When it comes time to look for a job, whatever field you are in, keeping up to date is one of the most important things you can do to make a good impression. Things are changing and they are changing fast, so when it comes time for a job search, interview, or a deal with a new client, you have to show that you really know your industry.

Information Overload by Jorge Franganillo

It is easy to get so overwhelmed with the amount of information out there that you end up shying away from it instead of learning from it. Think of social media as an opportunity to learn rather than an obligation. Here is how you stay informed:

1. Subscribe to 5 blogs in your industry.

You need to know the key players and discussions in your industry if you want to be competitive in the job market. Ask colleagues what blogs they read. If they don’t read any blogs, see what magazines or periodicals they read and see if those publications have any online content (and then tell them to come here!).

2. Organize your blogs using an RSS Reader

RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. Services like Google Reader will grab feeds (a feed is an aggregation of all the content on a given site) and put them all into one place for you to easily access. This way, instead of bookmarking dozens of websites, you simply go to your RSS reader and everything you need is neatly in one place.  Subscribe to our feed by clicking on the RSS button in our header or our sidebar.

3. Share your thoughts using social media.

Get your ideas out there. Use twitter search to find interesting conversations and comment on them. Find interesting blogs at Alltop or Technorati and join the conversion.

With the job market in a period of flux and unemployment rates at a frightening 9.7%, few people are feeling secure in their field. Traditional media, automotives, and banking, three industries that were doing perfectly well ten years ago, are failing.

Here’s the good news: medical administrative assistants can feel secure in their field. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment is expected to grow much faster than average, ranking medical assistants among the fastest growing occupations over the next decade.

So, why is this field projected to grow so much faster than all the others? Here are 4 reasons:

1. Federal funding supporting local and state institutions in implementing electronic health record systems.

Signs of the Times by Chris Dever on Flickr

After he was elected, Obama vowed to change the way we track medical records and guaranteed a complete transition to electronic medical records by 2014.  His American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grants $19 billion to help the transition go smoothly and quickly.

John Kerry also introduced The Small Business Health Information Technology Financing Act of 2009 last year, which supports family doctors by providing small business administration loans for the switch.  States are already seeing the funding.  In just the last week, Kentucky has been awarded a $10 million grant, Ohio $53 million, and DC $5 million.

2. Health care bill extending coverage to 30 million people.

a. The original health care bill put forth by President Obama would provide health care to 30 million uninsured Americans. Of course, the bill is facing considerable opposition by the GOP, and with the loss of a democratic seat in the Senate, the bill will have to be re-worked to satisfy the Republican Party.

Regardless, more Americans will receive coverage which means that doctors will need support from medical administrative assistants, especially with the transitions to electronic health records.

3. Private companies supporting the transition

Private companies are jumping into the field as well.  Kaiser Permanente and Microsoft have been working together to push forward efforts to transfer sensitive health data to digitized medical records and GE has been offering loans to doctors that want to switch to their GE Centricity electronic health records system.

4. More patients will require health care services

With the baby boomer generation aging and retiring, more people will require medical attention.  That, combined with the transition to electronic health records, means that doctors will need administrative assistants that understand the new technology.

The White House projected a 48% increase in health care support occupations from 2000-2016.