Melbourne audiologist and Australasian College of Audiometry educator, Ms KATIE LIAN provides advice to kick start your career as a hearing care professional.
So you’re about to finish or have recently finished your qualification as a hearing care practitioner; what now?
A few years ago, I had completed my Master’s degree in audiology and was looking for work and feeling overwhelmed by suddenly leaving my safe place. I had been studying since high school, living at home and working multiple part-time jobs. Nothing could have prepared me for working full time, even after many hours of workplace supervision.
After a few years of figuring out ways to get the most out of my early years of practice, I’ve created a list of tips I wish were discussed with me earlier on.
Keep in touch with your peers and educators
Graduating doesn’t mean losing access to your university’s resources. My classmates became close friends and an amazing support system during our transition into the workforce. It was comforting to share experiences like full-time work, moving out, and challenging workdays with people who understood.
When I encountered complex clients, my former lecturers were invaluable resources. They helped me apply my knowledge independently while studying, and outside of university they took the time to provide accurate clinical practice and helpful life advice about the challenges of navigating workplace contracts. It’s also just lovely attending CPD events, conferences or work events and seeing a familiar face.
Networking
Networking can be daunting, especially for introverts like me. While attending public events is one approach, I found a more comfortable way to connect by staying updated on audiological news and meeting people through my peers or through online platforms such as LinkedIn and Facebook.
Showing genuine interest in others’ work is a great way to initiate conversations and build relationships. This slower approach to building networks has been helpful in building more personable relationships in the industry. Signing up to your professional body such as Audiology Australia, ACAud inc HAASA or NZAS early on as a student will also provide access to networking events and conferences and give you an idea of what to expect before attending.
Moving out of home? Make the most of it
Research job locations that align with your lifestyle and interests. Such a big move can be daunting, especially if you don’t have any ties to the region, so why not make the most of it? As an early-career hearing practitioner, you might need to relocate to a regional or remote area.
To make the most of this move, consider your passions. For example, if you love food, research towns with great dining options or local specialties. If you like bike riding or badminton, consider applying to areas that have riding tracks or a sports club of your interest. I also ended up reaching out to friends who were able to find other hearing care professionals who worked in my region or were found via LinkedIn who worked nearby and it was nice to be introduced to/introduce myself.
Mentoring
Many universities provide students the opportunity to pair up and meet alumni mentors to give them insight into the industry and job searching advice. Having a mentor either via a formalised matching process or informally through supervision or work colleagues I found to be a fundamental part of becoming a confident clinician. They are people who I will continue to aspire to be like and often ask clinical questions or concerns regarding work life balance.
When seeking or engaging with a mentor, aim for a collaborative relationship rather than a transactional one. This is a valuable chance to have a seasoned professional in your corner from the start of your career. Mentors and alumni volunteer their time because they genuinely want to help you at every stage of your journey.
Early-career hearing care professionals (within one to two years of graduation) can benefit greatly from mentorship, just like current students. These professionals may need a different kind of mentoring relationship as they have different expectations and goals compared to students, leading to more specific mentoring evaluations and measurable outcomes. It would be beneficial to re-establish more or regular formalised mentoring programs and even expand to online, informal mentorship opportunities.
Although my personal experience is in audiology, the same principles apply to audiometry. The hearing care industry is a warm and welcoming environment. Everyone you meet has mostly had similar experiences and empathise with any questions or concerns.
Take that leap to reach out whenever you’re not sure; your initiative will always be valued and remembered.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Ms Katie Lian is a Melbourne audiologist who also works as an educator with the Australasian College of Audiometry. She studied audiology at The University of Melbourne and has experience in diagnostics, aural rehabilitation, teleaudiology, administration and research. She loves connecting with anyone who has interesting experiences in the field and students/interns/early- career audiologists who’d like to chat via LinkedIn.
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