Need a New Job?

Posted by Kathy Quan Jul 25, 2008

The news in the housing industry continues to be depressing. Foreclosures and short sales are on the rise. Lenders are in trouble and it’s all very scary.

Several of my friends have lost their jobs in the last few months and others have young adult children who recently graduated from college and aren’t able to find jobs. Times are very tough.

My advice to my friends has been to look for new jobs in the health care industry. Jobs in health care continue to boom despite the economic downturns. For the most part, these will be jobs with specialized training such as nurses, doctors, dental assistants, physical therapists, home health aides, etc.

However, as the health care industry grows and expands, the need for ancillary services grows. Office managers, data entry and financial support such as billers and accounts receivable and accounts payable personnel are just a few of the obvious needs.

The right person with some varied experience and a willingness to learn can easily fit into a medical office, clinic or hospital setting. Someone who is able to easily multi-task can be a great asset. For instance, someone who can handle phones, schedule appointments and in between times provide data entry or bookkeeping skills could be a rare find.

Don’t be intimidated by the “must have medical office experience” if you are a strong self-starter, a quick learner and have several skill sets to offer. That line often is just to deter the high school student or recent grad who wants pocket cash, but wants to play on the Internet or talk on the cell phone while “working.”

In your cover letter introduce yourself and explain how your skills and experience can help you to adapt to this position. Express a willingness to learn new things and an ability to grasp them quickly.