The luckiest people in the world are those that go through life knowing exactly what they want to achieve and how they plan to do it. We may all have career ambitions, however, not all of us are aware of what sector we’d like to get into.

As a young adult, you’re expected to make decisions that can potentially shape the rest of your life, including what college you would like to go to and what degree you would like to major in. However, knowing the answers to these important questions is much easier said than done.

If you’ve recently felt indecisive about what kind of industry you should get into, you’ve come to the right place. In this blog, we’ll be sharing ten of the major signs that suggest you should get a job in the healthcare sector. Keep reading to find out what they are.

The top ten qualities we will highlight and explore in more details in this post are:

• Want to make a difference
• Have an INFJ personality type
• A great listener
• Like to be on your feet
• Can multitask easily 
• Observation
• Compassion for others
• Empathetic towards others and their situations
• Remaining calm in difficult situations
• Emotional stability

Want to make a difference

Working in the healthcare industry requires a lot of one-on-one work with patients. So, if you feel like you would like to make a difference in the world (and one that you can see first-hand), this may be a great career option to explore.  It's a career that can help your own wellbeing if you focus on how much of a difference you are making to others.

You have an INFJ personality type

An INFJ is a personality type from the Myer-Briggs test which stands for Introversion (I), Intuition (N), Feeling (F), Judgement (J). The INFJ strengths and weaknesses are very compatible with careers in this sector, as these people tend to be very humanitarian, compassionate, and innovative.

You're a great listener

The best health professionals are those that can listen to their patients effectively. Communication skills are a must if you want to thrive in the healthcare industry, as you’ll be building relationships with others on a daily basis. Not only is it your job to listen, but to counsel. 

Like to be on your feet

If you’re somebody that prefers to sit at a desk all day, you may not be cut out for a job in the healthcare industry. This is because professionals from this sector are constantly on their feet, both physically and figuratively, trying to solve problems and follow up on solutions. 

Can multitask easily 

Last but not least, if you consider yourself to be a great multitasker, you will do well with a career in this field. This is an incredibly busy environment to work in, so you’ll need to juggle all the competing priorities with ease.  

Observation

The following are some examples of how a healthcare assistant might use observation skills:

- The patient may be able to provide information about the severity of their condition by what they say or do.

- The patient’s appearance may provide clues about their mental health. For example, if they are unkempt or wearing dirty clothes, this could indicate that they have not been caring for themselves.

- The patient’s behaviour in the waiting room may suggest whether they are feeling anxious or depressed. For example, if the patient is pacing back and forth in front of the door to the examination room, this could indicate that they have some anxiety about being examined.

Compassion for others

Compassionate healthcare workers are essential to the well-being of patients. They make sure that their patients feel safe and cared for, which is an important part of getting better. They are more likely to provide good care. Compassion is a skill that can be learned and developed with time and practice.

The most compassionate people are often the ones who have experienced emotional or physical suffering themselves. They are able to empathise with the pain of others, feel their pain, and understand what they need in order to heal.

Empathetic towards others and their situations

It is not just empathy that defines a good healthcare worker. It is also the ability to put oneself in other people’s shoes. In order to understand and address their needs, one needs to be able to feel what they are feeling.

Healthcare assistants can feel challenged in their roles as they need to be responsible for the well-being of others.  Which is no easy task. They have to take care of people who are sick or in pain and also deal with their emotions and feelings about their situation.

Remaining calm in difficult situations

Angry and difficult patients or family members will always exist in a role like this. Purely down to the emotional and physical stresses that people will be under.  It is important for a carer to remain calm in such situations because it helps the patient feel better about their situation. A good example of this is when nurses deal with patients who are experiencing pain or discomfort during their stay in the hospital, or a family member's difficulty with coming to terms with their loved one's situation.

Emotional stability

The emotional stability attribute is the most important characteristic for a healthcare assistant. This attribute relates to the person’s ability to manage their own feelings and emotions in order to provide care for others. A person who has a high level of emotional stability will be able to work with people who are experiencing difficult situations, such as death or illness.

Final word

Finding a career that you are passionate about is one of the most fulfilling things you can set out to achieve. When you work at what you love, you’ll feel like you never have to work another day in your life. Hopefully this blog has highlighted the personality traits that bode well in the healthcare sector and encouraged you to give this career path a go. If not, keep looking, we are sure you’ll find a job that’s just right for you.