L ANDING A JOB It’s more than good luck!

I NTRODUCTION Too much morbidity & premature mortality in the U.S. In 2009 (U.S. Department of Labor, 2010) 63,320 health educators in U.S. Average salary $49,060; $23.59/hour Health education is offered in a variety of settings Skills needed to work in all settings are the same

P OSSIBLE E MPLOYMENT S ETTINGS Schools Clinics or Hospitals Community / Public Health Agencies Business / Industry Self-Employment

S CHOOL H EALTH E DUCATION /P ROMOTION School health” involves all the strategies, activities, and services offered by, in or in association with schools that are designed to promote students’ physical, emotional, and social development” (ASHA, 2010) Primarily involves instructing school-age children about health & health-related behaviors Potential to impact students is tremendous 56 million students 132,000 schools Can be very effective, but programs often compromised Coordinated School Health Program – 8 components (Pearson Ed, 2012)

R ULES OF G OOD H EALTH * Take a full bath more than once a week Brush teeth at least once a day Sleep long hours with windows open Drink as much milk as possible, but no coffee or tea Eat some vegetables or fruit everyday Drink at least four glasses of water a day Play part of every day outdoors Have a bowel movement every morning *Regney (1922) (Pearson Ed, 2012)

S CHOOL H EALTH E DUCATION /P ROMOTION Preparation Teacher preparation curriculum in college Licensed by the state Responsibilities Teach (typically 7-12, sometimes K-6) Lesson planning; grading; keeping a Web page with announcements, assignments, & grades or progress reports; parent meetings; disciplining; coaching; & administrative duties Also, developing curricula, after-school activities, & committee work (i.e., Drug Task Force) Advocate for school health; policy development Advantages / Disadvantages (Pearson Ed, 2012)

P UBLIC /C OMMUNITY H EALTH E DUCATION /P ROMOTION Community health education & public health education – same or different? “The work of public health educators (PHEs) is to change policies and environments as well as attitudes and behavior that affect health, and to operate in close association with community groups” (ASPH, 2010) Healthy People Healthy People in Healthy Communities (Pearson Ed, 2012)

C OMMUNITY /P UBLIC H EALTH E DUCATION /P ROMOTION Types of agencies Voluntary health agencies (e.g., ACS, AHA, ALA) Public health agencies (or official governmental agencies) (e.g., LHDs, state health department, federal agencies) Could include many different responsibilities Planning, implementing & evaluating programs Administrative functions– e.g., fund raising; budgeting, recruiting & coordinating volunteers, grant proposal writing Coalition building Committee work & public speaking Media relations Advocacy Advantages / Disadvantages (Pearson Ed, 2012)

W ORKSITE H EALTH E DUCATION /P ROMOTION worksite health promotion - “a combination of educational, organizational and environmental activities designed to improve the health & safety of employees & their families” (Joint Commission, 2001, p. 103) Can help with health care costs Programs vary greatly from site to site; often include exercise Programs at 80% of worksites (>50 employees); almost all large employers (>750 employees) (Pearson Ed, 2012)

W ORKSITE H EALTH E DUCATION /P ROMOTION May need two degrees; one a generalist like in health education/promotion & a second in specialty area like exercise physiology, nutrition, nursing or athletic training May need certifications - e.g., CHES, MCHES, ACSM, CPR, smoking cessation Responsibilities Many & varied Conducting classes - e.g., fitness, nutrition Conducting screenings & personal training sessions Administrative functions; maintaining records & equipment, writing newsletters, health fairs Marketing the programs Advantages / Disadvantages (Pearson Ed, 2012)

H EALTH E DUCATION /P ROMOTION IN H EALTH C ARE S ETTINGS Variety of settings – e.g., hospitals, medical clinics, home health agencies, HMOs, PPOs Types of jobs Employee health & wellness Patient education HMOs have been most receptive to hiring Third party reimbursement an issue Optimistic about future employment opportunities (Pearson Ed, 2012)

H EALTH E DUCATION /P ROMOTION IN H EALTH C ARE S ETTINGS Involved in numerous & varied activities Activities differ from setting to setting Responsibilities Planning, implementing, & evaluating programs & activities Education: 1-on-1 or group patient education services Administration – e.g., grant proposal writing, public relations, employee wellness activities, marketing Coordination & collaboration of/for activities Advantages / Disadvantages (Pearson Ed, 2012)

H EALTH E DUCATION /P ROMOTION IN C OLLEGES /U NIVERSITIES Academic, or faculty, position Responsibilities: teaching, community & professional service, scholarly research; depends on the institution Emphasis on the responsibilities vary based on the type of institution Typically need a doctoral degree & experience; maybe CHES/MCHES or CHES/MCHES eligible Health education specialist in university health service or wellness center Plan, implement & evaluate programs for students Resource library, peer education programs Bachelor’s or Master’s degree; CHES/MCHES helpful (Pearson Ed, 2012)

I NTERNATIONAL O PPORTUNITIES Much need, especially in developing countries Special dedication; challenging; personal satisfaction Cultural differences; may need a 2 nd language; topics for programs may be very different than you have learned about in the United States Peace Corps an excellent opportunity CDC is expanding its work around the world (Pearson Ed, 2012)

N ONTRADITIONAL H EALTH E DUCATION /P ROMOTION P OSITIONS Sales related to health & fitness Health insurance Pharmaceutical Fitness, health, & medical equipment Health-related books & materials Communication areas Publishing Media; TV, newspapers Health-related Web sites Unique opportunities (i.e., teaching in justice/mental health center) (Pearson Ed, 2012)

L ANDING THAT FIRST JOB Creating a resume that reflects professional competence Type all application materials and proof read all materials multiple times

L ANDING THAT FIRST JOB Experience…experience…experience! Previous employment Internships/Practicums Service Learning Volunteering

L ANDING THAT FIRST JOB Review job openings on a regular basis Network…network…network

L ANDING THAT FIRST JOB Develop a Portfolio! Work samples (varied) Certifications / Licensure Professional Memberships

L ANDING THAT FIRST JOB Honest Assessment of Skills Communication Skills Written Verbal Second language Collaboration Technology Skills Leadership Skills Organization Skills Assessment, Planning, Implementing, Evaluating

L ANDING THAT FIRST JOB Current and specific references Developing relationships necessary for people to provide recommendations beyond the standard

I NTERVIEWING Do your homework Having a vision for your future Being able to communicate your strengths and identify areas in which you will continue to grow Demonstrating good listening skills Providing answers to the questions asked

W HAT YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR EMPLOYER Support for continuing education or professional development Benefits package Work environment/climate Strengths/future goals of the agency or organization… Review process/advancement