How to get a promotion in the Healthcare sector

Whatever your current job title may be, there is almost always room for you to step up. Being promoted can often come at a time when you aren’t necessarily aiming for one. However, if you are not that lucky, but are desperately after a promotion then it can be tough to put yourself out there.

You may be a registered nurse or healthcare assistant, many professionals in this sector stay at one level for much of their career, but there are many avenues possible to advance yours.

Get Seen

A vital part of becoming the type of person who gets promotions and gain access to new opportunities is getting yourself seen. Many find this a difficult component to action without feeling as though they are bragging about their own success. Instead, getting seen, should be about taking credit where credit is due. Even well-meaning managers struggle to track each individual’s achievement throughout the team due to the lack of time and demanding workloads.

It is likely that they do want to notice your achievements so make it easy by sending weekly or monthly updates. State what you accomplished and what your objectives are for the weeks ahead. Always tie each of your accomplishments to the organisations goals and how they are beneficial to your, your career and the company as a whole. Although your manager may seem the obvious person to win over, there will be many other involved with the final decision regarding a promotion.

You should seek to increase your visibility in and around your department including the people you work with and patients. There may be responsibilities or activities that need to be completed, but are not necessarily assigned to anyone specific. To take responsibility of these tasks will show your initiative, willing to learn and grow.

Make your goal known.

Once you decide you want a promotion, sit down with your manager and discuss your goals, ask for their advice and be open to where you see yourself in 6 months or a year. Its likely that your manager will be happy to help you achieve your goals and offer you opportunities to grow and support you along the way. Ensure you write down each of the activities that your boss mentions when trying to accomplish your goal. If your boss isn’t aware of where you are wanting to be then you may find your goals to be unrealistic or you may have surpassed them.

Always be a team player.

Neither managers nor your team appreciate someone who is focused on “I” rather “we”. Whilst you are aiming for more responsibility and to be respected by both your superiors and your peers, its necessary to be dedicated to the company, their goals and the people involved. Companies want to promote people who are invested in their ultimate vision which may involve extra training for you to complete and logging some extra hours if help is needed.

It is inevitable that there will be some road blocks along the way, but attack your promotion plan with willingness and confidence. If you are able to overcome the roadblocks then you are ultimately perfect for the promotion. Good luck!

If you work in the health and social care sector or would like to discuss a role in this sector, get in contact with Safehands Recruitment and we can support you to find a new opportunity.