How to Grow Your Career in Health IT Contract Work

More and more professionals are venturing into contracting as they progress in their careers. This is especially true in the Healthcare IT space, where flexible work options, the ability to work on a variety of interesting and challenging projects, and the opportunity to work with the latest technology are just a few of the factors swelling the ranks of contractors in this industry.

Making the leap into IT contracting may be appealing, but succeeding on this path requires more than just the right skill set.

Here are 5 things you'll want to focus on to grow your career Healthcare IT contract work.

Setting goals

Start each year by setting professional development goals. Look at your strengths and weaknesses and set goals around further bolstering strengths and improving weaknesses. For example, if time management is a weakness, set goals around improving this area by using apps or reading tips from experts that can be incorporated into your daily work routines. To ensure these goals are achievable, make them realistic and create a sense of urgency by tying specific time frames to them.

Finding the right engagements

Being strategic about the engagements you take on can help shape and advance your IT contracting career. Choosing engagements that enhance your knowledge, challenge you and provide the opportunity for you to hone existing skills and learn new skills will help you grow in your contracting career.

Leveraging a talent platform like Abra which is designed to match healthcare IT talent with best-fit opportunities is one of the easiest ways to advance your contracting career growth. With Abra, opportunities aligned with your preferences and career aspirations find you instead of you having to search for them.

Continuously developing skill sets

Technology changes almost daily, making improving your skills and adopting the practice of continuous learning critical for professional development. Completing online professional development courses, watching educational webinars and pursuing certifications are all valuable ways to gain new skills and develop your career as an IT contractor. In addition to honing your technical skills, make sure to devote time to developing and improving soft skills such as leadership, communication, creative thinking and problem-solving.

Delivering results

Developing a reputation for consistently delivering results is pivotal to growing your IT contracting career. The most in demand contractors have a track record for keeping projects on track and delivering results on time. The more you deliver results, the more you are in demand and the more you are in demand, the more your IT career will flourish and grow.

With each successful engagement, it is important to highlight results in your Abra profile. Doing this will help you stand out from other contractors, increase engagements and build career growth.

Getting feedback from past clients

Feedback from former clients is good indicator of your expertise and success as an IT contractor. You can use this feedback as a tool to set you apart from other contractors and increase engagements.

Leverage this tool to your advantage by using the Abra platform to invite previous employers to provide confidential ratings and feedback in areas such as your knowledge, communication, teamwork, and overall support level.

Interested in growing your IT contracting career? We can help - Join Abra today!

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