statistics conducts studies to determine where there is a gap in the number of workers needed to fill job openings. CareerBuilder uses their Supply and Demand tool to predict the hot jobs for the year. Use these free resources to learn which skills are in demand. Find out if the need for your function is developing or dwindling and adapt your career plan accordingly.
Invest in your own development.
Too many employees leave their career development up to their organization. In a time of budget watching and cost cutting, this isn’t the best path to advancement. You are the most in tune with your current skill set. If you find gaps in your skill set that are needed to make you more marketable for in demand opportunities, spend time closing them. Professional associations, continuing education programs, and online courses offer many low-cost training opportunities.
Make 2015 the year for advancing your medical career by letting the experienced team at BOS Medical help. Whether you’re looking for long- or short-term work, want to work locally or across the country, BOS Medical can find the perfect opportunity. We have a variety of nursing jobs and employment opportunities in Athens, GA, Gainesville, GA, and beyond. Give BOS Medical a call today.
