Competition for Healthcare Jobs: It's Very Real

1. Competition for Healthcare Jobs: It's Very Real You are undoubtedly aware of the fact that the government continues to paint a very bright picture of the future of healthcare employment. Double-digit growth in just about every healthcare career has been the normal projection for years now, with some predicting the addition of millions of jobs over the next 5 to 10 years. However, do not be fooled into thinking you will get your dream job the day after you graduate. The competition for healthcare jobs is very real and very intense. Despite the abundance of healthcare jobs in the U.S., there are a number of things to consider in regards to your job search: jobs available within your chosen career total number of job seekers your geographic location. Your Chosen Career It should be obvious that some career choices are better than others in terms of job availability. As an example, one of the fastest-growing careers within healthcare is that of healthcare IT. There simply are not enough skilled IT workers available to implement new technologies and electronic reporting requirements as mandated by the Affordable Care Act. On the other hand, a recent emphasis on consolidated medical groups and hospitalist doctors has resulted in a decrease in the number of private practice jobs available to doctors just starting out. New doctors have to take work they were not expecting when they first entered medical school. The career you have chosen will most certainly play a role in the number of jobs available and the competition you are likely to face for the most coveted positions. Be prepared for more job competition among more specialized careers.

2. Total Number of Job Seekers Simple economics dictates that the more candidates there are vying for a particular job, the stiffer the competition is for that job. This is certainly true in the healthcare industry. One example that demonstrates this point clearly is that of nursing. Over the last few years, there has been a tremendous push to get more people into nursing programs to help shore up the nationwide nursing shortage. It is a good strategy. However, one of the unintended effects of this strategy is an overabundance of job seekers in local areas where nursing schools are turning out graduates. After all, is the new nurse more likely to begin looking for work in his or her local area or across the country? In cities where nursing schools exist, there is intense competition for the choice jobs. That's to be expected. The more job seekers there are for a given number of positions, the greater the competition will be. This leads to our third point regarding geographic location. Geographic Location Statistics from the first quarter of 2013 show the largest number of physician jobs are available in states like New York, Texas, and Florida. This should be obvious given the size of all three states and the concentration of populations in their major cities. However, along with all those available jobs come a greater number of job seekers as well. Competition for those jobs can be especially fierce. By contrast, there are many smaller cities and rural communities around the country desperate for just one physician, let alone having numerous physicians to choose from. In those types of communities, the competition for work is virtually nonexistent. The problem is, only about one percent of the nation's physicians are interested in working in a community of fewer than 10,000 residents. The point to be made here is the fact that the competition for healthcare jobs is influenced by geographic location. Just because a candidate cannot find a job in his or her local area does not mean no jobs are available. It might be a matter of being willing to move to a different location in order to find work. Beating the Competition Getting that dream job you are after is a matter of beating the competition throughout the application and interview process. But unfortunately, you can still lose out to another candidate even after doing everything right. That's the nature of the game. However, candidates willing to persevere most often get what they are looking for eventually. While you are continuing to pursue that dream job, do not pass by other opportunities that present themselves. As a nurse, you might benefit greatly by taking travel assignments for a year or two until you have enough experience under your belt to compete for that choice position at the local hospital. As a healthcare IT worker, you may have to start by taking an entry-level job at the help desk while you circulate within the local IT community. It is unlikely your educational credentials alone will enable you to beat the competition for the best jobs. You will need perseverance, the willingness to take jobs you might not want, and a partner like HealthJobs.com able to connect you with the largest pool of available jobs out there. HealthJobs.com offers you a comprehensive and up-to-date employment database, along with a collection of tools designed to make your job search a success. We are a great resource for employers as well, helping them find the best talent from all over the country.