Category Archives: Resources For Candidates

How to Cope with Stress in the Workplace

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Have you ever been kept up in the middle of the night, tossing and turning, worrying about the upcoming workday? Everyone gets a little anxiety or stress from time to time, but, according to the Gallup Poll Social Series, 79% of Americans say they frequently feel stress throughout their day. So, what is causing your stress? In order to reduce it, you first must understand what is making you stressed or anxious in the first place. Some of the most common causes of stress at work include office conflicts, high workloads and irrational deadlines, insufficient working environments, the feel of not being in control of your projects, disorganization, physical discomfort, and weak management.

Now that we know what could be causing all this tension, let’s figure out some techniques you can try to feel a little more “Zen” at work:

Avoid Gossip, Rumors, and Conflict

Avoiding conflict is always a great idea in the workplace. Don’t let office relationships stress you out. You’re going to have to be around the same people 40 hours a week, so keep a low profile. Try not to succumb to all the gossip and the office humor. If you know you don’t work well with some employees, try to stay away from them. Your mind will thank you later. And, if conflict does find you, figure out a way to deal with it calmly.

Sort Out Your Projects

One of the main reasons why people feel pressure in the office is because of the high workloads and irrational deadlines. The first thing you can do is come into the office with a positive mindset. This can make a big difference in how you start the day and how you dive into your projects. You can also write it all out. Place your time-sensitive projects at the top of your to-do lists. Figure out what tasks are super important and get started on them first. Don’t procrastinate – get right to it.

Create Your Own Positive Working Environment

Get into the groove of creating your own personal, positive working environment. Listen to music through headphones to keep the distractions under control. In fact, “research suggests that listening to music can improve your efficiency, creativity and happiness in terms of work-related tasks”.  You should also bring a few things to work to place on your desk. Things like pictures of families or friends, flowers, books, and pictures of quotes can lift your spirits during the workday. If physical discomfort is getting you down, try splurging on a comfier chair or comfier (yet professional) clothes.

Establish A Communicative Relationship with Your Boss

Talk it out with your boss. Let them know what they can do to create a better environment for both of you. Admit what is triggering your anxiety and figure out a way to contain it – together. Having an easy and honest relationship with your boss is best, especially when struggling with unwanted tension.

Tidy Up Your Space

Staying organized is one of the most basic solutions to reducing stress. If you are already feeling anxious because of your workload, why worsen it with having a messy desk? Some ways to keep your desk tidy are having organizers and folders for different projects in your drawers and on your desktop computer, purchasing a planner/calendar, getting rid of old papers, labeling drawers, and making things more accessible. Read this article for some benefits of having a clean office space.

Relieve the Pressure by Being Active and Mindful

Try to get your heart beating by going for a walk during your lunch break or heading to the gym for a quick workout. Working out has many great benefits including relieving stress. You can also take a ten-minute break to do some stretches or yoga poses in your office. Doing breathing exercises with help too by calming down the mind. Breathe in through your nose for five seconds and out through your mouth for ten seconds, then close your eyes and imagine your happy place – be there for a couple of minutes. This can slow down your mind and help you regain focus on your work.

Work-Life Balance is the Ultimate Way to De-Stress

Setting boundaries on when your coworkers can contact you for work-related projects or questions are important.  After a long work week, it won’t be fun thinking you are done for the week and then having to answer some work calls or emails. You should also be using your paid time off for vacations and mental health days to recharge your brain.

Live A Healthy Lifestyle

It’s so easy to want to come home from work and make unhealthy choices by eating loads of ice cream and chips. Sure, it makes you feel better in that moment, but in the long run, it makes you feel worse. Whip up a healthy dinner with a lot of vegetables and protein. Not only should you be making good eating decisions but getting a full night’s rest is key. If you don’t get enough sleep, you will feel unfocused during your workday which can affect completing your projects and tasks for that day. That will eventually stress you out later in your workday. It’s a complete circle. Sleep means staying focused and staying focused means getting all your work done which keeps you stress-free!        

Stress Diary

If you still can’t seem to get a grip on your stress and anxiety, purchase a journal and write down everything that is making you stressed out during the week. Record how you are handling the stress and at the end of the week, figure out what you can do to handle the stress better. Include your physical and emotional reactions and your peers’ reactions. The more detailed, the easier it will be containing your worry.

Don’t let stress take over your career. If you’re getting frustrated easily or find yourself feeling anxious, listen to your body. Take the time to implement these stress relieving techniques for the workplace and you’ll find your professional and personal life improve.

 

 

How To Keep Your Workspace Organized

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There are many reasons why you should be keeping your workspace organized and clean so here are some easy tips that you can do to get your desk in a way that would make Marie Kondo proud.

Graphic Attribution: 1, 5,

How to Work from Home Successfully

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You’ve been dreaming of this day ever since you started working. That fabulous life of waking up and working in your jammies all day from your own humble abode. You get to skip out on the pesky morning traffic, your grouchy boss, those darn office politics, and most importantly, the brown colored water in your office they call “coffee”. Seems like a great way to work, right? Wrong. It’s actually way harder than it seems. Working from home is a luxury that is earned because your boss trusts you and it’s important not to take advantage of this newfound freedom.

Here is some insight on how to work from home like a boss:

Routine is Important

When you first start working from home, it can be a little overwhelming. Where do you start first? How do you prioritize your tasks? When do you take your breaks? Can you even take breaks? The best thing you can do for the first couple of weeks is develop a routine that suits you. If you get up and immediately start working, it sets the tone for the day and determines how productive you will be. Plus, if you’re up before everyone gets in the office, it gives you the chance to get ahead. If you have children that need to be picked up from daycare, write down all the things you need to get done before you leave to go pick them up. Try setting an alarm for an hour and then take a five-minute break to succumb to one of the many distractions around your house – like laundry or putting away the dishes. Get into a groove that works best with your schedule and stick to it!

Get Out of Those Pajamas!

Staying in your pajamas while working from home makes it easy to succumb to getting back into bed. Don’t be lazy – change into something you would wear if you were going into the office. Dress for success!

Take Care of Your Distractions Before You Start

Distractions. Your children, the television, your loud neighbors, the doorbell ringing, household chores, and your phone are all great examples of why it’s so hard to work from home. Take care of them beforehand. Make a point to only use your phone for work-related calls, drop your kids off at daycare, keep the television off, and do NOT answer that door! If you must, reward yourself with 5 minutes of distraction time – that is, if you get your important tasks done.

Get Your Own Office Space

Just because you’re not in the office doesn’t mean you can’t create your own workspace at home! Create an office out of a spare room in your house or if you can’t do that, find a clean, quiet space to do your work. Having your own space keeps the distractions at bay.

Work {Away} from Home

Yes, it’s called “work from home” but you don’t actually have to be at home. In fact, getting out of your house and working in libraries, coffee shops, or anywhere else with Wi-Fi, gives you the feeling of still being in a working environment, plus you’ll be in a space where the coffee is good! It also gets you away from all the distractions at home. Get out of the house – grab your work necessities and head on over to the closest Starbucks stat!

Take Many Breaks – Seriously!

If you have been working all day long without any breaks, then you’ll burn out fast. Get some fresh air – take a ten-minute walk around your house or go get a cup of coffee from a local coffee shop. Take time to recharge yourself so you’re ready to crush the next couple of hours.

Working from home is a lot tougher than it seems and it’s hard not to get sucked into all the distractions. If you’re new to working from home and you’re having a difficult time adjusting to all the distractions around you, read this article to help you stay focused.

Top Five Things That Hinder Career Growth

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Are you not feeling satisfied with yourself in the professional world? Have you not been able to reach any of the goals you set?

You could have developed some negative traits that are holding you back in your career. Here’s five:

Graphic Attribution: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

 

Phone Interview Tips for Candidates

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When you work with a recruiting agency, a critical part of landing a job somewhere is the phone interview. Your dedicated recruiter will work hard to find you great job opportunities wherever you want to go and will represent you well to potential employers. But, the phone interview is your first chance to talk directly with an employer. Thus, it is incredibly important that you are able to make a good first impression over the phone and convey your skills and interests clearly.

Of course, it is only natural to feel some pressure and nerves during a phone interview. But don’t worry — we are here to help you feel relaxed, confident, and prepared when talking to a potential employer for the first time over the phone. Here are some tips so you can ace your next phone interview.

  • Eliminate outside noises and distractions.

    The quickest way to tank a phone interview is to have a communication breakdown. That means don’t plan on having the call in a noisy coffee shop or outside by a busy street. You should be able to hear the employer clearly, and you definitely want them to hear you.

  • Study up on the company.

    An interviewer can always tell how interested you are in the job offering. If you haven’t put any effort into researching the company, it will come back to bite you. When talking about your experience and skills, try to connect them concretely to how they will serve you well at the exact job you are interviewing for.

  • Pull up your resume, cover letter, and the job description.

    The interviewer will certainly have these in front of them when asking you questions, and you don’t want to have to ask them what is on your own resume. Plus, this can help you focus your thoughts and jog your memory to help you give better answers.

  • Give focused, tight answers at a relaxed speed.

    A phone interview is typically not a long one. It is meant mostly to screen out candidates who are a bad fit. So, you don’t need to tell your whole life story — get to the point and answer the questions directly. This doesn’t mean you should cram in information by talking fast, either. Slower is better, especially over the phone.

  • Think about your answers to common questions ahead of time.

    Common questions like “What are you looking for in a job?” or “Why do you want to work for us?” shouldn’t trip you up. You should expect them and have confident answers already prepared so you can put your best foot forward.

  • Ask thoughtful questions.

    It is a big red flag if you don’t have any questions at the end of your interview. There’s no way you already know everything there is to know about the position, so if you don’t ask anything, your interviewer will think you aren’t seriously interested. Ask about day-to-day questions to show that you are genuinely considering what it would be like to work there.

If you are looking for a job anywhere in the health care industry, our team of recruiters would love to help you. HealthCare Support has positions ranging from administrative to executive and works in every state throughout the nation. Our team will assist with your resume, interview prep and onboarding as well as anything you may need help with throughout your assignment. To start your next health care job search with view our Current Openings on our website. If you do not see what you’re looking for, Join Our Talent Network to stay informed when one becomes available.

Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting My First Job

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Whether you’re a new grad or you’ve decided to look for a new position, congratulations on the new adventure you’re starting! Not only can this be a really exciting time for you, but it can also be a bit stressful. Full disclosure: this will be one of the toughest times in your life. Yes, there are tons of positions open all over the world, but you’re also in the same position as four million other people!  Don’t get discouraged though! The time will come where you start going on interviews and then, finally, you’ll start your first job!

Starting your very first full-time job can be a little overwhelming. While it’s an exciting time because you finally get to start making your own money to save up for a new car, a house, a wedding, or just to start paying off your student loans, the unknowns can be a little stressful. Here are a couple of things I wish I knew before starting my first position:

Everyone is on their own timeline.

Some people have their dream jobs right out of the gate and others will still be in school getting their Master’s. The worst thing you can do is compare yourself to them. You are not falling behind, and you are not way ahead, you are right on time.

You’re going to make many, many, MANY mistakes.

That’s really the only way you are going to learn. You’re not going to learn anything by being perfect. The worst thing you can do is get angry with yourself.  Forget the mistake, remember the lesson and move on.

Make the extra effort to befriend your coworkers.

Starting a new job can be intimidating and so can the people around you. When you start your first workday, try to introduce yourself to as many people as possible. Remember people’s names and make an effort to start a conversation. The friendlier you are, the more comfortable you and your coworkers will be.

There is an opportunity in every single task.

Whether it be a team outing, helping a coworker, or grabbing lunch with your boss,  always think about the possible positive outcomes – you could be surprised where it takes you. “Our lives are defined by opportunities, even the ones we miss.” Eric Roth

Decorate your office/cube.

There is no shame in making your office or cubicle feel a little more like home. Grab some picture frames or an inspirational quote and put it on your desk. You’ll spend 40 hours a week in that space, you might as well spice it up with things you like. AND it doesn’t hurt to keep it clean.

Setting attainable goals.

Whether it be work related or personal, it’s important to set goals. Goals are like plans that help us break things down into doable tasks. Too often we celebrate finished products and not all the little tasks we completed that got us there. Allow yourself the gratification of completing all these tasks, you’ll be surprised how accomplished and motivated you feel.

You are not alone if starting a new job stirs feelings of anxiety and fear.  Be confident in your skills, remember they hired you and trust the process. For help with resume writing, preparing for your interview, negotiating salaries, and more subscribe to our blog.

 

 

Helping Candidates and Their Families

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At HealthCare Support, we think it is important to keep the bigger picture always in front of us. What are we really doing? We connect medical employers with excellent candidates seeking jobs. But even more fundamentally than this, we are helping candidates provide for themselves and their family. And, in many cases, this can be a life-changing thing. A job is no small thing — it affects every single aspect of your life.

What separates our firm from other recruitment agencies is that we never lose sight of what is most important in this business: the people. Our recruiters understand the difference a job can make to people, especially those with families, and they always remember that they are there to help find the best fit possible for their clients. With our team, you won’t be stonewalled as soon as you sign a job contract — we want to know how everything is going and if we can do anything to help you adjust to your new surroundings. At the end of the day, what matters most to us is shaping the futures of our candidates and their families.

Don’t take our word for it. Here are some testimonials from candidates with families who want to share what the HealthCare Support difference means to them.

“I am a single mom of a little girl, I had a job when Hanna reached out to me. I took a chance and with Hanna on my side, I took a chance for a better life for my daughter and me. With Hanna’s help I now have a full-time job making more money and a new apartment to call home. All because Hanna had a feeling and knew I could do it! I was just offered a permanent job with the company I am working for, but it wouldn’t be possible without Hanna’s hard work and belief in me! She walked side-by-side with me and I will be forever grateful for all she’s done for my family! Thank you Hanna from the bottom of my heart!”

  • Samantha R.

“I literally had no money and two kids at home with me. I was desperate for a job and that’s when you happened. I was totally without any confidence — didn’t trust my judgement, didn’t believe in myself, and felt worthless. If you hadn’t helped me with the interview, sent me those interview guides, gone over what I needed to think about and build up my confidence I would have never gotten the job. I so appreciate your help and professionalism. I just wanted you to know that your kindness truly helped me.

Thanks again John. You are great at your job and you make a difference. You are the best!!”

  • Kelly H.

“… I am a seasoned professional that has not had to be in the market for career opportunities in over a year. Having had some disheartening experiences in today’s market with limited human contact in the search, I was blessed to have had Ms. Ashley Greene reach out to me. I immediately felt that she is engaging, takes interest, and is recruiting from a place of true understanding from both the candidate and her client’s perspective. Ms. Ashley Greene has been encouraging, understanding, supportive, reassuring, and diligent with contact. She has invested in me and my career search and is demonstrative of what is necessary in this very important aspect in one’s life. It is rare to find the personal touch that Ms. Ashley Greene has given me. As a result, my resume and career options with HealthCare Support seem like it will be a most positive outcome! I can only imagine that if she is an example of the customer service and mission of your organization, there is true hope for those of us who value work ethics and want to be successful in a successful company and career.”

  • Desiree D.

These are just a few real-life stories of candidates we have helped find a home in the past. If you are currently looking for a job to provide for your family, HealthCare Support would love to assist you. To get started, please visit our website and search our Current Openings or Join Our Talent Network.

How to Prevent Common Nursing Mistakes

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The nursing profession is an extremely rewarding one. Nurses frequently interact with their patients multiple times a day and can see the results of all their hard work as they help get the sick and injured back to health.

Nevertheless, it can be stressful trying to stay on top of everything while still administering a high level of care. Understandably, nurses often feel a lot of anxiety about making mistakes because they can be so costly. However, if you are fully aware of the most frequent errors nurses tend to make, you will be prepared and recognize them before they happen. Here are some things you should do to avoid nursing mistakes while on the job.

Check and double-check medications

It is so easy to make a mistake involving a patient’s medication. In a busy hospital, you can easily lose track of who is supposed to take what. There are five key questions you should always ask yourself before administering medication:

  1. What kind of medication is it?
  2. What dose should it be?
  3. Who is it going to?
  4. When should it be given?
  5. How should it be given?

If you keep these in mind, you will never make a medication error.

Be aware of the mobility of patients

So many patients fall in a hospital. Many are weakened by illnesses, surgical procedures, or age, and nurses should check in with them frequently. Otherwise, they might try to get up and move around before they are ready and hurt themselves. Be aware of patients who might need extra attention or who seem to be the greatest liability to fall.

Wash your hands and clean your equipment

Infections can spread easily inside hospitals, nursing homes, and care facilities. Nurses can play a crucial role in limiting the spread of diseases by maintaining good hygiene before seeing each patient. Wash your hands after coming into contact with anything, and clean any equipment before and after using it.

Keep proper documentation

One of the most frustrating nursing errors is the failure to document care correctly. Some forget to do it at all, and others either put down inaccurate information or cut corners. Always strive to record as much as possible to ensure that your patients are getting the quality of care they deserve, and so that doctors can accurately monitor a patient’s progress.

Ask for help

If you aren’t qualified or comfortable doing something like lifting a patient who has fallen, don’t attempt the action on your own. Always ask another nurse to help so that you don’t cause any harm to patients. It is never the time to play the hero — the goal is patient care, and there’s no shame in asking for help if it means the safety of everyone involved.

Looking for a nursing job? The HealthCare Support team can find you the perfect fit. We love placing professionals passionate about healthcare in jobs around the country, from entry level candidates to top-level executives. To find out what openings we currently have, view our current openings.