Why Quick Decision-Making Is Key During the Hiring Process

When it comes to the hiring process, speed is of the essence. While you might feel the need to take your time when considering different candidates or wait to see if someone “better” will come along, the truth is the longer you wait the higher the chances are your ideal applicant will have already accepted another offer.

Quick-decision making is key. Slowing the hiring process only puts added stress on you and your staff, particularly those who are having to cover the position that remains unfilled. Slow hiring can also reflect poorly on you and your business. Did you know most applicants get extremely frustrated when they have to wait for an extended period before finding out the results of a job interview? While some may be willing to wait a week or two (at the most), others will quickly lose interest and go elsewhere looking for work if a decision is not made. Decisiveness is essential in getting positions filled.

You Are Not the Only Allied Health Employer Looking for Staff

You must keep in mind, you are not the only Allied Health employer looking for staff. Allied Health candidates continue to be in high demand and the qualified ones tend to get scooped up quickly. This is true in any field. If you find a candidate you think will be a good fit, don’t hesitate to make him or her an offer.

Wait Too Long and Your Applicant Will Be Gone

Be proactive. Taking your time to decide whether to hire a person could give the candidate the impression you aren’t really interested or you are simply not ready to hire. From our experience, we know these types of delays can cause candidates to begin looking for other options. If you like a candidate, act quickly before he or she has moved on.

How to Speed the Hiring Process Without Making Compromises

Streamlining the hiring process doesn’t mean you need to make compromises. As long as you are truly ready to bring a new person on, you should be able to decide. Before you begin conducting interviews, make sure you know exactly what you want in a candidate. Figure out not only what qualifications the ideal candidate should possess, but what interpersonal skills, aptitude and other dynamics he or she needs to have. For example, if you’re looking for a pediatric physical therapist, you’ll probably want someone who is patient, understanding and has a history of working with kids. While another applicant may have the qualifications on paper, not everyone has the ability to work well with children.

Matching Allied Healthcare Providers with Qualified Applicants

For more than 20 years, The People Link has been matching Allied Healthcare and Dental providers with qualified job applicants. We have close to a 98% success rate and take pride in helping our clients meet their hiring objectives.

To learn more about our services and the benefits of working with a professional recruiter, visit The People Link or call Mya at 888-773-0014. Ask for your free, no-obligation consultation today.

Job Seeker Tip: How to Outshine the Competition

We realize searching for a new job may be difficult at times. Not only can the competition be tough, but having to go on interview after interview might seem tedious or never-ending. You think you’ve found the ideal job and you hope you’re a good fit, then suddenly you’re passed up for someone else.

Don’t be discouraged. Maybe the job wasn’t as perfect as you might have thought. Did you know, nailing a job interview is more often about outshining the competition than anything else? Yes, being qualified for a position is important, but pedigree and experience isn’t everything employers look for in potential candidates. Even though one person may have a few more years in the field or a degree from a top-notch university, your enthusiasm, frame of mind and dedication could easily make you the leading candidate for the position.

As a job seeker, it is important to keep these tips in mind to help you outshine the competition:

Be Adequately Prepared

Do your research on the company ahead of time. Know what they do, their specialties, their objectives and goals, as well as the role you could play should you get the job for which you are applying. Don’t over prepare. You aren’t going to want to come across as stiff or robotic. Be ready to answer questions about yourself, your history and your future. Be honest and forthcoming.

Know Your Strengths and Weaknesses

Focus on your strengths, but don’t be afraid to show your weaknesses too. We all have them. In most situations, a minor weakness can be easily outweighed by other strengths. For example, even if you don’t have years of experience in one aspect of the job, your commitment, drive and ability to get results could easily outweigh that. Experience doesn’t always make someone a “good fit”.

Highlight What You Bring to the Table

Make sure your interviewer knows what makes you the most ideal candidate for the job. Show enthusiasm, dedication, interest and willingness to learn. Highlight what you bring to the table, not just from the standpoint of your qualifications, but from you as an individual as well. Don’t be afraid to endear yourself with your interviewer. You might even want to use these 4 small talk tips that’ll instantly make your interviewer like you more.

Be Yourself

Whatever happens, be yourself. Your potential employer wants to know the real you. Trust me when I say your career depends on it. If you think you want the job and would like to work for the company, then it’s vital you be yourself. Don’t waste their time or your own, if you aren’t sure. Being yourself is one of the easiest ways to outshine the competition.

Matching Qualified Applicants with the Right Allied Healthcare Providers

For more than 20 years, The People Link has been successfully matching qualified job seekers with Allied Healthcare providers. To learn more about our services, please visit The People Link or call Mya at 888-773-0014 to obtain a free, no-obligation consultation.

Qualities Employers Want in Allied Healthcare Professionals

Allied Healthcare is a thriving field. The demand for professionals in this industry shows no sign of slowing down. Hospitals, medical offices, healthcare clinics, skilled nursing facilities, home health services, assisted living facilities and long-term care centers are all in search of allied healthcare professionals they can hire just to keep up with the demand.

While the number of individuals obtaining their degrees and seeking employment continues to rise, not all applicants will have the qualities Allied Healthcare companies seek. An applicant can improve his or her chances of getting hired by knowing and exhibiting the traits employers want. Employers will have a much greater chance of building a successful team by hiring applicants with certain characteristics.

5 Key Traits of a Successful Allied Health Employee

As a professional in Allied Healthcare, building lasting relationship with patients will be key to your success. These relationships are also an intrinsic part of the rapport and trust which must exist between an employer and his or her employees. If an Allied Health employee has these 5 characteristics or traits, he or she is well on the way:

1. Great communication skills: Communication is one of the most basic, yet essential traits of any healthcare professional. Regardless of whether you’re a PT, PTA, OT, COTA, SLP or SLPA, you must be able to speak clearly and be upfront with your patients, listen to what they have to say, allow them to voice their concerns and understand how to work together to achieve the most optimal results. Without an ability to communicate well, success will be limited.
2. Social skills: In addition to communication, basic social skills are a must. Being polite, saying please and thank you, asking about someone’s well-being, being on time for interviews or appointments, good eye contact and appearance are social skills healthcare employers hope are exhibited by all their employees.
3. Empathy and compassion: Patients tend to be more willing to work on improving their health when they know their healthcare provider is empathetic to their situation and condition. Showing compassion and empathy often indicates trustworthiness.  
4. Professional: Professionalism should be a given, but it’s still worth mentioning. Employees who are professional and knowledgeable in their fields will have much higher levels of success. Patients expect a certain demeanor in the individual they entrust with their care.  
5. Passionate with a strong work ethic: Being passionate about your job is a trait most employers want to see in their employees. This, combined with a strong work ethic, can make for a long-lasting and successful career. Dependability, respect, dedication, determination and accountability are all elements of a strong work ethic. Exhibiting these traits goes a long way.

Matching Allied Healthcare Providers with Their Ideal Candidate

The People Link is a professional recruitment service that has been successfully matching Allied Healthcare providers with their ideal candidates for more than 20 years. To learn more about our services please visit The People Link or call Mya at 888-773-0014 to obtain a free, no-obligation consultation.

Allied Healthcare Applicants: Don’t Pass Up a Great Opportunity

Are you looking for a job in Allied Healthcare? Well, you’re in luck! Now is a good time to be job hunting in this particular field. Physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech language-pathologists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and others are all still in high demand. Many small and large medical offices are seeking individuals with experience in Allied Healthcare in order to meet a growing demand. New grads are welcome in numerous places as well.

One thing applicants do need to watch out for, however, is unintentionally passing up on a great opportunity. It’s always nice to be wanted and sought after. You do have to be careful to not get overly-confident. Believe it or not, it’s not uncommon. We’ve seen applicants turn down extremely good positions in search of something better. When in fact what they wanted was right in front of their face. Sometimes a quick review of what’s most important to you, or little negotiation with a potential employer, is all it takes to get the last piece of the puzzle to fit.

Finding the Right Fit in the Healthcare Industry

If you’re currently looking for a new job, you know finding the right fit is not always an easy task. One company may have a job with the salary range you’re interested in, whereas another is closer to home and offers continuing education opportunities. So how do you decide?

Start with clearly defining what matters most to you. Would you rather work in a smaller medical office or be part of a large team? Are you willing to commute or do you need to work close to home? Is career advancement and continuing education a deal-breaker? Does salary outweigh other advantages and would you be willing to negotiate? It is only once you know what you want can you begin to find the right fit for you.

Job Interview Checklist for Those Seeking Jobs in Allied Healthcare

Prior to going into a job interview in Allied Healthcare, go through this simple checklist. This will help you not only identify if you’re a good fit, but allow you to determine what aspects of the job are most important to you. You don’t want to waste either your time or that of a potential employer.

Review the job to determine:

• Do you have experience in this type of position? For example, you may be applying for a job at a skilled nursing facility, whereas your experience lies in home health or outpatient.
• Do you meet the qualifications necessary to fill the position? If the employer specifically asks for someone with 5+ years of experience, a new grad would probably be turned down point black.
• Is the facility within a reasonable commute?
• Is the offered salary within the range you want?
• Does the company offer continuing education? How important is this to you?
• Does the company seem to be expanding and have room for advancement?
• Are you willing to negotiate on any aspects of the job, or would that just be compromising too much?

Should you need assistance with any aspect of your job search, the People Link is a professional recruitment service specializing in finding and placing qualified applicants with Allied Healthcare companies throughout the United States. To learn more about our services, please visit The People Link or call Mya at 888-773-0014 for a free, no-obligation consultation.

Hiring in Healthcare: Meeting an Urgent Demand

Despite the large number of people graduating with associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in key fields of the healthcare industry, many employers are still finding themselves struggling to keep up with an urgent hiring demand for allied health professionals.

You may not realize it but, the healthcare industry is one of only a few industries where the demand for skilled professionals like Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists and Speech Language Pathologists continues to steadily rise. In fact, jobs in the healthcare sector are rising at a much faster rate than the average for other occupations and fields. So, even with all these new professionals attaining degrees, numerous positions remain vacant. In addition, many of the healthcare professionals who have years of experience and extensive training will be approaching retirement age in the not-to-distant future. These positions, as soon as they become available, will also need to be filled.

So, how can you meet the urgent demand for experienced, skilled allied health professionals? How can you find the perfect fit for your clinic, office or medical facility? How can you replace an intrinsic part of your team without missing a beat?

What to Look for in a Healthcare Applicant

Not all applicants are alike, even when they have the same degrees and level of training. What you see on paper isn’t necessarily what you see in real life. For this reason, it is important you know what you are looking for in a healthcare applicant. Keeping these qualities in mind when conducting interviews can help you narrow your search and meet your demand:

• Consider the long-term. Does this person strive for advancement opportunities? Is he or she interested in furthering skills through continued learning? Is professional growth important? Does the person have a strong commitment to his or her profession?
• Is the applicant passionate about the job and ambitious? Does he or she have a real drive to help improve patient wellness, injury prevention and overall health promotion? Those who are passionate about their job and the company they work for tend to stay longer.
• Is the individual a self-starter? How is the person’s confidence? Can he or she perform basic tasks required of the potential for which you are hiring? Not all people can put their knowledge into action. Does the person demonstrate problem-solving skills? Ideally you want someone who can work well under pressure as well as strive to succeed.
• Does the person work well within a group? Most healthcare offices must function as a closely-knit team to achieve the high-quality of service to which their patients have become accustomed. While individual initiative is a positive trait, being able to follow instructions and operate as part of a team is essential too.
• Never disregard your first impression of an applicant. While an individual’s resume and interview will weigh heavily on your hiring decision, a first impression goes a long way. How did the person dress? How were his or her communication skills? Did the individual have a positive attitude? Was he or she on time? Each of these gives you an insight into the person and how or she may act in the future, so don’t ignore your first impression.

Healthcare Hiring Made Easy

Healthcare hiring does not have to be as complex as it is often made out to be. As long as you know what you are looking for in an applicant (which I recommend you take some time to figure out ahead of time or you could be missing out on excellent candidates), you know what mistakes to avoid in your hiring practices and you have a source of qualified applicants, you should have no problem meeting your urgent demand.

The People Link is a professional recruitment service specializing in finding and placing qualified healthcare candidates and allied healthcare professionals in positions throughout the United States. To learn more about our services please visit The People Link or call Mya at 888-773-0014 to obtain your free, no-obligation consultation.

How to Expedite Your Job Search

While looking for a new job can be an extremely frustrating experience, your efforts will be more quickly rewarded if you do a little preparation ahead of time. This doesn’t mean you need to spend all of your free-time updating your resume and scanning job sites for potential employers. Of course “pounding the pavement” does tend to speed the process along, however I’ve got a few tips to help you expedite your job search.

Really Take a Look at Why You’re Looking for Work

Has your existing job worn you out? Have you suddenly found yourself in desperate need of a change? Maybe you feel like you’ve fallen into a rut and are having trouble advancing your career. Perhaps you’ve been passed up for a promotion? Or maybe, you’re planning a move and simply need to find a new place to work? It could even be you simple want a change of environment and pace. You need to really take a look at why you are looking for work. Once you know why you’re looking for a new job, you will be able to figure out exactly what you want.

Figure Out Exactly What You Want

I know this may sound so simple I shouldn’t even need to mention it, but you’d be surprised how many people start looking for work before they have determined what they really want. I’m not necessarily talking about a job title or position, although that is important, I mean what do you want out of your new job? How do you want your new job to be different than your old job?

• Do you want to work in a larger office with plenty of room for advancement or would you prefer a smaller office with more of a close-knit family feel?
• Do you want a job where your employer encourages, and maybe even helps pay for and facilitate, continuing education classes?
• Is professional advancement important to you?
• Do you want or need specific hours?
• Would you rather work close to home or are you open to a short commute?
• What level of compensation are you looking to get? Do you have a specific range or minimum amount you seek?
• What type of benefits do you want?

Determine Your One Defining Factor

Once you know why you are looking and what you want exactly, now it’s time to figure out what the one key factor is in determining whether or not you will accept an extended job offer. What is the one defining factor which will get you to accept or cause you to pass up an offer?

Only at this point will you be able to update your resume appropriately and truly begin your job search. Should you need assistance with writing a powerful resume or you are looking for a position in the healthcare industry, don’t hesitate to take advantage of the various job listings and other resources at your disposal.

The People Link is a professional recruitment service specializing in finding and placing qualified healthcare candidates in positions throughout the United States. If you are actively looking for work as a physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech language pathologist, nurse practitioner or dentist, please feel free to visit my website or contact me at 888-773-0014 for a free, no-obligation consultation.

Job Seeker Interview Tips You Need to Know

If you are in the market for a new job, it is important you know how to prepare for and what to do doing any interviews you may procure. While writing your resume may have seemed like the most daunting task, it is often just the first step in your job hunt and, in reality, is only used to get your foot in the door. Once you do that, your goal becomes selling yourself to a point where you receive one or more job offers.

Although people have different ideas on what actions they need to take to prepare for a job interview, here are some job seeker interview tips you need to know:

Do Your Research and Prep Work Ahead of Time

It is always best to know before you go. Research your potential employer. Find out what the business is all about. Understand how the position you are applying for fits in to the overall company goals and objectives. Learn a little about the individual who will be conducting your interview. These actions will help you familiarize yourself and enable you to answer interview questions more intelligently.

You should also take some time and figure out how you would answer some of the more common interview questions. You don’t have to memorize your answers, but simply formulate what you may want to say ahead of time if you are asked to:

• “Tell me about yourself.” aka give a succinct overview of you as a professional
• Explain what interests you most about the position
• Talk about why you left or are planning to leave your last job
• Explain why you would be the best candidate for the position
• Tell the interviewer what you know about the company
• Give examples of times you used the particular skills required of the job (e.g. problem solving, handling patient issues, dealing with customer complaints, overcoming work-related obstacles, etc.)
• Express your career goals (be sure to include how the position fits into your goals)
• Give the interviewer your desired salary range

Doing your research and prep work ahead of time will help you be more at ease and minimize your chances of getting thrown off guard during your interview.

Be Sure to Dress for Success

You always want to be sure to dress for success regardless of where you are interviewing. Professionalism is a quality most employers look for in potential employees and what you wear has a significant impact on how you are perceived. Those who dress professional and carry themselves well are generally taken as more serious applicants than those who don’t bother taking the time.

Arrive to Your Scheduled Interview on Time

Arriving late to a job interview is never a good idea. In fact, you’ll probably want to arrive at least 10-15 minutes ahead of time to check in, complete any additional paperwork and get yourself settled. Allow for traffic and unexpected delays on the way to your interview. As long as you factor these in, you’ll be on time and ready to go. It is also wise to go to the restroom, check your hair, makeup and clothes, use a breath mint as needed, and turn off your cell phone before you head into your interview. Just make sure you do each of these without making your interviewer wait.

Make a Great First Impression

People tend to make judgements quite quickly and trying to change a person’s impression of you later on is much more difficult than going the extra mile the first time around. This is why most people are well aware of the importance of making a good first impression with the individual doing their job interview. Unfortunately, what they often forget is all of the other people they meet along the way. Be friendly to each person you encounter. Say hello. Smile. Make eye contact. How you come across in those first few moments can mean the difference between you being given an offer and you not even being considered.

Do Your Best to Avoid Bad Habits

It is not uncommon for people to develop certain bad habits over time. In many cases, we may not even be aware of these habits or how they come across. Making a conscious effort to avoid habits like slouching down in your chair, mumbling, tapping your nails, playing with your hair, biting on a pen, crossing your arms in front of your chest or daydreaming. Focus on:

• Sitting up straight
• Maintaining eye contact
• Smiling
• Staying attentive
• Nodding
• Speaking clearly
• Expressing interest
• Making natural gestures

You want to come across naturally, comfortable and professional. Don’t let your bad habits ruin what could be a potentially great career move.

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions

Asking questions during a job interviews is often taken as a sign as to whether or not an individual is interested in the position. It is for this reason most interviewers want the people they are interviewing to ask questions about the job, the company, the role they will play, how job performance will be measured, expectations and what the future of the organization may hold.

Don’t Sell Yourself Short

When doing a job interview, you cannot assume your resume will do all the talking and the individual most qualified for the job (which you hope is you) will receive an offer. When you go in for a job interview, it is up to you to sell yourself. Highlight your best qualities and qualifications, and make sure your interviewer knows why you’d be the best fit. Don’t sell yourself short. If you’ve got the skills for the job and you want the job, it is up to you to make the sale by getting the job offer.

Get Help Finding Your Ideal Job

The People Link is a professional recruitment service which specializes in finding and placing qualified healthcare candidates in positions throughout the U.S. If you are looking for a job in the healthcare industry, please visit our website to review our current job listings and the job seeker services we offer. You can also call 888-773-0014 today for a free, no-obligation job consultation.