According to U.S. Labor reports, the healthcare industry is one of the fastest-growing job markets in the U.S. today. Across the country, employers are actively searching for new candidates with the right skills and experience to fill hundreds of positions. There are specific hard and soft skills needed in behavioral health in order to thrive and advance to higher positions. You can gain these behavioral health industry skills through education, work, and personal life experiences.
Behavioral Health Jobs is an online database dedicated to helping job seekers find a new career in the behavioral health industry. Our job board is updated daily with new jobs in administration, technical, and clinical roles at a number of private, state, and federal organizations. You can filter your job search by work and education experience, type of employment, specific keywords, and other criteria. If you are interested in starting a new career in the healthcare industry, begin a new career search today on the Behavioral Health Jobs website.
How to Thrive in the Behavioral Health Industry
Thriving in the behavioral health industry takes dedication and a passion for helping people cope with personal, work, and relationship issues, along with treating a variety of mental health disorders. There are hundreds of positions available in the healthcare industry today, from front desk administrators to local and regional managers, medical technicians, psychiatrists and psychologists, and substance abuse counselors.
To qualify for these positions, job seekers will need, at a minimum, a high school diploma and an associate or bachelor’s degree. Clinical positions where you diagnose and treat patients will require additional education, such as a master’s degree or Ph.D., along with certifications in a specific area. In addition to these education requirements, you will need additional soft skills that you can only get from real-life work and personal experiences. Soft skills is a term that describes the type of natural skills you pick up through personal experiences and are sometimes called people skills or common sense skills. The soft skills that are necessary for the behavioral health industry include:
- Active listening
- Time management
- Moderate computer skills
- Strong record-keeping skills
- Able to express empathy and compassion
- Maintain professional boundaries
These skills are necessary for thriving in this rewarding and challenging industry as well as for keeping up with your mental health. According to the American Psychological Association, the number of healthcare workers reporting feeling burned out rose from 30% in 2020 to 46% in 2022.
Behavioral Health Jobs is the best resource for finding a new career in the healthcare industry. Our job board is updated daily with new jobs along with beneficial tips, like how to thrive in the behavioral health industry, building the perfect resume, and other advice.
Top Skills Needed in Behavioral Health
The skills needed in the behavioral health industry include higher education as well as those natural skills that you pick up through personal experiences. When working with people who are struggling with a mental health disorder or general life difficulties, you will need more than just book smarts to effectively care for your patients and help them thrive.
Some of the top skills needed in behavioral health include:
- Patience – Sometimes, you will be dealing with difficult people in difficult times, and if you lose your patience with them, it will worsen the situation and potentially cause further harm. You will need a thick skin and the ability to calm down and think fast in tense situations.
- Reading people – To get to the root cause of the issue, you will need the ability to read people and know when they are not being honest about their struggles. This is very important for substance abuse counselors, marriage and relationship therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists.
- Ability to express empathy and compassion – Your patients will pick up on a lack of concern or interest in your tone, facial expression, and body posture. Successful clinicians will need the ability to show real concern and empathy for their patients in order to develop a close relationship with them and support the healing process.
- Organizational skills – Being organized is very important for all professionals. You will need to manage your time effectively to have enough time to keep up with all of your job duties and any sudden situations when they occur. Common organizational skills include prioritizing tasks, setting goals, and having a plan to meet those goals.
These are just a few of the behavioral health industry skills that you will need to thrive in this fast-paced industry. When applying for a new job, be sure to read all skill requirements in the job description to be sure your resume reflects those skills.
Find New Behavioral Health Jobs on the Behavioral Health Jobs Website
The Behavioral Health Jobs website is for people who are looking for an exciting and rewarding career at hospitals, mental health treatment centers, government facilities, or private practices. Our job board contains thousands of jobs across the country, along with career advice to improve your chances of getting an offer of employment. When you are ready for an exciting new career helping people live their best lives, check out all of the available jobs on the Behavioral Health Jobs website today.
