Greetings All,
After 21 years of service, I am trying to finalize my exit plan (retirement) and transition into the civilian healthcare arena. My aim is to seek employment as a Healthcare Administrator after retirement.
By the time I retire, I will have completed my MBA with an emphasis in Healthcare Management but in an effort to be more marketable in the civilian job market, I am looking to add a resume multiplier such as LSS-BB or PMP. The dilemma that I have is that the LSS-BB, I can do at no cost, but I will have to pay out of pocket for the PMP, which I don't mind doing. My question is which certification will increase my marketability upon my exit from the Army? Are there any other certifications I should be considering? Thanks in advance for all responses.
Note: I currently hold a Bachelor in Healthcare Administration and I also have a Lab Animal Technologist (LATg) certification
Answers
Earl Hackett ,
WELCOME HOME BUDDY, WELCOME HOME!
Tito,
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While my career has been wholly within high tech manufacturing, with engineering the background of most of the fast-track operations leadership positions, there are many non-STEM educated support functions who's qualifications requirements mirror those of like functions across a myriad of industries. (HR, Finance, Sales & Marketing, Bus Development).
As a hiring manager, a LSS-BB would always weigh more significantly than PMP as I rank candidates for any position in my organization. This is a "technology world" regardless of industry - go for the Black Belt.
Hi Tito,
Not sure if this will help, but here is my experience. I recently changed jobs to become a full time project manager. I hold both PMP and LSSBB. Although the PMP was the most valuable in terms of getting interviews (required or highly desired for PM jobs), the LSSBB was the item that put me above the competition and landed me the job. If you are planning to focus on project management, definitely get your PMP - it will make a huge difference. If not, don't bother with it. In either case, I would recommend the LSSBB. I would also say that Six Sigma experience (at least a couple of successful projects you can speak to) will be needed - most interviewers assume if you hold the certification that you have experience. Hope this helps!!
Hi Tito,
My background is in industrial engineering (IE). As an IE, I use project management methodologies all the time, but I've always found the PMP certification process to be overly bureaucratic and not as practical as other certifications (such as Lean and Six Sigma). I don't work in healthcare, but I have many IE friends that do and there is an entire segment of the Institute of Industrial Engineers Annual Conference that focuses on healthcare. The trend I'm seeing is projects within the healthcare field are focusing more on waste reduction, process improvement, and optimizing systems in order to manage costs and stay competitive in a changing regulatory environment. These are topics well suited for lean six sigma tools. Having said that, the key to being marketable with lean and six sigma is demonstrated experience. If you are just looking for a cert and your goal is administration, the PMP may better suit your goals. Good luck, and thank you for your service.
If you have the background a PMP will be useful in all walks of life. Most organizations do "projects" so defined skills in that area are very useful. Six sigma is very useful also in quality systems but that skill is more technical, not managerial. The data after analysis becomes the element that decisions are made on. I would pick PMP if I were doing it again.
BTW, that sailboat I'm sitting on I built with my own two hands from the hull up, and all those applications were sent from a rental home at the end of Dawn Valley - look it up on Google Maps.
Toward the end of the Vietnam conflict I transitioned out of the USAF after almost 6 years service. We didn't have all these certifications 40 years ago so I can't help you there. I can tell you that you must have absolute confidence in your abilities and you will have to keep kicking down doors until you find the position you want. No one will 'give' you a job, you have to take it. I sent out 200 job applications in the 6 months prior to my severance from the Air Force. Each was hand typed on a portable typewriter as we didn't have personal computers back then. From the 200 I got 6 replies that led to 4 interviews and 2 job offers. To this day I'm unsure that I accepted the right one, but it worked out OK.
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