Get Hired

Get Hired: Public Health

For complete information on job search strategies, resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn, interviews, and more, review our starter tips to Get Hired in all careers as well as the specialized tips on this page.

Finding Opportunities

As you search for employment opportunities to enhance your career, it is first important to know exactly what jobs in Public Health are of interest to you. This is a very broad area, thus the positions available are diverse. Consider what you enjoy about Public Health, where your skills lie, and what opportunities can connect both of those. 

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To better understand your personal strengths and career interests, we recommend taking career assessments.

Additionally, you may already know someone with a position that interests you. To well-prepare yourself to find a suitable job, it is important to network. This may mean conducting informational interviews with professionals in that career path or workplace. It also entails reaching out to the hiring managers themselves (if possible). To stand out in the application process, you must put yourself out there; it may be uncomfortable, but worthwhile.

Outside of networking, we recommend conducting additional research on opportunities as well as companies or organizations within the industry; it is beneficial to remain open during your job search. On Handshake, you can easily create a filtered search to narrow down recommended job postings. Implementing an advanced job search for keywords such as “Biostatician” on Indeed and LinkedIn is also beneficial. Know that the more finished your profile is, the more accurate your job matches will be, potentially pairing you with ideal opportunities.

Applications & Interviews

Oftentimes, landing an entry-level position in public health is a very similar process to those of other fields. Your experience and skills are very important, which you will articulate in your resume, cover letter, and interview(s). Additionally, the professionals who you know can be very important since those who are already established in the field can help by referring you for opportunities and connecting you directly with a hiring manager. 

Once you have landed your interview, it is important to implement extra research in the organization. Previous experience at the facility (or one owned by the same company) will give you an edge, as you will already have a grasp on the ins and outs of the company, however this is not enough.
 
In addition, we recommend:

• Researching the core values of the organization so that you can explain how they align with your own in the interview.
• Reviewing current or recent initiatives/projects that the organization has worked on.
• Interviewing connections you may have at the organization or with similar positions to gain insight prior to the interview.
• Providing insight on the research being conducted at the facility and what you can contribute to it (if applicable).
• Elaborating on previous volunteering, interning, or shadowing experiences in their facility or one similar.
• Reaching out to your connections to see if you can use them as references when the time comes.
• Refreshing yourself of relevant technical knowledge to allude to in your interview and renewing any of your relevant certifications shortly before the start date.