Advancing Your Career

You need to be planning your job search many steps ahead, even before you finish your education.  Many employees have found that after they’ve completed their education, they have a hard time being hired into positions because they have no experience.  Don’t be put into this position.  Take steps to align yourself with the department you are interested in moving into and get yourself noticed. 

Networking your way to a new position 

Like any other job seeker, it’s not about what you know that gets you the job, it’s about who you know.  Any employer will feel more comfortable offering a job to someone they know or have a connection to, versus someone who walked in off the street.  Try to get to know the managers in the departments that interest you.  Develop a relationship with them.  This is where the informational interview   process can play such a key role. They will know you are considering the field; they’ll know you are in school and you can even offer to keep in touch with them as you progress.  That way, when it comes time for interviewing, you will be a known entity to the manager – always a plus! 

 As you are planning to get into a new career, look for other positions inside that department that you might be able to move into at first.  For example, if you are a unit coordinator who is pursuing a degree as a Rad Tech, you might want to look for administrative positions in one of the radiology departments.  Not only will you gain some on-the-job experience, you can also make some key connections for the job search later.

Informational Interview Process

To find out more about what a job is really like, speaking with someone who does the job day-to-day generally provides the best insight.  This is called ‘informational interviewing.’ An informational interview involves talking with people who are currently working in a field that you want to learn more about. Remember, you are the person asking questions, so think about what it is you really want to know about the job, field or industry.  Your objective is to gain a better understanding of an occupation or industry -- and to build a network of contacts in that field as well.  Click here for a list of questions you can ask on an informational interview.