Changing Market Conditions - Stand Out from the Crowd

Deteriorating economic conditions are impacting the healthcare technology space as well as the rest of the economy.

In my experience, HIT has been a consistently strong arena regarless of current economic conditions (2002-2003 for example). However, the current environment is starting to appear to be an exception, and some slowdown in spending by healthcare faclities is evident due to decreases in revenue due to more visits by economically distressed patients with challenges in paying, as well as funding challanges, continuing government reimbursement decreases and related factors.

While HIT is still much stronger than many areas of the economy, we're seeing more of an influx of resumes and candidates than we've seen in a while, longer time on bench for consultants and longer job search cycles.

In order to stand out from the crowd and make yourself a real 'recruiter pleaser candidate', help yourself out do the following:

Contact the recruiters you know periodically, but not incessantly, every 3-4 weeks, unless you're working on something. DO NOT constantly apply to positions or apply to multiple positions at the same time from the same firm.

When you DO apply, make sure your cover letter outlines your parameters; are you looking for perm? w2? 1099? long term? short term? do you need benefits, can you travel weekly? only east coast? spell it out and don't waste your and their time.

Keep records of where you apply, for what, and who you've talked to.