Tim Snyder, 51

Tim Snyder
The job: Surgical technologist
The employer: Ketchikan General Hospital in Ketchikan, Alaska, is an accredited acute and long-term care facility that is a part of the PeaceHealth group of hospitals in the Northwest. Located on an isolated island about 700 air miles from Anchorage and about 700 air miles from Seattle, this hospital is not a typical rural hospital. It is a comprehensive medical facility, complete with orthopedics, dental services and general surgery, among others. Surgeons also come from other parts of the country to set up clinics that operate for a month at a time.
Ketchikan, with its 8,500 residents, is a major cruise ship port, which accounts for the city doubling in size during cruise season.

My role: I help set up the operating room for each procedure according to protocol and physician preference. I also assist the surgeon during the procedure, including passing instruments and other tasks in my scope of responsibility. This can include retracting, where I use a specific instrument to provide traction.

How long have you been in this position?
Since Aug. 24.

How did you find your job?
It was very straightforward process for me. I called the human resources department of the hospital, and I shared my past experience and education. I also told them of my wife’s occupation as a labor and delivery nurse in case they could hire us both as a package deal — which they ultimately did. My wife, Linda, and I both talked by phone with the managers of our respective departments. At the end of our individual conversations, they both asked us to come on up.
We had visited Ketchikan about 15 years ago, so we had researched the area already. It became our dream location.

What helped the most in the job search?
You’ll find many employers may not be posting job openings because of the overwhelming number of responses they get in this economy. After conducting initial research on hospitals and their needs, I found it more effective to just contact potential employers directly.
Unlike most seekers, who send e-mails inquiring about a job, my search strategy involved picking up a phone and calling a hiring manager to introduce myself and share what I could offer the hospital. Then, when I was able to get a dialogue going via e-mail with a human resources representative, I included a recommendation letter from the surgical technology program director of Colorado Technical University (CTU) Kansas City, where I received my degree. The letter highlighted my strengths and allowed me to stand out from the rest of the competition.

Did you reach a low point in this process?
During the job search process, there wasn’t a low point because I knew it was important to remain optimistic and confident. Employers can sense when someone is desperate for a position or they don’t believe in themselves; it doesn’t go over well. Even though it was my first time in the health care industry, I walked into my interviews knowing that my education and training at CTU prepared me for this job, and I could do it better than anyone else.

What is your advice for others in the job search?
If you need additional education or skills, make the smart decision to go back to college to advance your career. Don’t wait for a job to come to you.
Be aggressive and confident. Too many things are done totally online, and there is not enough personal contact. After you have applied online, follow up with a call.And be sure to reinforce your strengths; tell them why you’d make a great addition to their company.

What is your educational and work experience?
I received an associate’s of applied science degree in surgical technology from Colorado Technical University Kansas City in June 2009. I had decided to switch careers after spending 31 years working for an aerospace, advanced weapon and national and civil defense manufacturer in the Kansas City area. With positions ranging from forklift driver to a manager of more than 150 people and a $10 million operating budget, I found that I was unhappy after doing the same type of job for so long. I wanted to pursue a career involved with helping people.

Would you recommend going back to school to other middle-agers?
I can say this: If you decide to do it, commit to it and stick with it when it gets hard. You’ll get through it and it will be worthwhile.
It was intimidating to go back to school at CTU Kansas City after more than 30 years of being away from a classroom, and quit my longtime job to start a career in another industry. However, it was well worth it. Life’s too short to be stuck in a position you’re unhappy with.
| Sue Dye Babson, special to The Star