Reference Suicide

Bad references are career suicide

Your reference list is an incredibly powerful tool toward landing the next step in your healthcare career. Did you realize you many healthcare professionals commit reference suicide when providing this important piece to potential employers? Let’s explore a little of what committing reference suicide looks like.

Opps, I forgot to ask permission. This is a very common mistake. Did you ask your coworker, your supervisor, or the other person you’ve listed as a reference if they were willing to be a reference? If not, that reference call could come as a complete shock to their system, and the surprise may in fact blow any chance of getting the position.

Say what? We often just think that if we can get someone to give us a “good reference”, it will land that job we’re seeking. Continue reading

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Who are you talking to anyway?

who are you talking to

Once you send in a resume or CV, do you know who to follow-up with besides a general HR number or recruiter? If not, it could cost you more than just an annoyance from not getting a return call.

When it comes to finding your next position, finding people outside of HR to speak with is critically important. Here are some great ways getting in touch with the person who may be able to help you get that job:

  1. Try to find the Director, or other management person, who will play a role in your hiring. Often this will be a Director or Vice President. This often entails a little bit of guess work, but can be very fruitful. If you aren’t sure, but you know what department you’re applying to, look at the facility website. Oftentimes there is some form a company directory on these sites. While finding these individuals can be a challenging task, it is very rewarding when you do.
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What do you know?

It’s seems like a simple enough question during the interview: “What do you know about us?” But this seemingly innocent question can make or break your confidence, as well as your success, in an interview.

Tough InterviewIn the past…

…it was enough to simply find some basic information about the company. You may look at the vision or mission statements. You may even look to see who the executives are and learn a little about each of them.

However, this is not enough in today’s market.

What you may not know…

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Whose health record?

As I’ve been reading through health related news sources, it dawned on me that it is time to weigh in on the topic.  Like it or not, the Federal Government has Electronic Health Recordmandated all health systems to be on Electronic Health Records by 2015.

The theory is this information sharing will make it easier for medical practitioners to provide accurate treatment based on a more thorough understanding of a patient’s history.

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Perfection…motivating?

There are times when nothing less than perfection will do, but they are rare.  Close is good enough in more situations than a game of horse shoes.  So why do we strive for perfection when it is not needed?  More importantly do we ever decide not to learn something new just because we “know” before we start that we will never be perfect at the new skill?

Let striving for perfection motivate you to keep pushingAs I network with hundreds of professionals I realize that high performers are ones that are continually striving toward perfection, it motivates them, but never stands in the way of them starting something new.  These people have great stories, they have tried many things, gotten pretty good at most of them but have then moved on.

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Wisdom and Expectations

There was an article on The Medical News a couple weeks ago that caught my attention, “Most Americans view paid sick days as a basic worker right“.

Do we put others at risk without paid sick time?This initially caught my attention by the title alone, and made me start thinking about how the American worker wants perks and benefits that really aren’t needs.  I was geared up to write an article about what’s reasonable to expect from an employer.

But then I waited, I thought about it some more, and I reread the article.  In doing so, I realized sometimes wisdom can be derived from expectations.  I would encourage you to read the full article, but here’s a little of what I gathered.

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Standing out from the crowd: Career Portfolio

Stand Out from the CrowdAn increasing number of articles and advice columns have been cropping up around something called a Career Portfolio.  As you investigate this option, you’ll find it a quality way to separate yourself from others competing for the same position.

Artists (graphic artists, illustrators, columnists, etc) have used a portfolios for years to demonstrate their abilities, skills, and accomplishments.  In a recent trend, more and more professionals are employing the same method.

The portfolio is so much more than the resume you’d provide at the initial stages of conversations with an organization.  Here’s a great list we found at QuintCareers.com of what to include in your portfolio.

  • Career Summary and Goals: A description of what you stand for (such as work ethic, organizational interests, management  philosophy, etc.) and where you see yourself in two to five years. Continue reading
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You’re never too old to learn a new trick!

Often times we get stuck in a rut, so-to-speak, when it comes to our careers.  One of these ruts is old ways of attempting to make a shift in our career, usually with a new employer.  For some time it’s been understood that in order to get the best jobs, you really must set yourself apart from others.

Today, setting yourself apart is much different than it was five or ten years ago.  We’re going to take some time to explore what steps you need to look at to really set yourself apart.

Below is an article from a good friend of mine who’s been in the employment industry for over a decade.  Read it carefully, and learn some new tricks for approaching how you draft your resume.

For more free advice on writing your resume check out http://www.mypremierhealthcareers.com


Old dogs can learn new tricks
By: Charlotte Byndas

Old dogs can learn new tricksWeekly we hear from professionals looking to enter the job market for the first time in years are concerned that their job search skills are a bit rusty. Considering the number of surveys that list job satisfaction at its lowest in 20+ years, this group of job seekers is sure to grow. Are you one of these people, could you use a few good tips on how to follow the new “rules” for resume writing? Check our list of “new tricks” that will guide you through the process!

Old Rule #1: Start your cover letter with Dear Sir or Madam….enclosed you will find…

New Trick: Use the hiring manager’s name, skip the fluffy language
If you don’t know the hiring managers name, try doing internet research to surface a name, it is much better to use an actual name than to just send your resume into the pile.

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Innovation…it may be your key to success

I saw this article from last week and thought, “Yup, this isn’t just for Health IT.”  It made me start thinking, how innovative are we actually being in our jobs?  Most of probably aren’t innovative at all.  Rather, we’re just performing a function, something that has been done for years, and probably the same way it’s been done for years.

If you really want to step up your “A-Game”, take a step toward innovation.  Look for how you can improve the processes where you are, or what NEW processes could improve the entire system.  This sets you apart from everyone else who is doing the same that’s been done for years in the same fashion.


Innovation: Curious Word
By MARGALIT GUR-ARIE

If you follow the health IT media, you cannot escape the new and obligatory word, Innovation. Every self-respecting article, blog post, press release or casual comment on line is not complete unless some reference is made to Innovation, its derivatives (innovators, innovative, etc.) or compounds (foster innovation, disruptive innovation, etc.). By now I am ready to add Innovation to the infamous Do Not Use category, along with Synergy, Turn-Key and One-Stop-Shop, to name a few.

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Storms

Storms come in life.As we finish out spring and head into summer, one thing is for certain, storm season is upon us. If you life near the coast like I do, we see our fair share of storms. There are the normal systems that come from the west, then there’s also the tropical systems that come up from the Gulf.

While storms can be very frightening, they are also very important. Storms help fertilize the soil. They also, obviously, help provide the much needed water for our gardens to grow. Wind is beginning to grow in its importance as well as we continue harnessing power from it. Yes, storms are very important.

Storms in our career are also very important. These storms can be an unexpected layoff, a turbulent relationship with a coworker or supervisor, or maybe life in its entirety is getting a little heavy.

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