If you haven’t already decided on exactly which factors you want most from a position, it’s a good idea to spend some quiet time now thinking about what is most essential to you and what is optional among all the aspects that make up a particular job situation. Some factors to consider include:
A written “wish list” that you create now describing your ideal work situation is a valuable tool. With it, you’ll have an easier time of identifying the job elements you feel are must-haves versus those you can be flexible about, helping to select positions you’d like to apply for, and, once the job offers come in, deciding which to accept.
Begin exploring job opportunities through your school’s placement or alumni office, state AAMA or AMT chapters, professional organization websites and newsletters, journal classifieds, local classifieds, and any job postings available on the Internet. Medical clinics and hospitals where you did your internship are also good places to begin inquiring about job opportunities.
Do research on employment aspects that will come up repeatedly during job interviews so that you will understand what job benefits are typically offered and what’s included in a standard job contract. Have relevant questions to ask potential employers.
Contact your school’s alumni or placement office to ask if they have materials on interviewing skills or if they have compiled a list of the types of questions you should be prepared to answer at a job interview. Many schools also sponsor or participate in job fairs, which bring graduating students and prospective employers together. If your school doesn’t offer these services, ask your student organization to organize a job fair or bring in a speaker from a local health care institution to discuss their interviewing and hiring process. At a minimum, find a good book on interviewing skills. If you want to present yourself well at a job interview, you have to prepare in advance.
Once you have been offered an interview, find out as much as you can about the hiring organization. They may have a website that will tell you a great deal about the clinical services they provide, the patient mix they serve, and any new areas of health research or community outreach in which they are involved. Knowing this kind of information about a prospective employer is extremely useful during the interview; it allows you to appear knowledgeable and also to ask questions specific to their institution’s goals and mission. This wins points for any job applicant and increases the chances that you will be offered a position.