Healthcare positions make up over half of the top 20 fastest-growing professions in the US. Ranging from physical therapists to physicians and occupational therapists, there’s a huge demand for hospitality workers in all areas of the industry. Not only is there a wide variety of jobs, duties and work settings in this field, but it also offers better pay, time off and health coverage compared to other entry-level positions in other industries.
Yet many misconceptions still surround the field, from the nature of the jobs to their economic significance and role in the future. Such preconceived notions can hinder your career or stop you before you even get started.
We are here to ensure that you don’t fall for these myths and make a wrong decision, because while some of these assumptions might hold some weight to them, others are mostly or entirely false. For this purpose, we’ll be looking at a few long-term misconceptions regarding hospitality jobs in this article.
There isn’t a variety of job opportunities
More than 17 million workers are employed in the hospitality field, and their jobs go way beyond the traditional nurse and doctor positions. You can find many jobs that fit your abilities, preferences, and skillsets within the industry. Healthcare professionals are needed to assist patients from as soon as they first walk into the hospital to after they leave. Other roles available at hospitals include pharmacy technicians, surgical assistants, dental assistants, lab technicians, phlebotomists, medical billers, and medical coders.
You are required to work long and irregular hours
While it is true that the hospitality industry runs 24 hours a day and that physicians and some nurses are required to work long and irregular hours, most jobs offer a better work-life balance, allowing them to work 40 hours per week or less. Even nurses often work 36 hours a week. Only in emergency cases do doctors and nurses have to clock in for long hours. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), many medical records technicians can work regular hours and sometimes have the choice to work from home.
Advancing your career in healthcare means going back to school full-time
There is a wide variety of online training programs that allow healthcare workers to advance their careers without them having to give up their jobs. The University of Indianapolis is one such institution that offers an online DNP program after master’s degree that is designed in a part-time format to accommodate working nurses so that they both work and learn. Many degrees or certificates take only a year or two to complete.
Getting a job in hospitality requires years of education
A few positions in hospitality, such as doctors, require years of education and residency. However, a good portion of professional roles in healthcare demand much less, and there are some that can allow you to get into the medical workforce in roughly a year or two.