New year, new job: Tips for searching in healthcare

Aside from losing weight, quitting smoking and really giving your glass-blowing hobby your all in 2013, the New Year is a nice clean time to make significant professional changes. Start your search now to make that career jump or upgrade you spent 2012 fantasizing about. 

With healthcare being the U.S.'s most growing profession, according to the Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, a wide array of opportunities await those with the training, experience, and overall gumption to stay on top of their searches so they are on top of their game when the right job opens up. Whether you are a seasoned nurse practitioner curious to change specialties, or a fresh graduate looking for that entry-level chance, below are some pro tips that will help your job search in 2013.

1. Keywords, keywords, keywords

Sharon Blaivis, founder of resume and interview-prep company ShakeUpMyResume.com, has over 15 years of experience in the human resources industry. She stresses the importance of including the keywords you see in jobs postings in your resume. "When looking for a job," Blaivis advises, "candidates should read through each job description and look for keywords -- words that are used in the job description -- and make sure those words appear in their resume."

She says that the extra few minutes it takes to alter one's resume to include keywords that appear in a job listing before applying for the job are definitely worth it. "For healthcare, if the job description lists certain procedures, floors or even medications and you have those experiences put them in your resume. It may take a few more minutes to apply for each job but it is time well spent. If your resume is being scanned by a computer you need those keywords!"

2. Give a thought to nursing

Your end goal may not be nursing, but experience in nursing or other direct work on the hospital or clinic floor will make you more attractive down the road. Employers like seeing that you have front-line experience in healthcare. That's according to Cassie Sturdevant, a recruiter with Impact Advisors. "Having a background in patient care delivery gives healthcare job seekers a leg-up without fail in many areas such as healthcare IT and operations/administration," she explains.

3. Link up with LinkedIn

You can't do any job research these days without hearing about the influence of social media, but that's because they really are changing the landscape. LinkedIn is one of the biggest players, especially when it comes to professional networking. Sturdevant suggests opening a profile today if you haven't yet, and says you are behind the times if that's the case. "The majority of recruiters utilize LinkedIn as their main recruitment tool so if a job seeker is not prominently displayed on LinkedIn, recruiters are passing you by."

4. Apply to what you're qualified for

Because the healthcare industry is known to be growing and promising, a very large number of applicants are expected for available positions. For this reason, it can only help you to spend your time wisely applying to jobs for which you are truly qualified. Brian Hurwitz, president and CEO of recruitment and career-counseling service firm Hurwitz Strategic Staffing, Ltd., says the following: "If you know who the employer is, by all means submit your resume but not for the specific position you saw advertised. If you apply for something for which you are unqualified, it will be held against you. But there is nothing wrong with sharing your resume with an employer who is hiring."

5. Think global

International experience can help you stand out to employers for the life of your career. Nursing is one field in which gaining international experience is easier than in other industries. This can be both an adventure and a huge asset to your skills set. Healthcare recruiting specialist Ann Griffin of European recruitment company Professional Connections explains, "Nurses educated in the West are in high demand everywhere. Middle Eastern hospitals in particular offer extremely generous compensation and benefit packages including housing."