Tag Archives: recruiting

How to Choose Between Two Qualified Candidates

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You have seen tons of applications, you have done countless phone interviews, and have been through many face-to-face interviews, but now you are stuck. There are two very qualified candidates that you just can’t seem to choose between. These two candidates have been side by side throughout the entire recruitment process, so how are you going to choose between these two candidates? Here are a few things to keep in mind if this situation occurs:

  1. For the Long Haul

Which of these candidates do you see fitting well long-term? Look into the future. What candidate do you think will positively impact the company down the road? Look past all the requirements and look at how much potential they have to grow and move up in the company. Also, look at the skills they have that don’t apply to the position, but could still be very useful to the company, such as leadership skills, enthusiasm, or being able to work in a team. There’s also the factor that this process is a two-way street. You might pick one candidate and they may not end up accepting the position. So, go with your gut. It’s usually never wrong.

  1. Coffee Break

Take them out for coffee. Get to know them a little outside the office.  Keep in mind that you’re going to be spending most of your time with them, so which candidate can you see yourself hanging out with or getting along with the rest of the team? While hanging out once may not uncover everything there is to know about the person, it will almost certainly leave you with a clear picture of if you mesh well. If possible, bring some of your coworkers with you and see what they think. Different people catch different things.

  1. Use References

Contact their previous employer for a reference. All it takes is one negative review, or even a sentence, from their previous employer for you to choose one over the other.

  1. Cover All Your Bases… Again

Make sure you have asked their thoughts on salary, the role, growth, etc. one last time. They should have no questions about the expectations for the position. During this final comparison you may uncover that one candidate has a bigger salary in mind or cannot say for certain if they’d accept the position immediately because they are interviewing for others simultaneously.

There are worst things than being torn between two great candidates. Even though the final decision is harder than you expected, the good thing about this situation is you’re going to end up with a good candidate no matter what. If you’re in the opposite position and struggling to find even 1 great candidate for your opening, consider working with a staffing and recruiting firm like ours. We specialize in the placement of healthcare professionals in both clinical and non-clinical roles and have a proprietary database with over 1 million vetted candidates. To start the process with us, submit a job request form here.

Working from Home for Working Parents

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Some parents who work in an office all day think working from home is a dream, especially when they’re struggling to balance work responsibilities and parent responsibilities. But the truth is, working from home with the kids is way harder than it seems. With the constant distraction, it’s tough to get all your tasks done. Don’t get us wrong, working parents are known for their extreme multi-tasking, but when is it too many tasks? If daycare has been out ruled, here are some tips to help you work from home with those little rascals:

  1. Create a Schedule.

    If you think you can get most of your responsibilities done in the early morning when your kids are eating breakfast, during their naptime, or late at night when they are all in bed, let your coworkers know that these are the times you’ll be online. It’s likely your work hours will not be the traditional eight hours. Look for spontaneous work moments. If your child is occupied for a short moment like watching an episode of Paw Patrol, get some work done that you can easily put a pause to in case they need your undivided attention again, like answering emails.

  2. Make sure the children 100% know that you are working.

    Have a talk with them, let them know the situation, and tell them there needs to be minimal disruptions throughout the day. Let them know they are part of the “team” as well and their job is to make sure you stay busy all day.

  3. Give your children incentives.

    Tell them if they’re good until lunchtime, you’ll take them to the park or out for some pizza. You can also give them task incentives. These could be “if you don’t disrupt mommy on this work call, I’ll give you a popsicle.” Then, that popsicle should keep them quiet for a little while longer *winky face*.

  4. Have boundaries

    . If you have a job that requires your undivided attention for long periods of time, create a home office. Let your kids know that when you’re in your “work space” you are not to be disrupted. Not only is your attention on your work, but you also won’t feel that pull to your children.

  5. To-Do lists save lives!

    Okay, not really. But they do help immensely. When you’re doing your work, give your kids a list of fun educational activities to do and if they finish that, give them a to-do list that involve chores (But don’t write “chores” on it or they won’t want to do it!) Some of these jobs could be to clean the playroom or set the table for dinner. This will keep them occupied for a little while.

  6. Entertainment is key.

    If toys and TV just aren’t cutting it, create a “boredom bowl”. In the “boredom bowl”, have fun little things they can do. Some examples are: build a Lego tower as high as you can or draw a self portrait of the family. As they get older, you can tie in some of your work responsibilities into the “boredom bowl”, such as filing.

  7. Ask for help.

    If you are knee deep in work, can’t seem to get anything done, and you’ve run out of options, don’t be ashamed to ask for help. Sometimes it’s necessary to ask a friend, relative, or hire a nanny to get in a couple uninterrupted hours of work done.

Being a parent isn’t easy, especially while you’re working. Equip yourself with the right tools and mindset to succeed and be sure to keep open lines of communication with your employer.

How to Make a Good First Impression

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A career in healthcare offers many rewards: there is job growth and security with the US Bureau of Labor Statistics noting that the healthcare industry is projected to grow by 26% through 2022, not to mention the high earning potential due to the high demand and sensitivity of the job; as well as the ability to make a direct difference in the form of delivering quality healthcare to your patients. However, depending on the niche and the cost of entry, entering the industry can be very competitive. If you finally landed an interview with a potential employer or a recruiter, here’s how to prepare yourself and ace that interview.

It starts by getting on a recruiter’s radar. You will need to understand how recruiters function: recruiters get paid to find candidates not easily found by other recruiters or by competing companies. Start by investing in a quality LinkedIn profile, and investing in networking and forging authentic connections. Alternatively, you can invest in curating a professional blog that will describe your expertise in the healthcare industry, as well as pontificate about your shortcomings and how you were able to prevail. A public persona can position you as an authoritative figure in the healthcare industry and will attract the attention of potential recruiters.

Acing Your Interview

First impressions matter

You are very much well aware that you should wear professional attire to your interview. However, what matters is to how you approach the recruiter and how you answer their initial questions. When they ask to tell them about yourself, what they really are asking is: “are you qualified enough? Personable enough?” Make sure to keep steady eye contact and describe relevant experiences in your field. But also do not be afraid to add personal details. This is the time to show how your personality traits and life goals are assets and lend themselves nicely to your career path.

But do not become too familiar

Telling the interviewer more than they should know could be a fatal mistake. They want individuals who can process information and have a strong backbone while doing it. Remember that as a healthcare professional, you’re going to be placed in precarious, emotional, and highly charged situations through your career. Being too personable can be a detriment. Be friendly, but do not divulge into personal information during the interview. If you are not able to gauge familiarity, then follow the lead of the interviewer and mimic the demeanor of the person interviewing you.

Ask curious questions

When the interview concludes, many candidates will be asked if they have any questions — and unfortunately, most will answer with no, and nervously leave the room. It is imperative to ask questions and demonstrate an interest in the industry. Asking questions will also reveal if the workplace is the right place for you.

How to Stand out During an Interview

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As of September, 2018, there were more than six million Americans look for a job. And while there are at least that many job openings, many are in lower paying job sectors. To say that the competition is fierce for permanent, well-paying, career positions is no understatement. With so many applicants, it’s more important than ever to make yourself memorable (in a good way) after you’ve been chosen among the sea of job seekers to have an interview with the company you’re looking to join.

  1. Be polite and respectful

    While we agree that this should be expected of all applicants, the reality of today’s society is that not all people take the time to be polite and kind. Your demeanor counts and that note thanking the interviewer for his or her time could just be the small thing that sets you apart.

  2. Look professional

    Dress as if you already held the position you’re seeking (and not on a casual day). Your look will help the interviewer to envision you in the open position.

  3. Do your homework

    Again, every applicant should learn a little bit about the company they are looking to join, but many don’t take the time. Ask a few thoughtful questions that show you are interested enough to learn whether the company will be a good fit for you.

  4. Answer questions with examples

    When an interviewer asks you about what skills you’ll bring to the open position, answer with an example of what you’ve done in the past rather than a generic (an unsubstantiated) trait.

Job interviews are undeniably stressful, and the competition for most jobs is considerable. Make your time in front of the person doing the hiring count by being polite and respectful, dressing for the position, taking time to do your homework and trying to answer questions with examples rather than platitudes.

How to Write a Thank You Email Following an Interview

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Congratulations! You nailed that interview for your dream job. Rather than simply wait around to hear from your prospective employer, there are a number of proactive steps you can take post-interview to reinforce your interest in the position. One of the simplest and most effective ways is to say thank-you.

Why Say Thanks?

Most importantly, it’s common courtesy to thank someone for taking the time to meet with you. But it’s also an additional opportunity to put yourself out there and possibly impress your next employer. In a competitive job market, small things can make the difference between two equally qualified candidates.

Tips for Crafting an Effective Thank You Email

  • Don’t delay; send your thank you within 24 hours of your interview. HR decisions are often made quickly, and you’ll want to cement a good first impression as quickly as possible.
  • Send it to everyone who met with you, not just the lead interviewer. They all took the time; they should all be thanked. And you never know who will be in your corner should the hiring decision be made by committee. That said, avoid a group email and take the time to craft individualized messages.
  • Don’t be overly casual, but try to be friendly and positive rather than formal. If it’s appropriate, remind them who you are by touching briefly on a laugh or point of interest that came up during your interview.
  • If you promised to send additional information about yourself (social media profiles, an online portfolio, work samples) or some point of conversation shared during your interview, include links.
  • Gracefully, reiterate why you are the best person for the job.
  • Check for grammar or spelling – there should be no mistakes in your thank you note.
  • Be sincere. You are grateful for the opportunity to interview so express that clearly.

Writing thank you notes may be a dying art form, but real courtesy never gets old. Keep your post-interview thank you email brief, relevant and warm. That way, even if you don’t get the job, you’ll be leaving those who interviewed you with a great impression that may yield future opportunities.

Writing a Resume the Right Way

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It’s time. You’ve put this off for months now and it’s constantly nagging you in the back of your mind. It’s time to update your resume. Resume work is one of the most tedious tasks because there are so many wrong ways to do it and contradicting tips across the internet. There’s also the common rule that resumes should be one page long, whether you’re struggling to fill it or your experience is overflowing, don’t let this trip you up. We’re here to make resume writing a skill all can succeed at!

So, what should be put on it and what should not?

A resume is composed of four main sections:

  1. Contact Information

  2. Skills/Professional Summary

  3. Experience

  4. Education

The way it is organized should be based on how you want to format your resume and how you want to prioritize your information.

  1. Contact Information

The important contact information you must include on your resume:

  • Your name
  • Current email address
  • Current phone number

Adding your mailing address to your resume is optional, but certainly makes it easier for recruiters to make sure they are contacting you only for positions that are near you. Remember that if any of your contact information changes you should update your LinkedIn and any other locations your resume is housed.

  1. Skills/Professional Summary

Consider this a snapshot of your experience and the part that will capture the reader’s attention and determine whether or not they’ll continue reading your resume. The ‘Skills’ or ‘Professional Summary’ section is a list compiled of your best skills and is most commonly shown using bullet points.

You might list something like:

  • 5+ years medical front office experience
  • Sufficient in Microsoft Suite, specific scheduling software, etc.
  • Ability to answer multi-line phone with 100 inbound calls per day while operating check-in window

  1. Experience

This section will take up a good chunk of the space, but keep in mind that not every job will go on it. You only want the jobs you’ve had in the past 10 years or the most relevant ones. Also, make sure there are no gaps in your job history.

You want to have your most recent job at the top of your ‘Experience’ list and then have your jobs listed in reverse-chronological order. When labeling your experiences, you should have a maximum of five bullet points under each job.

Here’s a tip! If you are applying for a job, go off the advertised job description and elaborate your experience for that skill on your resume. When you get the chance, use numbers to quantify your experience.

  1. Education

The ‘Education’ section should list the schools you attended and the degrees you’ve earned. Just like in your ‘Experience’ section, this should be in reverse-chronological order. If you’ve graduated from schools higher than high school, leave your high school off.

Add your major and what you studied or concentrated in. Along with your studies, fill in any awards or honors you received whether it’s Valedictorian or Honor’s Society. If you don’t think your GPA is good enough, don’t put it. And, if you’re not a student, don’t put it at all. Also, make sure to put the month and year you graduated.

Now that we know what to put in your resume, let’s go over some things that absolutely shouldn’t be on your resume.

  1. Anything personal such as your height, weight, social security number, marital status, your religious beliefs, or your sex.
  2. Don’t be that person who has the word “Resume” written at the top of it. The employer will know 100% that it is, indeed, a resume.
  3. Leave your photographs out of it. Selfies cropped to remove friends from the picture and even some professional head shots can be a laughing stock. And due to Equal Employment Opportunity legislation, an employer would never ask for this.
  4. Grammar and Spelling Errors!!! Make sure you double, triple check that you have no errors on your resume.

At HealthCare Support, our recruiters are resume writing experts. In fact, one of our recruiters average at least 20 resumes a week. If you feel stuck and need a hand, we are here to help you display your skills to the best of your ability and land your dream job!

Are you Dreaming of a White (and Worry-Free) Christmas?

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year! People’s cubicles and offices are decorated in all things merry, seasonal candles are being burned, and holiday music is flowing out of speakers. Everyone’s getting antsy and they know it’s almost time to get out of town to be reunited with their families. Some people may have mentally checked out already, these people are part of the Great Christmas “Click Off”. December 16th is the day of the Great Christmas “Click Off”, meaning this day is the point when productivity plummets in the office. Don’t be a part of the “Click Off”, push until the holiday. We even made it easy for you by brainstorming some ways to make sure all your responsibilities are done, and you are worry-free before heading home for holidays!

  • When you know the dates of your vacation, let your manager and coworkers know. Put your hours in early and make sure it’s not around any important deadlines or meetings.
  • There is nothing worse than coming back into the office from a long weekend and having your desk be a mess. Before heading out for the holidays, go through your drawers and organize them. Get some Windex and give your desk a wipe down. If someone needs to find a file in one of your drawers, it will be easy for them to find. Plus, you’ll be all set to grind in the new year!
  • Have two separate to-do lists. One needs to be time-sensitive. These involve things that absolutely must be done before you leave. The other list includes things that aren’t as time sensitive but still need to be done before you go. Also, check your calendar and see if there is anything coming up when you get back from the holidays.
  • Clear your schedule for the last two hours before you leave for the holidays and the first two hours you get back from the holidays. A coworker may have an important, last minute task that you need to attend to or someone might need your undivided attention as soon as you return.
  • Find a coworker to cover for you. Make sure they have everything they need during your time off. Meet with them before you leave and answer any questions they may have. Tell your coworkers and boss this person will be filling in for you while you’re gone. Lastly, bring them back a little something for all they’ve done!
  • People who are out of the office might want to put an automatic email responder. You should include how long you are going to be away from your email for, when and if you’ll ever be checking into your email, and who to contact in case of an emergency. Even add a touch of holiday to them, if you’d like.

Some good examples:

For the Grinches –

Hello,

Thank you for reaching out. Unfortunately, I will be out of the office from December 21st to January 3rd for the holidays. I will be checking my email sporadically throughout the week. If this is an emergency, please contact John Doe at johndoe@company.com.

Wishing you a happy holiday.

Sincerely,

[Your name]

 

For the people with some holiday cheer –

Happy Holidays,

Thanks for your email! You caught me on my holiday vacation in Colorado! I will be out of the office, away in a cabin, with little to no service, making snowmen from December 19th to January 5th. If there is an emergency, contact Bob at bob@company.com. Until then, I’ll see you all in 2019.

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,

[Your Name]

 

For Buddy the Elves’ –

Ho-Ho-Hello there,

It’s my favorite time of the year! That means I’m at the north pole, helping Santa pack up the last of the gifts! I’ll be up here in the land of the holly and jolly until January 2nd. In the meantime, if you have an emergency you can contact John at john@company.com. I’ll try to check my emails every time Santa gives us a break, most likely every couple of days!

Until then, I hope your stuffing your face with Christmas cookies, making snowmen, and decorating your tree with tons of Christmas Spirit! – Oh, Santa’s looking for me, I got to go finish these dang wooden horses!

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night,

Santa’s little helper [Your Name]

Make sure you’re enjoying yourself over the holidays, you deserve it. Recharge and be ready to come back fresh for the new year! And, if you want some more career advice, subscribe to our blog here !

9 Ways to Foster a Positive Environment in the Office

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These days, most of our time is spent in the office, working our tails off, constantly being surrounded by the same people. It’s the same thing every day of the week and it’s hard not to get caught when there is a negative vibe going around. So, how do you establish a positive work environment? It’s simple. Encourage your employees to have positive attitudes. How do we do that? Here are a couple examples:

  1. Make your employees feel appreciated. Constantly.

I can’t begin to express how important this is. The best feeling you can achieve is feeling good about the work you have done. You’re doing so much, and some might not realize just how much blood, sweat, and tears you are actually putting in to your projects. Let your employees know all their hard work isn’t going unnoticed.

I appreciate you doing this…

I am really impressed by…

You are doing a great job doing…

I admire the way you…

The team wouldn’t have been so successful if you didn’t…

Thank you so much for doing this…

Something so little as a small compliment can do a 180 on someone’s attitude.

  1. Flexibility

Most of your employees have families. Some need to be home by a certain time to pick up their kids from school. Others need to schedule doctor’s appointments but they are almost impossible to get because of our work schedules. Offer your employees some flexibility in their work hours. Give them the chance to work remotely, even if it’s just for a little bit at the end of the day when all their kids are in bed. Allow them a little freedom to choose their own schedules and in return you will have less stressed-out employees.

  1. Random Acts of Kindness

Do something simple and sweet for one of your employees. Catch them off guard with some sincerity. Bring them a sweet treat from a bakery, a nice-smelling candle from a store, or write a positive, motivational quote for them and place it on their desk while they are at lunch. You never know the mood some people could be in and you don’t know what they are going through so sweeten up their day with a random act of kindness.

  1. Now, Walk it Out, Walk it Out, Walk it Out

Get with some employees and go for a little walk around the building or to the cafeteria. This is a great way to learn more about your employee’s lives outside of work. Also, walking improves your mood, increases your heart rate, and burns calories. I can’t think of a better way to burn calories than to walk around the building while gossiping about the latest Kardashian scandal!

  1. “Fun it Up”

Allow your employees to fun it up a bit with their cubicles, offices, and outfits. Have “Costume Tuesdays”, “Casual Fridays”, or “Workout Wednesdays”. Is it the holidays? Give your employees a chance to dress up their cubes in all things Christmas. Someone’s birthday? Decorate their office by sprinkling confetti on their desks, blowing up balloons, or creating a cute poster for them. Have music playing throughout the office with the latest hits. Get creative with it, everyone loves having fun!

  1. Don’t you Dare Micro Manage

No employee likes to be constantly looked over their shoulder by someone, especially their boss. Give your employees space to do their work and allow them to have the freedom to do their own thing. Macro managing will build trust and honesty throughout the company by giving them the satisfaction that they are bettering the company on their own.

  1. Company Incentives, YAY

Your employees will work harder if there is something in it for them as well as the company. If your sales team meets a goal, treat them to lunch or a round of drinks after work. Have company weekend trips for people who break records. Motivate your employees by giving them something for all their hard work.

  1. Exude Happiness

This one’s easy. It doesn’t take much. It’s easy to turn around someone’s day. They could be having the worst day of their life and need a sign of something good. This could be giving them a smile, asking how they are and listening to what they are saying, holding the door open for them, or cracking a joke and making them laugh. Show happiness everywhere you go, after all, your employees are human beings too.

  1. R-E-S-P-E-C-T *cue our girl, Aretha*

Back in kindergarten we learned one very important rule that is forever engraved in our brains. Treat others the way you want to be treated. Take this one to the grave and I promise you’ll have a more positive attitude because of it.

Here at HealthCare Support we encourage our employers to have positive attitudes day in and day out. It’s part of the reason our employees love coming to work. We have employees celebrating 5, 10, and 15-year anniversaries. It also plays a big factor in our ratings on Google, Glassdoor, and Facebook.

If you’re looking to partner with a positive team of staffing professionals, look no further than HealthCare Support.

This HEDIS Season

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HEDIS season is upon us and what better way to get a HEDIS position than teaming up with our recruiters here at HealthCare Support! At HealthCare Support, you’ll work with one recruiter and they will have up to ten positions to submit your resume to.  We have positions on the Pursuit Teams, Abstractors Teams, Research Teams, and Over Read Teams.

To apply for a HEDIS position, go to healthcaresppt.wpenginepowered.com and click the ‘Job Openings’ in the ‘I want to work’ section. Type in HEDIS in the search bar and apply! Make sure you read the description carefully and answer calls from numbers you may not recognize. Please note: when you are applying for a remote position, you MUST be in the state where HEDIS position is based in.

HealthCare Support starts looking to hire for a HEDIS position around October and these positions usually go from January to May. Some candidates may get the chance to be rolled over into other positions during the summer once HEDIS season is over. To maximize your chances of employment this season, be sure to connect with our recruiters on LinkedIn and respond to emails and voicemails in a timely manner.

We’d love to answer any questions you have about HEDIS Season! You can reach any recruiter from HealthCare Support at 407-478-0332.