HRMC CareerLaunch

As economic growth remains at a standstill for most industries, job seekers are increasingly pursuing industries that have stabilized, or those that appear to offer greater employment security.  The healthcare industry has experienced the greatest increase in employment, and, according to newly released employment projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), it will add the most jobs through 2012.

Although the majority of positions within the healthcare sector are, in fact, clinical positions, I’m not suggesting you enroll in medical or nursing school to pursue a clinical career!  There are many non-clinical, management, and administrative support roles, such as in finance, marketing, human resources, and IT, among others. 

One of the biggest challenges in breaking into healthcare is a lack of direct industry experience.  By incorporating some advanced research and applying a strategy of networking, you will significantly improve your potential for getting noticed by recruiters and hiring managers, even though they may prefer candidates with industry experience.

Assess Your Transferable Skills

Take a step back and review your work history, experiences, technical skills, and professional core competencies.  To determine which are transferable and valuable to the healthcare industry, review and study the job descriptions (relative to your discipline—finance, HR, marketing, etc.) that are posted online.

1. Use a job lead aggregator, such as www.indeed.com, to review many job posting sites at the same time.

2. Start with your typical search for jobs based on your discipline and level, then search nationwide to broaden your research results.  Require specific industry-identifying words in the description, such as HEALTHCARE, “HEALTH CARE,” or HOSPITAL.

3. Copy the content of 10 to 15 “best match” job descriptions into a Word document.  Carefully review the content and identify the requirements that “mirror” your experience and skills.  Document those that are most common among all the postings.  These are your core transferable skills.

4. Finally, determine how to articulate these transferable skills to healthcare recruiters and hiring managers.

Industry Research

Become familiar with the “biggest players” in the local healthcare community (independent hospitals, healthcare systems, managed care, medical schools, residential care, etc.).  Use tools like www.indeed.com and www.simplyhired.com to determine those with the most employment activity.  Cross-reference what you find with LinkedIn to determine who you may know within these organizations to provide further insight and assist you in your new career goal.

People Research

Using similar search keywords as those above, use LinkedIn to find people currently employed within healthcare related to your area of expertise (finance, HR, etc.).  Furthermore, if you connect with people who have recently (1-3 years) transitioned their career into healthcare, you will gain an insider’s viewpoint of the challenges and learning curves when navigating this new environment.

By incorporating this process, you will discover ways to minimize the perceived gap of your experience relative to the healthcare community.  This process will naturally improve your visibility within influential circles of professionals and executives in the industry.  And, as I’ve told my clients for over two decades:  It’s NOT who you know…it’s who knows YOU!

Last week I had the pleasure of celebrating with two of HRMC’s outplacement clients who recently landed new positions within hours of each other!  As is our tradition, they joined fellow job search colleagues and the HRMC team in our lobby to formally toast their success.  As they shared their stories, I was reminded of the importance of the relationships that are established within our office, and how each of these individuals encouraged, challenged, and supported one another through the job search process.

Upon starting their journey with HRMC, our clients are encouraged to participate in our weekly networking and strategy session, which is where these two first met.  One was a product of a large downsizing following an acquisition of his firm; the other was a victim of an isolated restructuring move.  While each were unique, relative to their work experience, tenure, relocation potential, and career paths, each shared a personal drive and relentless effort of incorporating our career transition process into their search.  Both recognized the value of group support, and frequently shared their enthusiasm for the process with other job search colleagues.

As these two new friends started aggressive pursuits of their respective ideal opportunities, they stepped up their discipline in preparing for each level of their prospective employers’ employment processes.  Applying the personal coaching provided to each of them, they independently began motivating one another and even role-playing alternative approaches to interviews and questions.   These two clients who started the job search process sharing personal drive and relentless effort now have many more things in common:  a successful job search experience, a connection on LinkedIn, and, most importantly, many new friendships and ongoing relationships developed within the walls of HRMC.

Their success is an incredible inspiration for us all, and is evidenced by the large glass container of corks in our lobby, each one signed and dated by our alumni who have celebrated their job search success with us.  Having been in this business for over 25 years, I know these friendships extend well beyond the job search and, in most cases, last a lifetime.

So don’t go it alone in your job search. Consider the following:

Support Groups – Essential to a successful job search is positive motivation and feedback, achieved within formal groups or through “handpicked” colleagues, friends, and family.  Attend local support groups (in St. Louis, these include GO! Network, ExecuNet, BBJ, ExecLink-STL, among many others) and maintain your activity with those groups that fit your needs.  Note:  Before applying any newly-learned job search techniques or approaches, assess whether or not the advice is correct or suitable for you and your search!

Invest in Yourself – Regardless of when you last faced a job search, the game has changed significantly, so consider your ROI by learning and incorporating expert advice into your job search.  When considering career transition firms for help, these resources should be available and reviewed carefully:

• Multiple Consultants - Access to several consultants with diverse backgrounds offers widespread perspectives.
• In-depth Technology Training - Get the most out of online resources like Google, LinkedIn, Indeed, etc.
• Extended Networking - Introductions to career transition client alumni, LinkedIn contacts, industry leaders, etc.
• Group Meetings - Regular strategy and networking sessions are critical, but must be facilitated by an expert.
• Passion for Success – Speak with past and/or existing clients and assess the firms passion for your success.

The fiscal year for many companies begin in January, and if their new employment budget allows for new hires, they may have already begun their search for candidates!  And if that doesn’t inspire your holiday job search activity, remember:  recruiters are ALWAYS actively seeking great candidates.  Too idealistic?  Then consider the holidays your opportunity to stand out from the crowd by applying a few tips:

Party Time - Parties are ideal for schmoozing with family, friends, and business acquaintances.  You never know who will produce your next job lead.  Attend as many events as you can reasonably fit into your calendar.  Make it a point to listen more than talk, work the entire room, and don’t forget to have your business cards ready to share!

NO Grinchiness! - Exude confidence with a positive attitude and demeanor everywhere you are seen, heard, or read!  Get excited about the opportunities ahead of you and get into the holiday spirit.  That excitement will rub off on the people around you and make you stand out among the desperate masses.

Holiday Cards - A basic “Happy Holidays” or “Happy New Year” card is a nice reminder that you are still in the job hunt.  An upbeat personal note, along with your business card, is a great way to keep YOU in the front of their mind.  If you prefer a more eco-friendly approach, consider sending a short inspirational message as a “holiday greeting” to your entire network.  Don’t send the emails en masse, but consider a quick personal note for each!

Virtual Profile - Update your LinkedIn profile and build upon the contacts you currently have.  This is a great time to connect with long-lost friends and acquaintances and wish them a happy and successful New Year.  Remember, every time you add a contact/update to your profile, your LinkedIn connections get an update about YOU!

Planes, Trains and Automobiles - If your holiday travels include destinations that are potential job targets, plan ahead by notifying potential employers and letting them know you’ll be in town.  The “out-of-towner” has the psychological advantage over someone locally since their time is limited and people will be more accommodating.  Not traveling?  Don’t exclude local employers, because you may enjoy easier access to decision makers who are actually in the office, since holiday vacations have yet to kick in.

Quiet Days - If your networking activities slim down during the holidays, take a step back and revisit all aspects of your transition (resume, LI profile, portfolio, target company lists and activities, automated job searches, overall search process goals and metrics).  Ask yourself, Am I set up to hit the ground running in the new year?

Relax and Enjoy - During this time of year, it's also important to take some time for you and your family.  Do relax a little and don't forget to enjoy the holiday season--that's important for all of us, whether we are job seeking or not!

Happy Holidays to all!

As employers continue to integrate technology into the recruitment process, the web-video interview is an increasingly used tool with recruiters and hiring managers alike.  Just within the last couple of months, several of my clients have experienced web-based video interviews through Skype and other Internet video-conferencing services.

Web-based interviews give an employer the opportunity to “meet” potential candidates without the high-cost of airfare and hotel expenses for regional or national searches.  But don’t rule out the potential for increased use for local employment opportunities, since the added advantage is recording and sharing the interview with other managers for feedback on compatibility, responses to questions, etc.  This makes it easier for scheduling, eliminating the need to coordinate available meeting times with multiple managers and candidates alike.

Taken one step further, some web-based interviews are not two-way (communicating with another person), but rather predetermined questions displayed on your monitor…and you have three minutes to give your answer.  No breaks, pauses, or “do-overs” in this process!  Are you intimidated about these types of interviews?  Well don’t despair—there are ways to prepare yourself! 

Before you find yourself scheduled for a web-based interview, conduct a mock interview of yourself using Skype. Have a friend provide feedback and determine how to improve your general interviewing skills. 

• Test the equipment.  Prior to any web interview, make sure your camera, microphone/sound, and Internet connection work well.  Avoid rooms with an echo.
• Dress for the interview.  Even though interviewers can see you only from the waist up, make sure you look professional.  Wear colors (not white) that look good on camera and avoid patterns and stripes that could create video distortion.
• Prepare your new “studio.”  Choose a quiet room and be sure there is good lighting on your face (avoid direct sunlight).  Avoid any distracting décor behind you (within the camera frame).
• Look into the camera.  Make sure you remember where the camera is and make direct eye contact with your interviewer.  Avoid looking at your own image, as it is typically visible on your computer screen.
• Use crib notes.  If there are several topics or highlights of your experience you don’t want to forget to cover, don’t hesitate to affix some keywords on cardstock just behind the camera lens.  This may give you a sense of confidence to counteract the extra anxiety web interviews can create.

Most importantly, embrace the technology…and above all, be yourself!