Emergency Medical Technician Jobs in the United States

Emergency Medical Technician Jobs

Emergency medical technician jobs are the ideal fit for people who enjoy fast-paced and meaningful work. In this field, you provide transport and medical care to patients in need. Your job can involve everything from routine medical transports to life-or-death emergencies.

As an emergency medical technician, you can end up working in a healthcare facility or driving an ambulance. Wherever you are, your job focuses on keeping people safe and healthy until they can get care from a doctor.

Because this job is so essential, there is a lot of demand for emergency medical technicians. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that this field is likely to grow by 5% in the next decade. By choosing a career with faster-than-average growth rates, you can be confident that you'll have plenty of interesting positions to choose from.

Salary

The median salary for an emergency medical technician is $39,873 per year. However, keep in mind that there's a lot of variety in this field. Some emergency medical technician jobs pay as low as $32,000 or as high as $51,000.

Usually, you command a higher wage if you have more experience or have training in specialized fields like neonatal resuscitation. You can also get higher wages if you work longer hours or pick employers known for offering higher wages. Some cities with a high demand include:

• Los Angeles, CA: $43,067
• New York, NY: $42,186
• Dallas, TX: $37,544

Ready to get a custom estimate of how much you can earn as an emergency medical technician? Use the Monster salary calculator to find out.

Choosing the Perfect Job

The first step in selecting your ideal job is finding the right job listing. As you browse Monster, you'll come across a variety of jobs for emergency medical technicians. To choose the right fit, you need to think about the following factors.

Your Desired Schedule

Emergency medical technicians often work at unconventional times. Think about whether you're comfortable working nights or whether you prefer to only work daytime hours.

Your Skills and Training

Read the job's list of candidate qualifications to see whether you can provide the skills the company is looking for. Make sure you have the right certifications for the job and ask yourself whether you'd feel comfortable performing all the job duties.

The Type of Company

Check to see whether the employer is a private healthcare facility or some type of ambulance service company. This can affect the sorts of responsibilities you face and the types of people you work with.

The Company's Reputation

Before applying, it's a great idea to research the company involved. Check some reviews and online articles to see if there are any red flags like claims of overwork or unprofessional supervisors. The best companies to work for will often have a reputation for treating employees thoughtfully and rewarding them fairly for their work.

Chances for Career Growth

Emergency medical technician positions may be able to give you the skills and training you need to become a paramedic or other type of healthcare worker. Consider your career goals and see whether the job looks likely to provide advancement opportunities. Some jobs might even offer to pay for extra certifications and training, which can be a great way to expand your career.

Applying for Emergency Medical Technician Jobs

When you sign up for a Monster account, job applications are very straightforward. We'll provide you with assistance like free resume reviews and customized recommendations. All you need to do is make sure you have these items.

An Excellent Resume

A solid resume gives you a chance to leave a great first impression. This document should be one page in length and contain a clearly formatted list of your experience and skills. If you aren't quite sure how to format your resume, use this EMT resume template to help you provide an overview of your accomplishments.

For best results, try to personalize your application to each listing instead of using the same document for every job. Scan the job listing to see what skills they require and make sure you include these on your resume.

Keep in mind that many companies use applicant tracking software to scan and filter the resumes they receive. Yours is more likely to stand out if you include common words the software looks for, such as:

• patient care
• CPR
• basic life support
• hospital
• ambulance
• emergency medication
• documentation
• communication skills

Monster is here to help you if you'd like assistance with your resume. Our professional resume writers can work with you to design an excellent resume that highlights all your strongest skills.

An Intriguing Cover Letter

Not every emergency medical technician job will require a cover letter. However, if you can upload one with your application, it's a good idea. This document allows you to provide more detail than your resume includes.

Try to think of your cover letter as a chance to build a personal connection. You can mention the reason you're looking for emergency medical technician jobs and explain why you're interested in this particular company.

As this sample EMT cover letter shows, this document also gives you a chance to showcase career accomplishments. You can mention unusual situations you've worked in or mention things like always having a faster-than-average response time.

An Accurate Application Form

The final item you need in any application is a properly filled-out form. These forms show you have the skills needed to complete documentation at work and follow instructions. Therefore, you need to make sure everything is as accurate as possible.

Read the job listing carefully to see if they have any special instructions for how to apply. In addition to following all guidelines, make sure to read over your application for any potential errors. After double-checking, you're ready to submit.

Following Up After the Application

The emergency medical technician industry doesn't usually require formal follow-ups. However, if it's been more than five days and you haven't heard back about the job, there's no harm in following up.

To be effective with a follow-up, focus on expressing your interest without taking up too much of the hiring manager's time. Keep it short and just send them a brief email instead of constantly calling them. Follow this expert advice and make sure you include your name and how you'd benefit the company.

In many cases, the hardest part of a follow-up is simply finding the right person to talk to. Start by checking the job listing for contact information or seeing if the company has a hiring manager's email listed on their site. If those details aren't available, you can simply send the email to their HR department or the relevant manager working with emergency medical technicians.

Interviewing for Emergency Medical Technician Jobs

Once you've impressed a potential employer and landed an interview, it's time to go into research mode. Taking the time to learn about the job and the interview process will help you feel more prepared.

The best place to start is by looking up the company you're interviewing at. Make sure you know how long they've been around, what services they provide, and what their mission is. They'll usually ask what you know about the company at some point in the interview, and you want to show you're interested in what they do.

It's also a good idea to research common emergency medical technician interview questions, so you can prepare your answers. Having your own practice round before your appointment lets you think about your past and come up with a few smart things to say during the interview.

Don't forget that some emergency medical technician interviews might also include a practical portion where you do things like perform CPR on a dummy. Make sure to brush up on your basic skills if it's been a while since you've worked in emergency medical technician jobs.

Other EMT Interviewing Tips

Here are some other helpful things to keep in mind when you're getting ready to interview for emergency medical technician jobs:

• Always be friendly and professional to everyone you meet on the job site. Interviewers often want to assess whether you'll be a good fit with the team.
• When you answer questions, back up your answers with concrete, real-world examples of past situations you've dealt with on the job.
• In addition to mentioning how much you care for patients, you should also emphasize your administrative abilities. Things like accurate documentation and fast response times greatly appeal to hiring managers.
• Show you're prepared by bringing copies of your resume and a notebook and pen for note-taking during the interview.
• Send a brief email to the interviewer within 24 hours of meeting them to thank them for their time.
• Make sure you follow up if you don't hear back within seven days. Sometimes, reiterating your interest in the position can help you get the job. In other cases, you can get valuable feedback on how to improve.

Handling Emergency Medical Technician Job Offers

Most people looking for emergency medical technician jobs are waiting and hoping for the moment when they finally get a call telling them that they have the job. This is certainly an exciting time, but don't let your enthusiasm lead you to accept it right away. Taking the time to carefully analyze the job offer will help you ensure you've found the right fit.

Typically, employers will give you at least 24 hours to go over their official offer. During this time, check the offer to make sure the job responsibilities and schedule are things you can handle. You'll also need to look at the salary and benefits to see if it works for you.

Don't be afraid to negotiate if you feel like the offer could be better. The key to all negotiations is to be well-informed. When you politely yet firmly state things like average salaries for emergency medical technician jobs in your area, it's easier to convince the company to offer you a better deal.

If you have multiple job offers, you'll also need to compare them carefully before accepting one. Many people automatically go with the job that pays the most, but it's also useful to consider things like promotional opportunities and work-life balance. Sometimes, you might find that non-monetary perks are worth taking the lower offer.

Career Paths

Emergency medical technician jobs are a great entry to the healthcare field. They don't require lengthy training, but they give you firsthand experience you can use to become a nurse or physician's assistant eventually.

You'll find many promotional opportunities within the emergency healthcare field, too. Many emergency medical technicians choose to become paramedics, or they can take on a supervisory role at an ambulance company.

Finally, don't forget that emergency medical technician jobs are also an excellent entry to other types of emergency service jobs. Some people use their job experience to become a firefighter or police officer later on.

Career Advancement Tips

If you're looking for ways to enhance your career, it's important to choose jobs that offer a lot of great experience. Ideally, you need to spend a lot of time with patients and have a proven track record of assisting people. For example, a job in emergency care will offer more helpful experience than a job in senior transport.

The other essential thing to get besides experience is training. Almost all promotions will require additional education and certifications. For example, you might need to take classes in subjects like advanced trauma life support, or you might need to pass your state's paramedic certification course.

Similar Occupations

Interested in options similar to emergency medical technician jobs? Make sure you check out these careers, too:

• emergency services
• emergency dispatcher
• paramedic
• medical transporter