EMT Employment: Where and How to Find Work with EMT Certification
Finding employment as an EMT can be a highly competitive venture. EMT graduates are who’ve passed the NREMT testing by investing hours of work in prep and practice in order to achieve certification as an EMT may feel that the pending job search seems daunting. This doesn’t have to be the case.
Networking is Necessary
Most jobs openings aren’t advertised. Word of mouth is still the most popular medium for individuals to find work. Recently certified students can find an invaluable resource for employment through their instructors or through contacts made during clinical and training.
EMTs will discover that being an EMT means being a part of a close knit group of loyal individuals. The job itself demands that EMTs depend on each other in serious situations. This makes it vital for newly certified EMTs to develop relationships with instructors and other personnel. Not only is this a wise career move, it may save lives.
EMT Employment Opportunities are Growing
Employment opportunities for EMT candidates who’ve recently passed testing requirements and acquired certification are extremely good. More growth is expected at a rate of 9 percent until 2018. This is largely due to aging baby boomers needing medical assistance, overcrowding in hospital emergency rooms and increased patient transport times. As EMTs grow increasingly occupied with more time consuming cases, demand will continue to increase, necessitating the hiring of more EMTs.
Employment opportunities are also available in non-traditional settings. EMTs can find numerous jobs outside the healthcare field. EMTs can be employed with fire departments, snow skiing resorts, summer camps, recreation centers, national parks, cruise ships, and wilderness adventure programs. There are also teaching opportunities for EMTs that can be very lucrative. Thinking outside the box is an asset for a newly certified EMT.
Tools for Tracking Employment Opportunites
Local employment security commissions, online listings, Craigslist and newspaper classifieds are all great ways to find work as an EMT. There are more opportunities for EMTs in larger cities, making being willing to relocate an asset for recently certified EMTs. Also, many online forums and sites share EMT job listings with members that aren’t listed elsewhere. Becoming a member of a few online EMT forums could lead to a great job for an EMT. A few of the most trafficked forums are:
NREMT has a section for EMT job seekers:
http://www.nremt.org/nremt/EMTServices/find_job.asp
Ambulance Work & Private Ambulance Companies
In addition to providing emergency rescue work, private ambulance companies offer many opportunities for newly certified EMTs. EMTs may answer emergency calls when doing ambulance work through hospitals, but private companies often offer a slower pace for EMTs, transporting patients to and from appointments and medical facilities. These entry level jobs generally offer an average annual salary of about $30,000.
Advanced Education Provides More Opportunities
Obtaining education to become a Paramedic can open doors to more lucrative jobs. It’s easy for newly certified EMTs to advance in educational goals incrementally, even as they continue to work. The process leading to becoming a Paramedic can be bridged by becoming an EMT-Intermediate or in most cases, students can choose to directly enroll in a Paramedic degree program and go to school full time.
Finding work for an EMT can seem difficult at first, but there is a huge increase in available jobs for EMTs. This coupled with networking and knowing where to look for work, should simplify the process for newly certified EMTs.
Sources
Overview of BLS Statistics on Pay and Benefits. (n.d.). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved March 8, 2012, from http://www.bls.gov/bls/wages.htm
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