2011 is winding down fast and many are in the midst of enjoying the holidays.  Others are working and catching up on projects and programs that have fallen prey to not enough hours in the day to complete.  But in the end, we move forward in our careers.  Whether it is through education, mentoring or even webinar participation, HIMSS Professional Development Career Services has continued to identify opportunities for our diverse members’ career growth needs.  We hope that 2012 brings with it a career path that all personally achieve.  Because HIMSS is caused based, we want to support our members needs every step of the way.  Regardless of where you are in your career or what you are striving to achieve in 2012, those past career experiences can be a springboard for new opportunities.  So, be thankful for your career experiences and feel empowered. 

So, let’s recap some “stand out pearls of thought” from Professional Development Career Services 2011 speakers, those “career champions” who have mastered successful career paths in health IT.

First, it’s always great to meet new people.  So, meet new people and try to learn new things – no matter how insignificant. Learning is a good thing.  Second, try to challenge yourself and set limits that you aspire to achieve and block out all the negative thoughts circling in your head and career path of why you cannot attain them.  Negative energy is a lot harder to work with than positive energy in creating change, so step back and if you find yourself in some negative energy and company, rethink your current environment.  Besides, nothing good comes from negative energy.  Third, create a list of your career successes and then a few reasons why they were successful.  Figure out why and how you were successful and use that information in any move forward action plan.  Additionally, always keep refining yourself; it’s a great way to keep your co-workers guessing “what else is he/she going to think of now?”  This also actually helps unlock your creative side and hopefully helps to stimulate others to aspire to reach their own career goals.  Forth, remember not to focus on the low hanging fruit unless they service your career goals because often times they detract from precious time and energy spent elsewhere in a career.  So, if you need a degree – go and get it; you need some training – then go find it.  It’s also a good time to have conversations with your boss.  A really great boss let’s you be free to create, nurture and most importantly be yourself.  Besides, this helps to bring in outside concepts into the workplace which ultimately breeds growth and ingenuity.   Finally, temper the past and embrace new and innovative thoughts.  Change is tough and everyone has had experiences with change.  But, accept change as an opportunity; only through opportunity will career paths grow to their highest potentials.

Oh and don’t forget to register for the HIMSS Annual Event 2012 in Las Vegas.  It is a career - must attend event!

And remember...Be passionate about your career path and strive to make a difference and learn, learn...learn.  Technology is only the enabler; individuals will be the “transformers” of health IT in the years to come!

Happy New Year from everyone here at HIMSS Professional Development Career Services and we’ll see you next year!

Helen Figge is Senior Director of Career Services at HIMSS.