Finding Employment as a New Graduate

Being that I've been on both ends of this (job-seeking & job-hiring), I thought that I would share a couple of thoughts regarding this subject.

Finding Employment as a New Grad in the Medical Field

You actually did it, you made a decision and chose your career path. You even took the time to sort out which college is best for you to attend, how much time it will take to complete the course, as well as how much it will cost you to attend. Good job! As that is a hard task for many. So you have a starting point, but what about finding employment once you complete the course?

"Don't worry about it," you're told, "the college that you chose offers employment assistance." But just keep in mind that it is exactly what it says, "assistance." There are also other classes and classmates that the college will also be assisting, therefore, job placement cannot and usually is not guaranteed (unless the school has contracts with outside companies, which is rare). Not only will the college send out your resume, but they will also send out the resume of many others who attended the same course, not even to mention the general public who will be applying for the same position. So the competition is great! Of course, you were not made aware of this when you signed up for the class, as for some, this can be a deal breaker. But I tell you DO NOT GIVE UP! It just means that you have to be diligent in your own search for employment.

I want you to be aware of the facts at hand, but I by no means want it to deter you. (TIP #1) I feel like if you know what you are getting into, then you can plan for it and handle it that much more aggressively, do your research ahead of time.

This difficulty, is not the case for everyone, you may even hear of some who got hired during there internship or found a job right after graduating, but for the majority, the reality is that, "It is difficult finding a job as a new grad in the medical field as well as in many other fields." The Washington Post states that: "More than 4 out of 5 students graduate without a job," and they go on to reference what colleges can do to change this. So the task is great for almost everyone! And the saying is true, "it is not always what you know, but who you know." (TIP #2) Network, network, network. Put the word out there to family, friends, as well as classmates and people you meet at school or religious events, that you have or will be graduating and seeking employment in your new career and that if they hear anything, or know someone who is hiring, to let you know.

I recall the days of 2007-2008, when first starting out as a medical assistant, I would say that the field seemed ripe and in an abundance (as there was always MANY ads for hiring medical assistants on CareerBuilder, Craigslist, Monster, Jobing.com). However, most employers wanted at least 2 years + of experience and applying online is so impersonal to me. But following what my college instructors had advised, I still applied to these positions and included, what I thought, was a very nice and short (straight to the point) cover letter stating that I know they wanted more experience, but that I was willing and able to learn quickly and prove my knowledge and skills. I sent out so many applications (all online as that was the way to go) that I lost count! (TIP #3) Don't stop after completing a few applications, keep on applying until you land the position you want. Also, don't let not getting called back for an interview stop you either. It will happen, be positive!

(TIP # 4) Don't become a victim to negative people in the workforce. Some people are just rude and others let their positions make them big headed, don't let them discourage you. I applied to one position after 7 months of experience as a medical assistant and I received the following response:

"Learn to read... 1 year medical EXPERIENCE a must."

I was so angry that I actually replied to the email and amongst other things, I thanked her, stating: "How did you get your start in the medical field or whatever field you're in? Somebody took a chance on you, right? But I guess I should be glad about your reply, because I wouldn't want to work with someone who has such a SUPERCILIOUS ATTITUDE anyways. I hope you have a good day and keep your negative attitude to yourself." If I didn't already have motivation, I most certainly had it after reading this. (TIP #5) Use the desire to prove someone wrong about you as motivation, don't give them the power to make you quit and give up! I spent time and money to get a career in the medical field and I refused to give up. Again, DON'T GIVE UP, your time will come and when it does, you will look back on the time it took you to get there and it will seem like a short time.

I didn't like the idea of completing applications online, so instead I used mapquest (popular at that time) and I searched for jobs that were no more than 10 minutes away from my house, I made a list of their phone numbers and I called each one, requesting their fax numbers, and I faxed my resume to each and everyone of them. I included a cover letter stating:

"Dear Office Manager, 

I am looking to fill the position of a Front/Back Office Medical Assistant. However, if you are not currently trying to fill that position, please keep my resume on file as a future reference. I am a graduate of ___ accredited program, where I learned the many skills and techniques it takes to be a reliable and efficient Medical Assistant.

I also have a very excellent background in Desktop Publishing and Office Administration. I am a very friendly, self-motivated, reliable, and honest person and would really like to join your team of MA's, not only to further my knowledge, but I also feel that I would be a great asset to your office. Please review my resume, so that we can schedule a personal interview where we can further discuss my qualifications. You can contact me at ____."

Although I didn't keep count, I received multiple interviews from doing this. One of those interviews was a trial (secret) interview as the person they hired, was not working out, I worked for 2 days and they liked me. I took notes, made every effort to remember what I was shown, and asked good questions. Needless to say that I landed this job and at 24 years old I was made Practice Manager; someone took a chance on me and I didn't let them down. (TIP #6) Work hard, be self-motivated, and take the initiative; prove yourself as different and as having better work ethics than the others.

From then on, I've used that faxing technique and helped others find jobs in the medical field. The company may not be looking to hire, but you can put the idea or bait out there, and they just may bite. Some companies don't like using online applications to hire, they receive far too many applicants to choose from or spam (I know, I tried it).

A few other tips:

7. Don't let the relaxed way of dressing nowadays cause you to get too comfortable in your dress for an interview. You are looking to STANDOUT, show up neat, clean, and business like. I can't tell you how many people show up in "club wear." Your first impression is the most important.

8. Be confident. Not over confident, but reasonably confident (stand up straight, give good eye contact, smile, speak loud & clear). Help them to see why you are better than the others.

9. Interviewing is nerve wrecking, but try to relax. If your interviewer is anything like me, they are a little nervous too. Take a few deep breaths, shake off the nerves, and remind yourself that you can do this and deserve this position.

10. When given the opportunity to work, prove yourself. Don't become too relaxed, yes, you got the job, but you also want to KEEP IT! Take notes, ask well thought out questions (even ask the questions you think are stupid, it's better than making a mistake), make sure you understand your job, know what is expected of you each day. When you first start the job make a list (even if you are not a list person) of each task that must me completed and work off of that list until it becomes a memorized routine. Also, don't wait to be asked to do something that needs to be done and is within your scope of practice, take the initiative. Don't become a robot, know what you are doing and why. Take pride in your work, after all it took a lot of effort to get the job! 

Thanks for reading! Please share your thoughts and stories if this is something you've experienced. What helped you?

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