You have no doubt heard the phrase “it's not what you know, but who you know.” Networking is an important part of finding the career opportunities you want. You actually network every day as you converse with friends, family, coworkers, acquaintances, etc., about your career, goals, ambitions, and dreams. When you need to find a job, you have to call upon everyone you know to think about everyone they know to pass on the information.

In a more formal fashion, you need to attend job fairs and professional organization events. Mingle and pass out business cards with your contact information on them. These cards don't have to be fancy or terribly formal. You can purchase blank business card stock from the stationery or office supply store and print your own. You need your name, credentials, and contact information. Have them handy at all times. This may seem awkward because it's not a business card in the true fashion. However, in the early portion of the 1900s when people made a visit to someone's home, it was customary to hand out a calling card with their name engraved on it. Sometimes they added an address or other contact information. Think of these cards as your calling card. They are essential to making contacts.

Use networking opportunities to meet with people who work for the employers and in the positions that interest you. Ask them questions about the standard salary for an entry-level position in their company. (Don't ever ask how much they make.) Ask them about the type of benefits the company offers, such as health insurance, vacation, retirement plans, etc. If shifts and on-call responsibilities play a part in your selected field, ask how they are handled in this company. Ask about orientation and in-services. Don't put the person on the spot, but you should get a feel for whether or not this person and his coworkers are happy and secure in their jobs.

An important lesson you need to learn is that the health care field is a small and mobile community. People you meet will know people you know. You will learn the reputations of the key players in the field, and you will get to know some of them. There is a real sense of six degrees of separation. It may not be from Kevin Bacon, but it will be from someone you know who knows someone who knows someone.

You will encounter a lot of challenges in your career. Health care is constantly emerging and growing and is not now, nor probably will it ever be, perfect. If it gets to a point that you cannot continue to participate or function, move on. But don't burn your bridges. If you have been a very valuable employee, you will be sorely missed, but don't make an issue of it. Resist the temptation at an exit interview to tell off your boss or to bad-mouth the company. It is simply time to part ways and to move in another direction. Don't burn bridges! You may encounter this person in another venture down the road, or you may need a positive reference in the future. Again, you don't know everyone these people know either.

Health care is a physically and emotionally demanding job. If you haven't been able to keep yourself replenished, you will burn out. That does not mean you need to leave the profession. Look for another niche, or even consider moving into a related field. Much of the education you have may well adapt to, and offer you shortcuts to, a new career path. Get back into the network and find something new and exciting for yourself.