A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry

For those who have switched careers - sm

Posted: Feb 15, 2012

I am considering going to school to get a certificate/AA type of training, possibly in MA, pharm tech, or massage therapy, that sort of thing. If you have experience with this, did you run into the "newbie" catch-22 thing where you have to have experience to get a job or can you usually find something right out of school?

When I went to a 2-year community college... - Hayseed

[ In Reply To ..]
We had to spend the first summer break working in the field we were getting the degree in, and it was required in order to graduate. If we couldn't find a job on our own, the school HAD to assist in placing us. However, that was back in the 1990s, seems like eons ago now. I would see if the school you were looking at does something similar though.

I went to school to become a florist/grower and here I am, an MT, because there were no jobs in that field unless you had the money to start up your own business. Now motions are in the works to make marijuana cultivation legal in our state so I'm thinking that schooling may come in handy soon.
:-D

nice, all states should - n/m

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

The problem is, once you've done those "internships" - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
Once you've done those "internships", there are often no jobs. Some of the jobs that do exist won't take people who have come out of internships. They know that if they had been really good, the internship would have led to a permanent job. Since it didn't, the fact that you went through an internship and didn't get offered a job there screens you out.

Even though MJ cultivation still isn't legal in CA, - you would never know it by all the - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
ads for grow-lights & other indoor cultivation supplies in the "Farm & Garden" section of Craigslist. Lots of ads for product, too.

I would imagine competition will be pretty stiff in that field if it's legalized, and prices may fall. STILL - like anything else, if you produce a superior product, you'll probably be in steady demand! With your knowledge, you would likely be an A-1 "farmer"!

(PS: I think it should be legalized. There are far more important things the police could be doing than busting people for pot! Plus I think for the most part, it's more benign; you never see the MJ equivalent of a "mean drunk"!)

- Meerkat

State of the economy. - Reader

[ In Reply To ..]
First, I congratulate you on taking steps to get out of this now-horrific field. That's fabulous!!!

While I personally haven't done it, I have some friends who went to school to become pharmacy techs and another who became an RN.

Yes, they did have the newbie issue you describe. With the economy in the toilet, there are TONS of applicants for all kinds of jobs so the competition is very stiff. That "employers' market" enables them to be incredibly particular. My new RN friend worked her butt off, working and going to school, only to discover that the ONLY openings for newbies were working 3rd shift, and since she has kids that won't work for her. So she is still transcribing!

I hope this info helps, and I wish you the best!

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