When people think of the healthcare industry and the jobs available in that sector, most people naturally think of clinical jobs like doctors, nurses, or people that work as caregivers to patients. Healthcare is so much broader than clinical care delivery.
Any company involved in products and services related to health and medical care are represented in the healthcare sector and further categorized under six main industries. These industries include pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, equipment, distribution, facilities, and managed health care.
While no industry is recession proof, the US healthcare system is as good as it gets. As you consider career options, whether you are a recent college graduate looking for your first job, or an executive in transition, I encourage you to consider parlaying your education or your work experiences into a role in healthcare.
During college, I worked in banking in both customer facing and back office positions. Healthcare was a natural fit as I looked to parlay my degree in Business and my work experiences into a long term career. Like banking, healthcare is heavily regulated, technology and data-driven, and customer-centric. Like banking, healthcare is also highly competitive which requires companies to have strong product visionaries to meet the needs of consumers and to compete in the market.
Having worked for Cigna, Aetna, and UnitedHealthcare, I was afforded the opportunity to work in various departments that gave me a vast array of experiences including client management, underwriting, product development, sales and marketing, and operations. I leveraged all of the experiences I gained in the first 14 years of my career working for health insurers into a role in a software company that sells to health insurers. So whether you’re a software developer, a data analyst, an accountant, an attorney, an operations expert, a graphic designer, a product strategist, a compliance or Human Resources professional, supply chain and logistics, or a customer service representative, there’s a career path for you in the healthcare industry.
On my journey from an entry level billing analyst at Cigna to my role as Chief Operating Officer for a technology company, healthcare has been good to me. As you contemplate your next career move, consider healthcare.
This article was originally posted in Legacy Magazine – Healthcare Issue – October 2023
