When I graduated with my master’s degree in health-care administration, I considered myself lucky. After all, I’d just landed a job at one of the country’s top health systems and could start working on the same day I walked across the stage at graduation.
But while that was true for some of my classmates, it wasn’t true for me: My first day on the job was delayed by several months because no hospital bed was available for me. It was disheartening, to say the least!
Thankfully, after working as a patient advocate for more than five years now, I’ve learned there are ways to increase your chances of landing this dream job right out of school or after an internship period (or even if you’re already working somewhere else).
Here are five steps you can take today if you want to become a patient advocate:
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Understand the role and responsibilities of a patient advocate. |
| 2. Acquire the necessary qualifications and education in a healthcare-related field. |
| 3. Develop strong communication and interpersonal skills to effectively advocate for patients. |
| 4. Gain experience in healthcare, patient care, or advocacy to enhance your expertise. |
| 5. Consider pursuing certification programs to demonstrate proficiency in patient advocacy. |
| 6. Stay informed about healthcare policies and regulations that impact patient advocacy. |
| 7. Network with professionals in the field and seek mentorship opportunities. |
| 8. Continuously update your knowledge and skills to adapt to changing healthcare needs. |
| 9. Show empathy, compassion, and a genuine commitment to improving patients’ lives. |
| 10. Prepare for interviews by showcasing your passion for patient advocacy and relevant experiences. |
Use Your Social Networks
LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook are great ways to connect with people in your field of interest. On LinkedIn, you can search for people who work at the companies you want to work for.
You can also use hashtags like #patientadvocate or #healthcare on Twitter to find like-minded individuals and organizations that might be looking for someone like you!
On Facebook, search for groups related to the industry where you want to work as a patient advocate, and don’t forget about Instagram too!
Join in on conversations happening there about topics such as healthy living and how it relates back into the healthcare world – this could help build credibility when applying for jobs because it shows initiative from yourself (instead of just responding).
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Volunteer Your Time
As a prospective patient advocate, you will have to be a team player. You will need to work with other people. In order to learn how to do that, you can volunteer at a hospital or health-care system.
You could also volunteer at a non-profit organization, such as those that provide services for children or seniors.
Or perhaps you’d like to volunteer with the community organization in your town? There are many options available! Maybe you would like to help out at the local school where your kids go? Maybe be of assistance at your local government office?
Volunteering could even mean helping out at the library on Tuesday evenings from 7:00 pm until 9:00 pm; this is great way for someone who wants some experience working with patients but might not have time during their regular day job hours!
You’ll meet lots of people while volunteering and get used to working together as part of a team skills essential when it comes time for interviews later down line.”
Get Creative With Job Titles
If you want to work in healthcare, but don’t know where to start or how to get your foot in the door, here are some tips that can help.
Get creative with job titles. Don’t be afraid to be different and bold if that’s what it takes for you to stand out from other applicants.
If you’re looking for a position at a hospital or clinic, try using words like “patient advocate” or “patient rights advocate” instead of just listing yourself as “hospice nurse” or “oncology nurse”, even if those titles more accurately describe what you do day-to-day (and yes, this goes both ways:
I’ve seen plenty of job postings with ridiculous-sounding titles meant more for show than substance).
There’s nothing wrong with using terms like this but in general, they’re often used interchangeably anyway so it’s not going to hurt anyone if they see something different on your resume!
Consider becoming an independent contractor instead of working full time at one place. While there are certainly benefits associated with having steady employment as opposed to being an independent contractor (such as health insurance).
These days many people prefer their own flexibility when it comes time for choosing between either one over another option – especially when life gets busy outside work too!
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Target Hospitals And Health-Care Systems
The first step in your search is to identify the hospitals and health-care systems that are hiring. This can be done by searching job boards or reaching out to recruiters.
You can also target specific departments within a hospital or health-care system, like radiology, oncology and cardiology.
Targeting a niche is important because it allows you to better align your skillset with the role you’re seeking.
For example, if you have experience working as an outpatient coordinator at a large hospital or health-care system and want to work in patient advocacy at another facility, targeting niches will help ensure that there’s no overlap between the two positions.
You may also benefit from using word of mouth when looking for jobs as patient advocates since many people have personal connections through coworkers or friends who may know someone who works at their desired employer.
Once again paying attention here can save time spent building relationships from scratch!
Search For Your Niche
To land your dream job as a Patient Advocate, it’s important to know what your passion is and what role you want to play in the healthcare industry. Think about your experience, strengths, weaknesses, skills and interests.
You should also consider what goals you have for yourself as well as what dreams or life events have inspired you to explore this career path. This will help provide clarity on where exactly it is that you want to work and whether that place exists yet!
If there isn’t already a business that fits all of these criteria in your area or community of choice, then start thinking about ways in which you could create such an organization from scratch with all of these qualities intact.
So that down the road when others are looking for someone like themselves who shares their values (and who might even be just like them!), they’ll come knocking at our door instead of theirs!
Join Professional Organizations
But you’re not alone. To help you get started, here are some tips for joining professional organizations.
Find the right organizations to join by searching on Google or LinkedIn for “patient advocate association” and your location. If there aren’t any groups in your area, consider forming one yourself!
Once you’ve found an organization that fits your interests and goals (and has opportunities for networking), request to join as a member, and try not to get too excited about how awesome it feels when they accept your request.
It’s okay if they have monthly dues; just focus on building relationships and learning what opportunities are available within the group itself before delving into those details.
Join multiple organizations so that you can learn more about different aspects of patient advocacy.
For example, some groups focus heavily on legislation while others provide educational resources only; still, others may be geared toward specific diseases such as Lyme disease or diabetes type 1 vs type 2).
This will give anyone looking at their resume later on something interesting/unique rather than just another generic job description line item like “patient advocate.”
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Be Honest About Your Professional Goals
You should also be honest about where you want to go. Do you want to start a business? Do you want to work at a big company?
Do you want to keep trying your hand at different jobs and see what happens? Be honest about what you can do, what you can’t do, and what skills or experiences are next on your list.
You’ll be asked these types of questions during the interview process: “What are your long-term goals?” and “What kind of career path would make sense for someone in this role?”
The more specific and detailed answers that we provide when answering these questions will help us determine whether we fit together professionally.
Network, Network, Network!
Networking is the key to landing your dream job. There are several ways you can network:
Connect with people in your field. This includes other patient advocates, as well as those that work at hospitals or medical centers.
You may find that some of these connections are able to give you tips and advice on how they were hired or promoted at their companies, which could be useful if you’re looking for similar positions.
Connect with people who work in the same industry but are in a different field (e.g., patient advocate).
It’s always helpful to stay up-to-date on trends within your industry, so connecting with others who work at different places could help broaden your perspective on how things function and how best practices are implemented across different organizations!
Plus, it never hurts having another reference on hand when applying for jobs…and networking events often include free food!
Build Your Brand
Your brand is the image you present to others. It’s a mix of who you are and what you do, including the way you speak, write, dress and behave.
If you want to be successful at landing your dream job as a patient advocate, it’s essential that you build your personal brand in order to make yourself memorable among the competition.
The main components of your brand should include:
Values: What are your core values? How do they align with those of the company or organization where you want to work?
Personality: How would others describe their experience working with or knowing this person? What characteristics make this person unique? What traits does she possess that would make her well-suited for this role?
Expertise: What level of skill does this person have in his/her field(s)? Has he/she taken any classes recently to improve his/her knowledge base; if so, list them here (e.g., “I recently took a workshop on building strong relationships”).
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Be Persistent — But Not Pushy
Remember, persistence does not mean being pushy. You want to put your best foot forward and stand out from the others who are applying for the same job as you.
But it’s important to remember that a hiring manager only has so much time in his or her day (and they’re probably quite busy), so if you don’t get a response after several days or weeks of emailing and calling back with no response, wait awhile before trying again.
If there are other companies in your area that might be hiring for similar positions, apply there too! You may find one is better suited to your skills and interests than another.
But even if they aren’t hiring right now, it doesn’t hurt anything to let them know you’d be interested if an opening comes up.
Let People Know You’re Looking
The first step to getting a job is letting people know you are looking. You do not have to start by sending out resumes and being rejected by companies. There are many other ways to get noticed, including:
Volunteering at events like conferences or volunteering with a local organization that serves people who need support with their health care services
Asking for referrals from friends who work in health care fields (doctors, nurses, social workers) about jobs that may be available for you
Asking if the company has any positions open on its website and then following up by emailing them directly
Identify Potential Employers
Now that you’ve gotten your resume and cover letter in tip-top shape, it’s time to start looking for potential employers. The first step is identifying the companies where job openings exist in the field of patient advocacy. If you’re not sure where to begin, here are some ways to do it:
Use social media. Most major healthcare organizations have a presence on Twitter and Facebook; if they don’t already use these platforms for recruiting purposes, they likely will soon.
Follow the official accounts for hospitals or other care facilities near you, as well as health insurance companies (and pay particular attention when one of them hires someone new).
Search hashtags related to healthcare careers (like #nurse) and follow influencers who specialize in this field they’ll often include job openings in their tweets and posts!
Use your network! While most recruiters can only access information about positions that are publicly posted online, some people have access to what’s known as “inside” information that is.
Details about available jobs at private companies that haven’t been advertised yet but might be hiring soon nonetheless (or even just doing an end-of-year audit).
Ask around among family members who work at different hospitals or medical offices; your cousin might know someone who works at an urgent care center in town but hasn’t had any openings since April…and now has two open positions available due to recent staff departures!
Check job boards like Monster or Indeed regularly during periods when many healthcare organizations are looking for employees such as nurses’ aids/assistants; again: keep an eye out for those hashtags too! If there aren’t any postings specifically relevant
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Conclusion
We hope this article has helped you gain a better understanding of the job search process and how to land your dream job as patient advocate.
Patient advocacy is a rewarding career path with endless opportunities for growth and innovation. It’s also one that offers you the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives every day! So, what are you waiting for? Start applying today!
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources to explore for further information on the topic:
Patient Advocate Career Guide: Discover the role and responsibilities of a patient advocate, as well as the skills and qualifications required for this rewarding healthcare profession.
BestColleges.com: Patient Advocate Job Overview: Learn about the job outlook, salary potential, and educational pathways for those interested in pursuing a career as a patient advocate.
Just What Does It Take to Be a Successful Patient Advocate?: Gain insights into the qualities and competencies that contribute to success as a patient advocate, along with tips and advice from experienced professionals in the field.
FAQs
What is a patient advocate?
A patient advocate is a professional who supports and advocates for patients’ rights, ensuring they receive the best possible care and understand their healthcare options.
What are the key responsibilities of a patient advocate?
A patient advocate’s responsibilities include assisting patients in navigating the healthcare system, addressing concerns or complaints, facilitating communication between patients and healthcare providers, and providing emotional support and guidance.
What qualifications or education are required to become a patient advocate?
While specific requirements may vary, most patient advocate roles require at least a bachelor’s degree in a healthcare-related field or a related discipline. Relevant experience in healthcare, patient care, or advocacy is also beneficial.
How does a patient advocate benefit patients?
Patient advocates serve as a voice for patients, ensuring their needs and concerns are heard and addressed. They help patients understand their medical conditions, treatment options, and rights, ultimately empowering them to make informed decisions about their healthcare.
Is certification available for patient advocates?
Yes, there are various certification programs available for patient advocates. These certifications often require a combination of education, experience, and passing an examination to demonstrate proficiency in patient advocacy skills.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.