Tag Archives: career

The Marie Kondo Effect – Spring Cleaning Edition

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The Marie Kondo Effect – Spring Cleaning Edition

Spring is here! Have you started your spring cleaning? If not, watch “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo” on Netflix to get in the spirit. In the meantime, we’ve summarized some tips and tricks for getting organized and clean this spring.

I know two things in life. 1. Cleaning is one of the least exciting things ever. 2. Getting rid of things you might actually need down the road is a tough thing to do — what if you end up needing that $3 butterfly net you got at Goodwill 2 years ago? Chances are you probably won’t ever use it ever again but there’s always that “what if”.

“Tidying Up with Marie Kondo” helps us with that. The show is basically about a woman that goes around to people’s houses and helps them purge by dumping all their things on their beds and seeing which items still “spark joy”. If they don’t, to Goodwill they go. This not only works for your living space, but also for your car, your computer files, and of course, your work office!

So, why is spring cleaning beneficial?

Being busy in the 8-5 business world, I’m sure organizing your desk is one of the last things on your mind, but it can be really important for your success. Here are a couple reasons why you should spring clean your desk/office right this second:

  1. It makes you more efficient.

    When you have a place or file for everything you wont waste your time looking through piles of papers on your desk. Everything is right where it should be, and this keeps you at the top of your game.

  2. Being unorganized is distracting.

    If there are a lot of things on your desk, it’s easy to get distracted by old papers or old projects. There is also the factor that looking at your messy desk, and thinking about how you have a messy desk, is also distracting and wasting time. Having an unorganized desk makes for an unorganized mind.

  3. It makes you appear more professional

    . Someone who is a very professional person takes pride in appearing clean and organized, whether that be their outfit, makeup, hair, or even their desk. Look at your desk from a different perspective. What does the way it looks say about you?

  4. Keeps important or sensitive information protected

    . Being unorganized could leave you at risk for accidentally exposing delicate information that can easily be misplaced on a messy desktop. Keep all your sensitive information stored in a locked drawer.

  5. More room to do your work

    . It’s hard to do your work when every time you reach for a sip of water, you knock something off your desk. Having a clean workspace, gives you the space you need to be diligent.

  6. Keeps you from getting sick!

    Besides productivity reasons, having a tidy desk also allows you to clean your desktop. Did you know the average desk contains 400 more germs than a toilet seat? Get in the groove of cleaning it every Friday, and you’ll surely cut back the amount of office colds you’re exposed to.

What better time than spring to do a little cleaning? Set some time aside to go through your drawers, your computer files, and your desktop to see which items “spark joy” in you. If they don’t, it’s time to say goodbye.

“Dos and Don’ts” While Interacting with Patients

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For those in the healthcare industry, interacting with patients is likely a key part of what you do every day. Though some like nurses and general practitioners see more of the patient than surgeons or anesthesiologists, anyone involved with healthcare needs to have the interpersonal skills to relate to their patients. After all, the whole purpose of healthcare is to administer to the sick and injured, and the relational aspect is no small piece of that. Here are some things to do, and not to do, every time you meet with a patient.

Things to Do

  • Encourage the patient to speak – This will help them feel valued and involved. A patient isn’t merely a broken machine to be set right, but a human being requiring care.
  • Listen carefully – Listening when a patient talks shows that you genuinely are interested in what they are saying, and you might actually learn something important for their treatment.
  • Answer the question the patient asks – Don’t immediately disregard uninformed questions, but answer as best you can and then explain how you see things. This will make it feel more like a conversation and less like a lecture.

Things Not to Do

  • Use jargon – In all likelihood, your patient probably didn’t go to medical school, so drop terminology which would be meaningless to them. An oversimplified understanding is better than not understanding at all for a patient.
  • Steamroll a conversation – Don’t just show up, lecture the patient, and leave before they had time to process anything you said. This is a great way to ensure that your patient will leave confused and dissatisfied with you as their caregiver.
  • Include unnecessary information – Another way to cause confusion is to explain too much or answer questions they didn’t ask. Be as clear and concise as possible. Otherwise your patient might forget key things you said in the stream of over-information.
  • Make assumptions about the patient – When a patient begins telling you something about their feelings or symptoms, don’t cut them off before they finish because you think you know what is wrong. This is a great way to alienate your patient and you might even jump to the wrong conclusion.

Find Your Next Healthcare Job

HealthCare Support can help talented, passionate healthcare professionals find the perfect long-term or short-term job. Our professional network is vast, and our dedicated team can help place you in the ideal situation for your career. To learn more about our open jobs and services, please give us a call at 407-478-0332.

Signs of a Good and Bad Job Candidate

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Finding the right employee to fill an open position at your company can be tough. If it seems like over and over again you are hiring the wrong people, you may need some help with the hiring process. Specifically, you need to be able to pick up on positive and negative signs of a candidate during the interview process. This way, you’ll avoid the dreaded situation of figuring out you’ve hired the wrong person and having to start the search over again. Watch out for the following indicators of good and bad candidates for your next job opening.

Good Sign: They show excitement and zeal.

Bad Sign: They seem disinterested or even bored.

Paying attention to the candidate’s level of interest in the job is critical. Sure, some may be polished, seasoned interviewees who know how to fake it for a job offer. But, you will usually be able to tell in your gut after getting to know them better if they are truly excited to work with you. On the other side, it is a serious red flag if the interviewee seems like they’d rather be somewhere else.

Good Sign: They are punctual and prepared.

Bad Sign: They are late and ill-prepared.

Punctuality conveys that the candidate values your time and is thoughtful enough to plan ahead. A good candidate will have multiple hard copies of their resume, and their resume itself will be carefully constructed with perfect grammar and punctuation. If a candidate comes in without their resume, or it has typos and basic mistakes, it shows that they are not detail-orientated and lack focus. If you think you can overlook these things, remember that they will likely make similar mistakes after you hire them.

Good Sign: They ask thoughtful questions.

Bad Sign: They have no questions at all.

If the candidate is asking in-depth questions about your company, it shows that they have spent time thoroughly researching things before coming in. Even more so, it demonstrates that they have carefully considered what it would be like to work at your company and aren’t sending out applications all over the place. A candidate that has no questions for you at the end of the interview is likely one that isn’t actually interested in your company, but sees the job simply as a way to make money.

The hiring process can be tiresome, stressful, and costly, so let HeathCare Support help you fill open positions with the right candidates. Our team specializes in matching all manner of health care professionals to employers looking to hire. Call us today to learn about how we can assist employers at 407-478-0332.

Get a Hobby – It’s Good for Your Career!

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A “work-life balance” seems to be what everyone is chasing after. You work hard all day so when you come home, you’re able to unwind by doing something you actually love to do. Your overall well-being is very important to your long-term success and your hobbies contribute immensely to that. Hobbies positively impact your personal life (for obvious reasons) and it also positively impacts your professional life as well. Here’s why:

  • There are some hobbies that build confidence. Being confident is a very important quality to have, especially in the workplace. It allows you to express your ideas or opinions in a poise manner. Confidence is the key to success, and it shapes the foundation of your endurance. Some hobbies that can boost your self-esteem and confidence are running marathons, yoga, traveling alone, and learning a new language or instrument.
  • Having hobbies make you seem like a more interesting person. It can help other people get a sense of what you’re all about and helps you connect with other people. People want to be around other people that have attractive lifestyles, otherwise there’s not much to talk about! Want to be a more interesting person? Try rock climbing, fishing, volunteering, or photography.
  • If you have the type of job where you are working your left brain all day, then maybe you need a hobby that works the right side. Having a creative hobby stimulates your brain and affects your brainstorming and problem-solving abilities. You’re able to think more outside the box and it sets you apart from other peers or companies. Start painting, writing, knitting, baking, or doing DIY projects.
  • Hobbies can improve your multitasking. Having a multitasking hobby can help speed up your performance, especially if you are working on a couple different things at one time. It can also help train your brain to stay focused for a long period of time. A couple great multitasking hobbies are cooking, dancing, and acting.
  • A great way to network is through having hobbies! By going to spinning classes, golfing, or playing team sports, you meet so many people and get a chance to widen your professional circle. Who knows, maybe your spin class neighbor is the CEO of your dream company!

Overall, everyone needs hobbies to stay sane. Get out there and find a couple things you like! There are millions of hobbies and, one way or another, they’ll affect your life in some way!

Tips to Stay Focused at Work

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Sometimes it’s tough to get your work done when there are so many things going on around the office — whether that’s because of coworker chit chat, that smartphone screaming your name begging to be checked (even though you checked it five minutes ago), or because your mind seems to be somewhere else.  It can be hard to keep your focus on your work throughout your day. But, don’t worry, we’ve got your back. Here are some ways to stay focused at work:

  1. Break it Up

Yes. It is absolutely okay to take little breaks. Go out for a walk around the building or do some stretches for five minutes.  Reward yourself for good chunks of work with a short, friendly chat with your cube mate or scrolling through your Facebook feed. But you also need to remind yourself that these distraction periods should last about five minutes, then it’s back to business. You control it!

  1. Turn it Off

If you’re one of those people who constantly checks their phone every five minutes (even though nothing is different), maybe it’s time to turn off your phone. We know, that’s easier said than done but, turning off your phone actually has some great benefits, such as, making sleeping and waking up easier, increasing efficiency, improving productivity, and boosting your memory.

  1. Headphones are Key

Let me guess. You sit close to a Chatty Kathy and a good chunk of your day is listening to them go on and on. Boy, do we have a solution for you! They’re called headphones! Wow! Amazing! But, seriously, if you put those bad boys in, Chatty Kathy will get the hint. Also, listening to music or podcasts provides inspiration and increases productivity. Especially, if you’re listening to jazz or classical music. Classical music is known for boosting your mood and your concentration. “Hey Siri, play Bach!”

  1. Water & Snacks

Water. What a marvelous thing. Water has so many benefits and it solves everyone’s problem (OK, not really, but almost). Drinking water helps clear skin, cure headaches, promote weight loss, increase brain energy and function, boosts performance in exercise, we could go on! So, make sure your cup of water is always within reach to avoid unnecessary breaks in the office kitchen or at the water fountain.

Just like water, make sure your snacks are within reach. The only thing that will cure that annoying, grumbling stomach that you’ve been thinking about for the past hour is food!

  1. Prioritize and List

Nothing will keep you more focused than writing all your tasks down. To-do lists help you prioritize what needs to get done and limits you to doing one thing at a time. Some people are great at multi-tasking but overall, multitasking lowers your work equality and efficiency. Keep your day organized with lists and cross those bad boys off when you finish a task, then reward yourself with a walk around the building.

Succumbing to those daydreams, phone alerts, or office chit chat can negatively impact you at work, so don’t let it happen! Put in those headphones, turn off that phone, or go to a quiet spot in the office for a little while – you’ll eventually notice you’re a lot more focused!

Seasonal Health Risks

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It always seems like everyone gets sick right around and after the holidays, doesn’t it? This year, it’s even worse than normal since winter has been so mild throughout the country. Allergens have persisted since there hasn’t been a steady freeze in many regions. Couple this with the usual viruses and infections making their rounds, and it’s a recipe for a rough season of sickness. Here are some of the more common illnesses to watch out for this winter.

Winter Allergies

Normally, allergies are the worst when plants start to bloom again in the spring. But in places like Florida, people have been struggling with seasonal allergies through even December and January since it has been so warm. Symptoms include a runny or congested nose, sneezing, itchy and watery eyes, ear blockage, postnasal drip, and general sinus inflammation. Allergies are best treated with prescription steroid nasal spray, but over the counter medications can help as well.

Common Cold

The common cold gets its name because it is a year-round virus, but it is more easily spread in winter. That fact has nothing to do with the nature of the virus itself – it spreads faster because people spend more times indoors to avoid cold weather, so more germs collect inside. The symptoms of this virus are primarily upper respiratory issues, like allergies, but could carry with them, in addition, a sore throat or cough with a mild fever. There is no treatment for this illness, but over the counter medications can help you manage the symptoms.

Seasonal Influenza

In contrast to the common cold, influenza or the flu does spread more easily in cold conditions, which is why the winter is dubbed the “flu season.” Because of this, most healthcare professionals stress the importance of getting a flu shot to guard against catching the virus. More serious fevers, muscle aches, and fatigue accompany this virus, in addition to all the other symptoms of a common cold.

Norovirus

Perhaps the nastiest thing going around during the winter is the norovirus, commonly called the “stomach bug.” Contrary to popular opinion, diarrhea and vomiting symptoms aren’t due to the flu or influenza, but to the norovirus. It generally lasts 1-3 days, but an infected person is contagious for a few days after recovering.

HealthCare Support is a national recruiting firm which strives to link talented healthcare professionals with employers across the country. We don’t only serve clinical professionals – we help everyone in the medical industry find the right job. To learn more about our services for employers and individuals, give us a call at 407-478-0332.

The Ideal Candidate – What to Look For?

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You have an open position in your company, you put out a detailed job description online and in comes numerous resumes. You pick your top prospects and you’re ready to interview them. Our question is, what do you look for in the ideal candidate? You obviously want someone with the background and experience, but there are other factors that come into play. So, what are some key qualities you look for in an interviewee? Funny you ask, they all start with P’s!

  1. Passion

The ideal candidate has the right experience for the job, but do they have the passion and enthusiasm? There’s a quote that says, “Choose a job you love, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.” You’ll want to hire someone who is excited about the opportunity and puts a little zest into everything they do.

  1. Personality

When you hire someone, that person should be someone who you think you can get along with. You’ll spend 40 hours a week with each other and it will drive you crazy when the person you’re talking to is spineless. It’s like talking to a wall! Find someone with a sense of humor and good character.

  1. Positivity

No Negative Nancies! It’s hard enough to succumb to the rumors and gossip around the office, but when your coworker bashes other employees, talks trash on other companies, or complains about everything they do, it gets frustrating. Positive employees make for peaceful and fun workplaces. Plus, positivity rubs off on other people!

  1. Player

Being a team player is a key quality to look for in an ideal candidate. There are many situations where people will have to work with others for group projects. Being a team player and teamwork motivates unity in the workplace and promotes workplace synergy.

  1. Potential

Look into the future. Where do you see these candidates in a couple months from now? A couple years? It’s important when hiring a candidate, you look for long term potential. Do you see them impacting the company positively in the next 6 months? You also must ask yourself if they are committed to the company and the position. Look into their past positions and see how long they stayed with their past companies.

When looking for the ideal candidate, there are a lot of things to consider. First impressions make final decisions. So, candidates, just be your best self. And clients, hire someone that brings a lot to the table. Don’t just hire someone for their experience.

Office Homies 101

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You just started your first day at your new job! Congrats! How was it? Did you make lots of friends? What are the people like? Are they friendly or serious? Outgoing or shy? Sorry, I probably sound like your mother, but making new friends at a new company is serious business and it can be tough, especially if you’re a little shy! A simple “Hi, how are you doing?” could start the beginning of a life-long friend. Also, according to a study, making friends at work not only brings you happiness, but it makes you very successful in your career. You are seven times more likely to be engaged in your job when you have friends around the office. So, how do you do it? How do you make friends in a professional setting? There are many factors that come into play with making and maintaining work amigos and there are some serious ground rules to follow:

Do’s

  • Do say hello and ask how they are. In fact, by the end of your first work week, make it your goal to say hi to everyone around you and try to learn names. The more the merrier!
  • People love to talk about themselves. When trying to make new friends, ask about them – where they are from, if they have any siblings, etc. These are easy conversations to have and you might have some things in common.
  • Ask for help if you need it and learn from other people. Eventually, people will feel comfortable approaching you with their own questions, which means they trust you. Trust is a very important component in relationships.
  • Attend your work events. I know. You see your coworkers 40 hours a week and, by the end of the week, all you probably want to do is get away from them, but that won’t help you build relationships. Attend the happy hours or plan a work lunch. Socializing outside the office makes relationships stronger and you also don’t have to worry about anyone eavesdropping into your conversations. Not only are you meeting more people and making more friends, but you’re also widening your network.
  • Do be a positive person. No one wants to surround themselves around negative people who always bash the company, their job, their significant other, or their parents. Keep it fresh, practical, and professional. Besides, positive people want to be surrounded by other positive people and, soon enough, the others will flock to you.

Don’ts

  • The last thing you need while starting a new job is succumbing to all the gossip and rumors. We all have our rough days and need an outlet for all the pent-up frustration, but don’t do it in the office. Save it for when you get home. You never know how complaining or bad mouthing someone will affect your work life down the road.
  • Keep outside problems to yourself. Your coworkers don’t want to hear you go on and on about what your s.o. said to you the other night or how your parents are driving you crazy.
  • Let’s not be one of those people that talk too much and are a huge distraction. Of course, talking is what creates relationships but don’t overdo it to a point where no one is getting any work done. On the contrary, don’t be so quiet and closed off. You won’t be making any friends that way!
  • Don’t burn bridges with any coworker. You never know where they are going to be in the future or if they can be a reference for your dream job. Treat everyone you meet with respect.
  • Don’t feel pressured to accept friend requests or follow other coworkers. It’s okay to want to keep your private life private. Your social media pages are for your social friends, not professional ones.

Remember: they’re your work friends not your social friends. Different rules apply between these two friend groups. By following these easy Do’s and Don’ts, you ought to make some great work friends and, just like you, they do have their own personal life. So, keep it practical, professional, and genuine.

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.