Electronic Health Reporter

When selecting a career, most people want something that pays well and is in demand. This ensures some level of job security. While some people have strong passions they want to follow in their career, others want something reliable and are happy to pursue their passions outside of work.

One industry that can offer competitive compensation, demand, and interesting work is healthcare. If you think this industry only includes hands-on care, such as nursing, you are mistaken. Just like any industry, the field requires people in all types of positions to keep everything running seamlessly. If you are interested in marketing, technology, management, or any other field, you can probably find a job in the industry.

Why Work in Healthcare?

These jobs come with many perks. In addition to paying well, they typically offer solid benefits. As you would expect, insurance is generally top-notch, and you often get the opportunity to participate in free or low-cost wellness endeavors, such as annual flu shots and low-cost lab tests.

If you think that all of this sounds interesting, you may be curious about how to break in. The wealth of available jobs provides plenty of opportunities, but there are some things you can do to make yourself an attractive candidate.

Education Matters

While some industries are open to hiring individuals with real-world experience but a less than complete educational background, this is not one of those fields. You are expected to be at the top of your game, and one of the ways to show that is by earning a degree.

If you have put off doing so, you may want to make that a priority. If the financial aspect of earning your degree is holding you back, consider taking out private student loans. These allow you to cover the cost of your education and related expenses. Once you graduate, you will be a more appealing candidate for these jobs.

Break into Tech with Domain Knowledge

Healthcare tech is a lucrative field, and the number of jobs in the industry continues to grow. Many people approach the field from a technology standpoint, and you can get a job that way. Another approach, however, is to sell yourself as someone with knowledge of healthcare. Programming and database knowledge are not enough to do the work needed in this specialized field.

If you are currently working as a lower-level healthcare worker, and want to step into a higher paying position, use your knowledge to transition into tech. There are many online options to teach yourself basic coding knowledge, or you can attend classes while continuing your current job.

Having basic programming skills, combined with a solid understanding of how the system works on a day-to-day and administrative basis will make you an attractive candidate for many careers in healthcare tech. Healthcare comes with many regulations and privacy requirements.

Having someone on staff that can give the team a heads-up about what is acceptable is a valuable resource. It is also beneficial to have someone comfortable with industry jargon to make sense of tasks given to the tech team.