In allied healthcare careers, strong practical skills are essential to success on the job. Certifications are also almost always a requirement. But, that’s not all it takes to both succeed and stay on the job.
Candidates with the best educational and certification pedigrees—whether they are newly minted CNAs, medical assistants, dental techs, or physical therapists—can struggle when they get on the job (or even to find a job) if they are not career ready. The 2025 NSI National Health Care Retention & RN Staffing Report found that 37.5% of hospital employees left within one year on the job. CNAs in the study, for example, saw a first year turnover rate of 36%.
While burnout and the emotional toll of the work are often cited as reasons for these high early turnover in healthcare, AlliedUP has seen firsthand how job preparedness plays a pivotal role in early career success. Allied healthcare work is demanding, important work. Showing up with workplace savvy can offer a big confidence boost and is often the difference between struggling and thriving in those critical early days of work.
Understanding its importance, AlliedUP has made professional career coaching and candidate success central to our allied healthcare staffing model. Through coaching assistance in vital areas like job search, resume writing, and interview preparation, our candidate and employee readiness commitment has helped ensure employee turnover rates remain low and job satisfaction remains high. For our talented allied health professionals, it means showing up to work feeling ready and able to contribute from their first day on the job.
AlliedUP’s ESP: Going Beyond Coaching to Workplace Training
The AlliedUP Employee Success Program (ESP) is a comprehensive solution for employers designed to improve new hire job success, satisfaction, and retention. Built on three learning pillars—eLearning Microlessons, Individual Coaching, and Employer Feedback & Collaboration—the ESP equips newly hired professionals with essential communication and workplace behavior skills necessary for success in today’s healthcare environment. By focusing on personalized development and practical application, the ESP helps allied healthcare professionals enhance their soft skills, increase their value, and expand their career opportunities. Each of the learning pillars addresses these needs:
- Microlessons
AlliedUP’s eLearning Microlessons provide a foundational training in essential soft skills for allied healthcare workplace success including communication, teamwork, professionalism, compassion, and conflict resolution.
- Individual Skills Coaching
AlliedUP’s individualized healthcare coaching offers a personalized one-on-one learning experience. Our ESP program managers help assess strengths, identify growth opportunities and do powerful roleplaying work.
- Employer Feedback & Collaboration
AlliedUP recognizes the importance of healthcare employer involvement in the ESP program’s success. We collaborate with healthcare facilities to identify key skills, solicit program feedback, and support employee development, ensuring the program aligns with the healthcare industry’s evolving needs and can have a lasting impact on retention and job satisfaction.
Professional Career Coaching in Action
While our low retention rates and high employee satisfaction rates (100% satisfaction from Career Coaching and ESP participants) underscore the value of the program, individual stories bring its impact to life. For example, Julissa C., a recent graduate of a Patient Care Technician program in Northern California saw the benefits of career coaching right from the start. After completing her certificate program, Julissa spent months searching for a job without any luck. No employers were reaching out despite all her applications. She felt lost and unsure of how to improve her chances.
Fortunately, her school, through Futuro Health, connected her with AlliedUP’s coaching services, where she received invaluable support and guidance. Her AlliedUP Employment Specialist, Christa, helped her revamp her resume, master interview techniques, and most importantly, believe in her own abilities. The very first application she submitted after her coaching sessions got an employer response immediately. Coach Christa supported her with interview prep and after two interviews, Julissa was hired by her dream employer.
As Julissa explained, it felt like magic: “I always tell my coach I feel like she was like my lucky charm because I was so lost and I was so stuck. I didn’t know where to go. She helped me so much. I will always be grateful to her.”
For her Coach Christa, it wasn’t magic. It was what good coaching does by helping a talented candidate put their best foot forward. Or, as Christa said, “Julissa had the skills, she just needed someone behind her sitting there listening to her explain the things she’s good at and reminding her you are qualified for this job. You are a great candidate and you’re going to nail this interview.”
The heart of healthcare belongs to the people who provide the care. That’s why at AlliedUP we’re committed to providing career coaching to allied healthcare workers. Their confidence and career readiness makes the facilities where they work more successful and the patients they support better cared for. To learn more about the impact our Career Coaching and Employee Success Programs are having on careers, retention, satisfaction, and patient care, reach out to AlliedUP today. We’re proud to help today’s healthcare professionals grow their careers while supporting employers as they build more engaged, skilled, and compassionate workforces.
