Thursday, March 31
Wednesday, March 30
Volunteering Opportunities Pay Off
Can working a job without a paycheck set you up for big bucks? Job seekers who took this route tell all.
Volunteering is good for your soul, and it can also be good for your resume.
Many in the ranks of the unemployed have sought out volunteer work to pass the time and remain active in the absence of a 9-to-5 daily assignment. And some of those volunteers have found, by design or serendipity, that donating time and skills to a charity can be a ticket to employment.
Making such a transition takes planning. Job seekers who have leveraged charity work into full-time work, executives who run nonprofit organizations and job-search experts told TheLadders that making the connection is not as simple as signing up to serve meals at the senior center.
To turn volunteer work into employment requires a strategic decision about what organizations are most likely to help your career and what roles you can serve that will put you in a position to connect your volunteer service to full-time work, these experts said.
But don’t discount your passion for a particular cause or group, they cautioned. Combining a strategic appraisal of your options and your heart’s desire can lead to a job that nourishes your income and your soul.
- Do what you know
- Leverage your network
- Choose your charity carefullyStill volunteering
read the full article here: http://ops.theladders.com/career-advice/volunteering-opportunities-pay-off?et_id=1998595520&sign=y&link_id=540
Tuesday, March 29
5 reasons NOT to take job out of fear
(CareerBuilder.com) -- Despite all the talk of economic recovery, things are not yet a normal we are ready to accept. However, in a tough job market, you might be tempted to say "yes" to a job offer, any job offer, out of fear that there won't be another one following behind it.
In a shaky economy, that sounds wise, but here are five reasons why you'd be deluded to follow this conventional wisdom.
1. Low interest means low performance: If you are lukewarm about your new job it will be tough to give it your all. Once your learning curve is over, you may have a hard time staying engaged and motivated enough to give the job your attention and effort. There's only so long you'll be able to "suck it up" and you'll be out looking for another job before you know it.
2. Low pay means low satisfaction and resentment: Sometimes it's necessary to take a job just to pay the bills, but if you're taking a big pay cut or settling for sub-standard pay, it won't be long before resentments start percolating. Interpersonal conflicts, feeling undervalued or getting frustrated at how long it can take to get a raise or promotion are likely outcomes.
3. You are setting a precedent and it will be hard to change: In accepting a job out of fear, you are coming from a mindset that you better take whatever you can get. It's a bit of the "why ask for the pie when you'd settle for the crumbs" mentality. You may start to believe that you deserve less, which may mean that you'll settle for less again in the future.
4. Fear will become your M.O.: If you take a job out of fear, you'll also fear losing it. Can you make your most important decisions or most creative innovations from a fearful state? It's unlikely. What is likely is that you'll be afraid to speak up, to take a risk , to stick up for yourself or put yourself out there. What will that do to your chances for good exposure, advancement and building a reputation? Not much.
5. You may have stopped three feet before gold: There's an old story of a man who inherited an abandoned gold mine. He dug and dug with his small backhoe everyday for months, trying to dig up the gold that he was convinced was in his mine. Day after day he toiled to no avail.
Finally, convinced he had a dud of a mine, he sold it and felt glad to have walked away with some profit. When the new owner took over and got into the backhoe, he got to work and struck gold within three feet of the first chisel. The former owner was three feet away from gold, but he gave up.
By taking that job because you were afraid there was no other, you may have stopped just three feet before your big, ideal prize.
If your time has run out, you have to do what you have to do. But if you can wait, please do. You deserve a job you can really bite your teeth into -- and the company you work for deserves an employee they won't have to replace in six months.
In a shaky economy, that sounds wise, but here are five reasons why you'd be deluded to follow this conventional wisdom.
1. Low interest means low performance: If you are lukewarm about your new job it will be tough to give it your all. Once your learning curve is over, you may have a hard time staying engaged and motivated enough to give the job your attention and effort. There's only so long you'll be able to "suck it up" and you'll be out looking for another job before you know it.
2. Low pay means low satisfaction and resentment: Sometimes it's necessary to take a job just to pay the bills, but if you're taking a big pay cut or settling for sub-standard pay, it won't be long before resentments start percolating. Interpersonal conflicts, feeling undervalued or getting frustrated at how long it can take to get a raise or promotion are likely outcomes.
3. You are setting a precedent and it will be hard to change: In accepting a job out of fear, you are coming from a mindset that you better take whatever you can get. It's a bit of the "why ask for the pie when you'd settle for the crumbs" mentality. You may start to believe that you deserve less, which may mean that you'll settle for less again in the future.
4. Fear will become your M.O.: If you take a job out of fear, you'll also fear losing it. Can you make your most important decisions or most creative innovations from a fearful state? It's unlikely. What is likely is that you'll be afraid to speak up, to take a risk , to stick up for yourself or put yourself out there. What will that do to your chances for good exposure, advancement and building a reputation? Not much.
5. You may have stopped three feet before gold: There's an old story of a man who inherited an abandoned gold mine. He dug and dug with his small backhoe everyday for months, trying to dig up the gold that he was convinced was in his mine. Day after day he toiled to no avail.
Finally, convinced he had a dud of a mine, he sold it and felt glad to have walked away with some profit. When the new owner took over and got into the backhoe, he got to work and struck gold within three feet of the first chisel. The former owner was three feet away from gold, but he gave up.
By taking that job because you were afraid there was no other, you may have stopped just three feet before your big, ideal prize.
If your time has run out, you have to do what you have to do. But if you can wait, please do. You deserve a job you can really bite your teeth into -- and the company you work for deserves an employee they won't have to replace in six months.
Monday, March 28
Friday, March 25
Wednesday, March 23
Brain Dump and Brainstorm Your Way to a Resume
By Lisa Vaas from www.theladders.com
If you’re not a professional writer, writing about yourself is hard, but brainstorming techniques can get the ball rolling and the creative juices flowing.
How can you perform your own resume brain dump? First, stop weeping. Stop staring blankly at the questionnaire your professional resume writer has asked you to fill out. Most of us have ample skills and qualities that can shine in a well-done resume. TheLadders spoke to professional writers for their tips on how to mine that gold and brainstorm your resume.Brain-dump prep
Professional writers recommend job seekers take these steps before sitting down to brainstorm resume writing:
1. Analyze the job posting. What specifically is the employer looking for? This will come in handy when a job seeker analyzes which of his own skills and qualities will match the job description.
2. Get organized. Before tackling your resume, Heather Rothbauer-Wanish advises job seekers to make a list of previous employers, dates of employment and job duties. Know the official names of schools and dates of graduation. You'll use all this information when you sit down to write the resume, said Rothbauer-Wanish, a professional resume writer and owner of Feather Communications.
Brain dump
McDaniel's brain dump is a simple technique that should take about 15 minutes but "yields incredible results," she said.
1.Brainstorm First, set a timer and write without stopping for a minimum of 5 minutes. The key to success is to keep your pen flowing without stopping; just keep writing, no matter what garbage you cough up, even if it's, "This is stupid," or "I don't know what to write," MacDaniel said. The technique, familiar to creative writers who've worked through the Zen techniques Natalie Goldberg teaches in her book "Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within," breaks down your internal filter, "opening the way to fresher ideas and deeper insights," MacDaniel said.
If this is too loosey-goosey, try this exercise from Rothbauer-Wanish: Ask yourself, "What did I really do at that job?" Many times, she said, people don't give themselves enough credit for the tasks and responsibilities they've had in the workplace. Detailing a typical work day and writing down your activities "may spark ideas and help you recall additional job duties," she said.
2. Find the nuggets. Next, McDaniel said, set the timer for 5 minutes again. Go over what you've written, and sift out the key points. If most of it is chaff, don't worry: "Even the rejects are part of the process and lead you from one point to the next."
3. Outline. Assign each key point a number. Make the best information No. 1. That's the material that you'll feature at the top of the resume. Go through and label the rest of the key points in this manner, from most to least important. This form of outlining is "organic," McDaniel said, because it evolves from the material and "helps to cut down on procrastination."
4. Write. Using the key points from the outline, start adding to the meat of the resume. Make sure you prove your worth in quantifiable ways. Amanda Collins, chief of staff for The Grammar Doctors, suggests using the CAR (Challenge, Action, Result) formula.
She provided this example:
Sales were down (C), so you implemented training and employee recognition programs (A), which boosted sales 25 percent in six months (R).
"Of course, quantitative results are best, but qualitative are great too," she said. "Consider things like increasing revenue, decreasing costs or improving customer service/employee relations."
Tuesday, March 22
7 Ways To Get Removed From A Hiring Process Without Having A Bad Interview
1. You’ve heard this one before but it’s always worth repeating: a poorly written cover letter or resume (or both)
2. An unprofessional online presence; make sure the only people who have access to those photos from your rowdy weekend getaway are the people you vacationed with because if a hiring manager can see it, so can his potential clients (this goes for facebook, twitter, blogs—any searchable site on the internet)
3. And this should go without saying, but make sure your LinkedIn profile is bulletproof; no spelling or grammatical errors, cross reference it with your resume to be sure it’s complete and doesn’t provide conflicting information, make sure your photo is appropriate and be sure to use all of its built in tools and apps for professional purposes only (your entire professional network does not need to know you’re reading the Twilight series)
4. Failing to follow up…On your way out the door, you should have expressed continued interest in the company and the position; prove it by sending a thank you note, by following up if you don’t hear anything within the agreed upon timeframe
5. Bad references or failing a background check; be thoughtful and selective when it comes to the folks you are asking to vouch for your outstanding performance and if you know that something in your background is going to throw up a red flag, make sure it’s not a surprise—tell someone (your recruiter!) early in the process
6. Being difficult—make sure your recruiter, the hiring manager, everyone involved in the process knows the best way to reach you, particularly if you are generally hard to get a hold of; and when you get a call, return it as soon as you can
7. Being inconsistent—if you say you want 75K and you get it, don’t come back and ask for 80K; make sure all of your questions are answered before everyone invests lots of time, money and energy into trying to make a hire
written by Kate Harlow, Strategic Sourcing Manager @ TMG
written by Kate Harlow, Strategic Sourcing Manager @ TMG
Friday, March 18
24/7 Health Reform Updates
New Database Tracks States' Bills, Actions on Health Reform Law
The National Conference of State Legislatures has launched a searchable database that provides comprehensive information about the latest developments in the implementation of the federal health reform law at the state level, The Hill's "Healthwatch" reports ("Healthwatch," The Hill, 3/15).
The database, which is accessible at no cost, tracks various issues and provisions related to the overhaul. Thus far it includes about 600 bills that have been introduced in states this year related to:
The database, which is accessible at no cost, tracks various issues and provisions related to the overhaul. Thus far it includes about 600 bills that have been introduced in states this year related to:
- Challenges and alternatives to the law's provisions;
- Health care providers and the work force;
- Health insurance;
- Health IT;
- Medicaid;
- Prevention and wellness; and
- State-based health insurance exchanges (AHA News, 3/16).
Monday, March 14
This Week in Healthcare IT
M&A, Financial Reports and Funding
USA Mobility, a wireless health care communications systems vendor, has acquired Amcom Software, a similar vendor, for $163.3 million...life-sciences software developer Instem has acquired BioWisdom, a health care data analysis software developer, for an undisclosed amount. Diversinet, a mobile health IT provider, reported a fiscal year 2010 net income of $1.9 million on $4.9 million in revenue, compared with a FY 2009 net income of $1.9 million on $8 million in revenue...Emdeon, a health care revenue and payment software provider, reported a FY 2010 net income of $33.2 million on $1 billion in revenue, compared with a FY 2009 net income of $14 million on $918 million in revenue.
Contracts
The Kansas Foundation for Medical Care, the state's regional extension center, has selected eight preferred EHR vendors for its regional extension center: Cerner, eClinicalWorks, e-MDs, McKesson, NextGen, Pulse Systems, Sage Intergy and SuccessEHS; HITArkansas, the state's regional extension center, has named ABEL Medical Software and eClinicalWorks as preferred EHR vendors; the Alabama Regional Extension Center has named SuccessEHS as a preferred EHR vendor...HHS has tapped Novavax and VaxInnate to develop technology to speed production of seasonal flu vaccines...Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield in Pennsylvania has selected claims validation software from CGI Group.Kane Community Hospital in Pennsylvania has picked EHR software from Healthland...Blue Cross of Idaho has picked collaborative care software from ZeOmega...Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in North Carolina has chosen Elekta to update its radiation oncology facilities and deploy EHR systems...Saint Francis Health System in Oklahoma has chosen medication and supply management software from Omnicell...Health Management Associates in Florida has implemented CareView Communications software in its patient rooms...Michigan's Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services has selected an EHR system from Qualifacts Systems...Meridian Health in New Jersey has selected a health information exchange platform from Informatics Corporation of America.
North Carolina-based Coastal Connect has selected Medicity software for its health information exchange...the Center for Cancer Computational Biology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Massachusetts has contracted CLC bio sequence analysis software...Oklahoma's Muskogee Bone and Joint & Sports Medicine Clinic has picked EHR software from ChartLogic...the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency has implemented 3M's telemedicine software package on board the International Space Station...Beloit Health System in Wisconsin has chosen educational and entertainment software from TeleHealth Services...five Methodist Healthcare facilities in Texas are using cardiovascular imaging and information software from LUMEDX.
Product Development and Marketing
Health IT software provider MedLink and electronic claims provider Secure EDI are offering an EHR system to physicians in Puerto Rico...Amagine, a subsidiary of the American Medical Association, is designing interoperable health IT tools such as EHRs, e-prescribing software and online continuing medical education materials with vendor Covisint and the Michigan-based health information exchange my1HIE. Personnel
Stewart Davis -- COO of Healthscreen Solutions, a Canadian health IT company -- has been named the company's president and CEO...Keith Salzman -- former chief medical information officer at Madigan Army Medical Center in Washington state -- has been named CMIO of the Transformations Solutions Group at CACI International, an EHR developer...Carlos Nunez -- former chief physician executive at Picis, a maker of clinical IT systems -- has been named chief medical officer of CareFusion, an international health IT company...John Robbins -- vice president and director of health care payment solutions at employee benefits software company DataPath -- has been named president and CEO of the company.Thom Blackwell -- former product manager at Boston Software Systems, a provider of workflow automation and integration services for the health care industry -- has been named the company's vice president of technical services...John Grande -- former vice president of the North American surgical division at Haemonetics, a maker of blood-processing systems -- has been named vice president of sales and marketing of MediClick, a provider of hospital software supply-chain products...Mark Thierer -- president and CEO of health IT and pharmacy benefit management services provider SXC Health Solutions -- has been named board chair at the company.
Will Rideout -- former national director of the channel partner program at EHR provider Allscripts -- has been named vice president of sales at Phreesia, a provider of patient check-in systems...Jennifer Shimek -- former director of clinical services and managed care at Florida-based HealthPoint Medical Group -- has been named COO of Doctors Administrative Solutions, a provider of EHR and practice management services.
Wednesday, March 9
Candidate, Love Thy Recruiter
For those candidates and recruiters lucky enough to be an industry as healthy as ours, there is plenty of opportunity. The activity that has come through our office in the last six months alone is astonishing in comparison to what we experienced twelve, eighteen months ago. We have fully transitioned into a strongly candidate-driven market, which should--in theory--mean great things for our business. And in general, it does.
A by-product of this trend is that candidates who, six months ago, weren't looking, weren't getting daily (or hourly) calls from corporate and agency recruiters, are suddenly being overwhelmed by options and by offers. And in many cases, so are the candidates who sent out resumes to every Tom, Dick and Harry even remotely associated with his/her industry last year.
Now, I've never met a recruiter who didn't thrive on a little healthy competition; we do what we do because we enjoy the challenge (and let's face it, the associated rewards) of matching the right candidate to the right opportunity. That is how most of us build our businesses, our reputations, our networks--contrary to popular belief, many recruiting professionals value integrity above all other virtues. And perhaps that is because we rely on it. If we don't do as we say, we risk damaging far more than one relationship: we risk our careers, our companies.
As a function of what we do, we have to trust that candidates tell us the truth unless we have reason to believe otherwise and every day we stake our reputations on it. We trust that candidates will come to us if they have doubts, questions or concerns; we trust that candidates will let us know both if and WHEN they have other offers on the table and/or they are no longer interested in pursuing opportunities with our client. We trust that candidates will be honest (and professional) enough to tell us what we need to know even if that means one of us has to pick up the phone and initiate an uncomfortable conversation; we're betting on it.
We're as excited as you are--good things for you mean good things for everyone. Just don't get so caught up in the excitement that you forget who your friends are.
written by Kate Harlow, Strategic Sourcing Manager @ TMG
A by-product of this trend is that candidates who, six months ago, weren't looking, weren't getting daily (or hourly) calls from corporate and agency recruiters, are suddenly being overwhelmed by options and by offers. And in many cases, so are the candidates who sent out resumes to every Tom, Dick and Harry even remotely associated with his/her industry last year.
Now, I've never met a recruiter who didn't thrive on a little healthy competition; we do what we do because we enjoy the challenge (and let's face it, the associated rewards) of matching the right candidate to the right opportunity. That is how most of us build our businesses, our reputations, our networks--contrary to popular belief, many recruiting professionals value integrity above all other virtues. And perhaps that is because we rely on it. If we don't do as we say, we risk damaging far more than one relationship: we risk our careers, our companies.
As a function of what we do, we have to trust that candidates tell us the truth unless we have reason to believe otherwise and every day we stake our reputations on it. We trust that candidates will come to us if they have doubts, questions or concerns; we trust that candidates will let us know both if and WHEN they have other offers on the table and/or they are no longer interested in pursuing opportunities with our client. We trust that candidates will be honest (and professional) enough to tell us what we need to know even if that means one of us has to pick up the phone and initiate an uncomfortable conversation; we're betting on it.
We're as excited as you are--good things for you mean good things for everyone. Just don't get so caught up in the excitement that you forget who your friends are.
written by Kate Harlow, Strategic Sourcing Manager @ TMG
Thursday, March 3
Americans want docs to be online
Baby Boomers were most concerned with rising costs: 66 percent said their costs have increased and 72 percent are most concerned with rising costs in the future. That's compared with 59 percent of Gen Y and Gen X respondents who said their healthcare costs have increased, and 62 percent who were concerned with rising costs in the future.
“Patient anxiety is rising," said Steve Malik, president and general manager of Intuit Health. "They want some measure of control, convenience and better communication with their doctor. Doctors who offer secure online solutions can meet this patient demand while increasing office efficiency and enhancing the doctor-patient relationship."
Malik added that "online solutions, like a patient portal, have proven to improve staff and patient satisfaction levels, while positively impacting the physician’s bottom line by reducing patient no-shows and increasing the speed at which payments are received."
The survey confirmed that increasing consumer utilization and comfort with online solutions is extending to healthcare.
Specifically, the ability to easily connect with their doctor remains an issue for patients. Nearly 20 percent of Americans feel they cannot easily reach their doctor’s office to ask questions, make appointments or obtain lab results. Moreover:
“Patient anxiety is rising," said Steve Malik, president and general manager of Intuit Health. "They want some measure of control, convenience and better communication with their doctor. Doctors who offer secure online solutions can meet this patient demand while increasing office efficiency and enhancing the doctor-patient relationship."
Malik added that "online solutions, like a patient portal, have proven to improve staff and patient satisfaction levels, while positively impacting the physician’s bottom line by reducing patient no-shows and increasing the speed at which payments are received."
The survey confirmed that increasing consumer utilization and comfort with online solutions is extending to healthcare.
Specifically, the ability to easily connect with their doctor remains an issue for patients. Nearly 20 percent of Americans feel they cannot easily reach their doctor’s office to ask questions, make appointments or obtain lab results. Moreover:
- Americans want more efficient visits with their physicians. Eighty-one percent would schedule their own appointment via a secure Web service and fill out medical/registration forms online prior to their appointment.
- Patients want easy, secure access to their information. Seventy-eight percent of respondents would use a secure online method to access their medical histories and share information with their doctor.
- Younger patients prefer online. Fifty-nine percent of Gen Y respondents said they would switch doctors for one with better online access compared with only 29 percent of Baby Boomers.
- Many question the accuracy of medical bills. Forty-one percent of consumers do not have confidence that the billed amount is correct.
- One in five is unsure whether to pay their doctor or the insurance company. Gen Y respondents were most unsure whom to pay – 28 percent versus 8 percent of Baby Boomers.
- Accounts receivable can become bad debt. Fifty-seven percent have had at least one medical bill go to a collection agency. Women are twice as likely as men to let a medical bill go past due.
- Medical bill payments are stuck in the past. Forty-five percent of patients wait more than a month to pay their doctor bill, and when they pay, half still send a paper check in the mail.
Tuesday, March 1
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