Because of this, many facilities try to establish in-house recruiting departments. Whether they are looking to streamline costs or create value, many HR executives think that their HR professionals can best manage this process in-house – in addition to all the other required human resource-related duties.

This may not be the case.  No matter how efficient, aligned or inclusive your HR department is as a recruiting organization, it is extremely difficult to handle everything. When you cannot handle everything, you are not creating value.

Time

Recruiting is time-intensive.  If an internal department is trying to cull through hundreds of résumés while still managing daily responsibilities, the process can take weeks or months. This is a long time for a position to remain vacant.  In addition, candidates must be carefully screened to make sure that they have the proper education, experience as well as the right certifications and credentials.  This also takes a significant amount of time.

Recruiting as a specialty

Recruiting is, in many ways, a soft skill.  The internal HR professional must be able to not only locate a candidate but engage that person as well.  Effectively expressing all the reasons to accept the position, overcoming objections, compromising, negotiating and closing the candidate are all inherent skills found in the best recruiters.  Effective, focused recruiting requires specialized expertise and a distinct set of “soft skills” that may not be found among your current HR professionals.

Multiple “clients”

Depending on the facility’s size and needs, a HR department that tries to handle everything is more than likely torn between filling administrative jobs, clinical jobs, IT jobs or even executive positions.  Usually, the HR professional ends up working with the unit that “communicates” the loudest….not with the unit that has the most urgent need.

Focusing simply on hard dollar savings by trying to manage the entire recruiting process in-house can backfire. No one (whether it is a specific person or department) can do everything. Therefore, you can rely on Snelling Medical Professionals to help.  We know where to find suitable candidates, and we can quickly narrow this list to a small and manageable group.  Recruiting is what we do.  We know how to engage a candidate and match his/her needs and desires to your specific work environment and other intangible benefits.   If you are a healthcare organization that needs to fill your open positions quickly or map your future talent pool, contact Snelling Medical Professionals today.

I love my smartphone…..everyone, I think, loves their smartphones. This little device has given me more flexibility than any other invention created during my lifetime.  It has become ubiquitous to our way of life, used to communicate, conduct research and stay in touch with old friends.  We can even apply for jobs with it.

However, during the job hunt, your smartphone can become your worst enemy.

During this time, you must present yourself as professionally as possible.  With all the effort you have put into creating a professional résumé, cover letter, and wardrobe, it would be an absolute shame if your smartphone represented you in a unprofessional or inappropriate way…and then cost you a job offer.

Ringback tones and notification tones

Using bits of music, dialog, or inappropriate sounds as a ringtone or notification tone is a huge mistake. The goal is to appear professional – not to annoy or offend. Remember, you do not know the person sitting in front of you; everyone is different with different tastes and opinions.  We find different things funny; we find different things offensive.   Not everyone thinks Eminem’s lyrics are literary masterpieces, and you must always assume that using a woman’s scream as a notification for a new text/email/Instagram comment/Facebook “like” will offend.  

Answering calls in public places

It may be unfair, but there is a definite stigma for the unemployed.  Human resource professionals consistently rank people who they believe to be unemployed significantly lower in terms of warmth, competency and hireability.  So even though you may have only taken your lunch hour to eat with your child in the school’s cafeteria, do not answer your phone in such a noisy place.   It is better to let it go to voicemail and return the potential employer’s phone call when you are in a quiet location.

Hide Your Phone

The advice to turn off your phone during an interview is good advice.  Our smartphones are such an extension of our lives, that – for many people – they never leave their bodies.  Because of this, many job seekers lose sight of the fact that there are times when their smartphone should not be seen or heard.  The urge to “check” may just be too much.  Turn it off and put it in your pocket, purse or satchel.

In all communications remain professional. 

Between the auto-correct feature and Swype, there are thousands (if not millions) of examples of people sending horrendous (but funny) texts and emails via their smartphone.  Called “auto-correct fails”, many of these are outrageously funny; however, an “auto-correct fail” with a potential employer can torpedo any chance you have to receive a job offer. Remember, when you interact with a possible employer, you will reference the hiring manager’s name and the company’s name.  Names (of any type) are ripe for auto-correcting.  I have personally experienced the pure unadulterated terror that comes when my phone auto-corrects people’s names to curse words and parts of the human body.  Only by proofing every single thing I write have I been able to avoid abject embarrassment.

What have your experiences been?  Have you been burned in the job search by your smartphone?  If so, we would love to hear about and compare notes and ideas for how to best present yourself while leveraging the powerful communication abilities that smartphones afford.  Comment below and let’s get a dialogue started.  If you like what you read, add our Candidate Connection Blog to your RSS feed.  We look forward to talking with you!

Handling and resolving conflicts is one of the biggest challenges that managers and their employees face, because it is (well) hard.  The way to handle this is not to ignore the situation or pretend that nothing is wrong.  The way to handle conflict is to have – what many people call – the “difficult conversation”.

Here are 5 tips to make your next difficult conversation as productive and stress-free as possible:

• Don’t procrastinate.  In order to reach a productive outcome, you must first have the conversation.  When we have to do something that is outside our comfort zone, it is very tempting to simply put it off until “later”.  However, if you are waiting for the perfect time, that time will never come.  Perfection is something you make – not something you find. Stop procrastinating and talk. If it helps, set an appointment; they are harder to wiggle out off.
• Remember that conversations are not about winning or losing. Conversations are not about beating the other person into submission.  They are not about winning.  When someone “wins” in a conversation, both people lose.  Difficult conversations should be about compromise and understanding; they should not turn into combative situations where the participants talk over one another, don’t listen and are only focused on making their own points.
• Don’t rehearse.  People react better to conversations than they do speeches.  When you know things are going to be tough, it’s tempting to practice what you’re going to say ahead of time. However, that is how you prepare for a speech, which is a performance that is only focuses on getting points across. It is important to take the time to fully understand where you stand on an issue and be confident in your ability to express that understanding, but you do not need to practice your sentence structure and use of conjunctions.  You are having a conversation, which includes focusing on the other person.
• Do not make any assumptions. Everyone – at one point or another – has made a bad assumption.  Don’t assume that you know where your employee/co-worker is “coming from” or what her intentions were or how she views the problem.  Instead focus on perspectives, achieving mutual understanding, compromise and solution-building.
• Ask questions and paraphrase. Again, this is about communication.  In order to reach a mutually agreeable conclusion, everyone involved must be “on the same page”.  There have been many instances where participants have walked away from a conversation with a completely different understanding of what was said and decided.  One of the best ways to ensure that there is no confusion is to paraphrase what you hear and ask clarifying questions.  Solutions come much easier when everyone understands.

These are just a few suggestions of what I have found to be successful in the past.  What have your experiences been?  Have you found other strategies helpful when having a “difficult conversation”?  If so, I would love to hear about them and compare notes and ideas.  Comment below and let’s get a dialogue started.  If you like what you read, The Snelling Blog to your RSS feed.  I look forward to hearing from you!

Despite the massive fluctuations in the economy, healthcare professionals have been repeatedly told that their careers are recession-proof.  Is this true?  Many people think so, because the news media is filled with statistics about how the healthcare industry is adding thousands of jobs each month.  For example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has reported that healthcare employment has grown annually every year since 2003.

But what about actual jobs? These sectors include a vast number of occupations. Are all healthcare occupations immune to economic fluctuations?  Can you simply sign up for training at a local technical college and instantly find a job?  Perhaps not.  A recent article in Money magazine highlighted newly graduated nurses who cannot find jobs- a phenomenon that most people would never guess could happen.

If sick, still go for treatment…

In many ways, healthcare jobs are recession-proof – most cannot be outsourced to another, country- and healthcare is one of the last things that people cut back on.  People might eat out less at Chili’s and other casual dining chains, but they will not refuse to see a doctor when sick.      

If optional, it goes by the wayside…

However, patients do cut back in certain areas…sometimes not by their choice.  This includes:

• elective surgeries – plastic surgery, dermatological treatments, etc.
• treatments that may help in the long-term but have cheaper short-term solutions – lasik surgery vs. glasses

In addition, many people are cutting back on what they consider to be optional health insurance – vision and dental- therefore skipping vision check-ups and bi-annual teeth cleanings

The issue with prescription drugs…

Monetary reimbursements are being scaled back as insurance companies refuse to cover name-brand drugs, increase co-payments or simply sever ties with certain prescription groups.  This causes people to continuously look for cheaper alternatives for their needed prescriptions – doctor office samples, etc.

Decision is Bigger than “Number of Doctors Visits”

In reality, not all jobs in the medical sector are immune to economic fluctuations.  If you are interested in pursuing a specific medical career, much more analysis needs to be done other than whether or not people will continue to go to the doctor during tough economic times.  The amount of needed education, the availability and cost of that education, the turnover rate of that particular position, and the projected growth over the next decade all combine to determine how recession-proof a particular job really is.

For example, demand for physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists and physician assistants is expected to grow rapidly over the next decade.  However, the training for these jobs is long, involved and expensive.  Therefore, a relatively few number of people are entering this field compared to the demand.

In comparison, nursing assistants, home health aides and medical assistants are also jobs in high demand.  The training, in comparison is short, compact and less expensive.  Therefore, a relatively larger proportion of people are entering this field compared to the demand. So, whereas these jobs are not going to go away, they may be harder to get once your training is complete.

The bottom line is that you may not be able to simply sign up for training and be assured a job.  Life is usually not that simple.  Snelling Medical Professionals can help.  We can provide the resources and practical advice you need to find your best-fit job.  We encourage you to register on our website today, locate your nearest office where our medical recruiters and staffing specialists can work with you to best match your skills and knowledge to the job that will that will carry you to the future.

But there are choices when it comes to the path that you should follow.  Not all people find their “best-fit” job through online advertisements, or job fairs, or even newspaper ads.

At Snelling, we focus on finding you your best-fit job – the job that, right now, fits your needs, your lifestyle and your standards. This focus is summed up in our People + tagline.  With Snelling’s People + you know that you are able to leverage a resource that focuses on who you are and what you can offer.  We work hard every day getting quality workers into quality jobs at quality companies. When you work with Snelling, you get:

People + Opportunity

We help people get to work – in the way they want to work.  We can do that for you, too.  Whether you are testing the waters with a temporary or a temp-to-hire position or are looking for full-time employment, Snelling can help.        

People + Best Fit

Our clients come in many different sizes and from virtually every industry.  Snelling can place you with the best-fit managers and jobs within those organizations.  We work diligently every day making sure that both our clients and our employees are matched perfectly. We allow you to build the career that is right for you.

People + Flexibility

Working in a temporary capacity allows you a great deal of flexibility while still allowing you to earn a paycheck.  Working in a temporary-to-hire capacity allows you to “test drive” the job and company to make sure that there is a good fit.  Whatever your choice, Snelling allows you to build the career that is right for you. 

People + Support

Snelling understands that everyone’s idea of a best-fit job is different.  Therefore, we work with you to find the opportunity that suits your particular skills and interests. Many of our talented job seekers have come to us through referrals from other job seekers we have successfully placed.  Our results speak louder than our promises.

People + Guidance

Finding a new path in life – whether that be a new career or a new lifestyle choice – is never easy.  It does not simply appear because you wish it.  We, at Snelling, understand this.  You need assistance – you need guidance and resources.  We have what you are looking for.  Follow our Candidate Connection Blog and visit our Candidate Resource Hub to find up-to-date, relevant information on how to find your perfect job or succeed as a temporary worker.

Snelling can help you find your “best-fit” job.  When you are ready to begin, join our team.  Remember…Snelling delivers results.  Visit our website and locate your local Snelling office today to begin the process.

With this growth comes a choice, as workforce management firms compete for your business. Promises of competitive advantages, higher quality workers and lower costs permeate the landscape.  Snelling comes to the table with these same promises and much more.  We have been an industry leader for years, and that knowledge is summed up in our People + tagline.  With Snelling’s People + you know that you are getting a quality workforce management partner – one who not only says all the right things, but can prove it.  At Snelling, we are:

People + Proven Results

For over 60 years, Snelling has provided complete workforce solutions to their clients….whether it be a temporary team of workers to help with demand fluctuations or the perfect candidate for a full-time position. In every office across this country, we apply our experience and knowledge to provide you with the unique solution designed to meet your specific need.     

People + Understanding

Our talented managers and recruiters have a wealth of knowledge and experience- both in the staffing sector as well as in your particular industry.  With this valuable expertise, we can help identify major issues affecting your business and design a solution that gives you a competitive edge.

People + Flexibility

We provide both expertise and out-of-box solutions needed to quickly and effectively hit the ground running for either a short-term project or for anticipated long-term growth.

People + Partnership

Partnering with Snelling adds value. When you form a strategic partnership with us, you benefit.  Snelling works with you in a consultative role, understanding your needs and goals, analyzing the future demand for workers, all the while leveraging our knowledge of workforce planning and your industry.  This directly and positively impacts the cost, quality, reliability and speed of your recruiting and staffing initiatives.

People + Service

Here at Snelling, our commitment to customer service is evident through every stage of our partnership.  Planning and implementing both your workforce staffing needs as well as your recruitment process should not be your focus.  We manage these processes for you so you can focus on the complexities of your business.

So ask yourself if your current needs are being met.  If not, remember…Snelling delivers results.  Contact us today and let us start working for you.

The term “soft skills” is used to describe an employee’s non-technical skills and abilities and is known by many other names, including interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence or “people skills”. Soft skills include (for example) problem-solving skills, working well on teams, showing up on time, and the ability to effectively communicate.

Technical skills can be taught.  Medical workers go to school to learn the hard skills needed to work in the medical profession.  Soft skills are influenced by who we are as a person.  There is no substitute for a person who has the natural ability to communicate well, provide exemplary patient care, and work well with others.

Because of this, soft skills have gained more importance among employers.  In the medical field, the following intangible skills are ranked very highly:

• Empathy
• The ability to lead
• Work well in teams
• Communication and listening skills

However, if you are searching for a job in the medical field, soft skills are hard to highlight. You cannot simply list the number of days you had no arguments with co-workers, or the number of fights you resolved, or the number of days you arrived on time for your shift.     

What you can do is:

1)      References and Endorsements – Having co-workers write recommendations (either manually or by through LinkedIn) are an extremely effective way to highlight soft skills.  In addition, LinkedIn provides an entire catalog of soft skills that you can add to your profile.  Ask others to endorse you; once complete, you can provide this list to a potential employer (if they have not already looked it up themselves).

2)      Be thorough.  Nothing says “lack of communication skills” better than a typo on your résumé, cover letter or application.

3)      Weave a story around your soft skills, either in your cover letter or during the interview.  Instead of simply stating that you are emphatic, highlight how (for example) you had to handle a particularly difficult family dealing with a devastating medical condition.  Employers view past behavior as an excellent predictor of future behavior. Therefore, tie in your soft skills to your past successes.

4)      Watch body language during the interview.  If you are not very confident, act like you are.  Make eye contact, pay attention to slumped shoulders, wringing hands, etc.  Practice your “interview voice”.  Do not act too shrill or too cocky.

Most jobs require a combination of technical skills and “soft skills”; healthcare jobs are no different.  Healthcare professionals are expected to form relationships with their patients and cohorts; many are business owners, and all are expected to bring a tangible set of highly technical skills with them to the job.

Therefore, in order to receive a job offer from the medical facility of your choosing, you must highlight both.  The medical field has done a remarkable job of promoting the field during this last recession.  The end result is that many healthcare workers are graduating. Their hard skills are top-notch.  However, it is essential that you provide a strong package of soft skills, and that you are able to demonstrate their existence to healthcare employers.

Snelling Medical Professionals can help.  We can provide you with the resources you need to better customize your résumé and your LinkedIn profile as well as interview tips and tricks to best highlight all of your skills (both hard and soft).  To access this information, register on the Snelling website today and then visit our Candidate Resource Hub for all the information you need to find your perfect job.  Then when you are ready to begin the job search, locate your closest Snelling Medical Professionals office, where our talented staffing managers can help you with your search.

Manufacturing jobs in this country are increasingly requiring “white-collar” credentials.  Processes are becoming more high-tech, markets are becoming more international, and workers need more skills. Lasers, robotics and computer numeric-control tools are now all standard equipment on the factory floor.  In addition, applicants must show that they have

• The ability to work on teams
• The ability to communicate effectively across the entire workforce.
• The capacity to learn highly technical material and then apply that knowledge to other areas.
• The ability to adapt to change
• The capability to work with less supervisory oversight.

Low-skilled jobs are simply no longer in high demand.  Technology and low barriers of entry (most everyone can stock a shelf) have replaced manpower.      

However, many workers do not have the skills needed to land the many, many well-paying available manufacturing and skilled trades jobs.  Many of these jobs are now STEM jobs – calling for science, technology, engineering and/or math knowledge – and require either a degree or advanced vocational training.

In the 2011 Manufacturing Institute’s Skills Gap Report, manufacturers reported that approximately 5% of their jobs remained unfilled due to a lack of unskilled available workers.   This means that approximately 600,000 well-paying “blue-collar” jobs were unfilled in 2012.  Employers continue to struggle finding skilled machinists, operators, craft workers, distributors, technicians, etc.

These middle class jobs are being redefined.  In order to make a comfortable wage, workers must upgrade their skillsets and learn a wider range of skills.  Flexibility is the key.  After years of process redesign and automation, manufacturers want workers who can work in a variety of areas and have the right skillsets to do so.

So what can you do to “bump up” your skillset and make yourself more marketable?

1)      Manage your expectations.  Lower-level, task-oriented jobs are no longer going to pay a comfortable wage.  In order to succeed, you are going to have to embrace change and constantly look for opportunities to learn and grow, even if you are currently employed.

2)      Throw the stereotypes in the trash.  Not all good jobs are the result of a four year degree.  There are many challenging, lucrative and exciting job opportunities that exist in the “blue-collar” workforce.  According to Mike Rowe, they showed not be viewed as some type of vocational consolation prize.

3)      Volunteer.  Volunteers have to do more with less, and there is no greater environment to learn how to problem-solve, lead and communicate.

4)      Think outside the box.

1. Updating your skills does not necessarily mean spending a lot of money.  Look for less expensive alternatives, such as those offered by your state’s workforce commission or department of labor.
2. Many community colleges offer “career training” or “continuing education” or “lifelong learning” programs to help you develop the skills needed to land a lucrative job in the skilled trades.  Do a little investigating and find the program that fits you best.
3. Investigate temporary work.  Many employers are picky; they only want workers with specific skills, but are willing to take on temporary workers to test fit.  Temporary work remains one of the best ways to get your foot in the door with a local employer.

Snelling can help too.  We place workers every day all over this country.  We know what industries are hiring, and we know what skills are in demand.  We have worked with employers in your hometown; we know where the jobs are, and we know what skills you need to obtain them.  To get started today, register on our website, and find your local Snelling office.  Then look through all of our open jobs.  If you find one that you are interested in, apply.  We would love to talk to you.

What is burnout?

Employee burnout described a worker who is disengaged from his job. There are some primary causes of burnout, including stress, overload, boredom, and/or poor working conditions.

In many ways, employee burnout is a nationwide epidemic. Companies (of all shapes and sizes) have been trying to do more with less for years. Promotions have ground to a standstill. Recognition programs were cut to the bone. Stresses of all different types raised the issue of workplace bullying and hostile work environments.

The working wounded are everywhere…..in every company.    

Identify first

Epidemic or not…how can you identify the signs of job burnout among your employees and how can you go about relieving /reducing / removing it.

Some of the most telling signs of employee burnout include:

1)      Decrease in performance and/or productivity

2)      Increased absenteeism and/or tardiness

3)      Changes in attitude (including anger and irritability)

4)      Lower quality of work (more mistakes, etc.)

5)      Comments from co-workers

Relieve / Reduce / Remove

After you have identified the issues, now comes the time for a real gut check.  It is important to realize that a 3^rd person cannot “unburn” an employee, but there are many things you can (and should) do to move the employee towards the positive end of the “engagement spectrum”.

1)      Reanalyze your motivators – what worked to motivate employees in the past? What successful events, perks and areas of recognition were cut?  Bring back the old, and identify the new.  What recognitions and awards can you initiate that will allow your workers to experience a sense of achievement?

2)      Provide opportunities for personal and professional growth.  One main cause of job burnout is being “worn out” from having been in the same job for a very long time.  Cross-training (for vacation coverage), seminar or conference attendance or even sitting down to create a formal career path can do wonders for an employee’s motivation.

3)      Re-engage yourself.  Take a long, hard look at yourself. Are you part of the problem? If you are paying for the employees to go bowling or see a sports team or even go see a movie, do not pass on the opportunity. Attend the event.  Mingle…talk….observe…you will be surprised at how much this little effort will take you (and your employees).

4)      Restructure the workload – Employees may jump at the chance at overtime, but over the long run, chronic consistent overtime does more harm than good.  Hours of overtime, lack of job control, multiple job responsibilities that may have incompatible or competing demands, or simply a lack of needed skills can cause employees stress, anxiety, and distress.   These all quickly lead to burnout.

Burnout is fixable.  Burnt out employees can be reduced with less rigidity and strong leadership.  Flexibility, coaching, motivating and communicating are your basic tools. Strong leadership squelches employee burnout, increases engagement and satisfaction while raising operating income.  Bringing flexibility to your workforce helps too.  During summer vacations, cyclical downturns or seasonal upswings, leverage temporary and temporary-to-hire workers. Remember, overworked employees are burned out employees.

Snelling is here to help.  We have a network of thousands of temporary workers who can bring their best-fit skills and talents to your enterprise, all the while increasing your profitability and engagement levels .  When you are ready, so are we.  Contact us today!

Leadership is an art, something to be learned over time, not simply by reading books.  Leadership is more tribal than scientific, more a weaving of relationships than an amassing of information… (Max DePree)

But with the growing complexity of the healthcare system, a new type of physician is gaining prominence- the physician leader.  Now, in some respects, all physicians are leaders…in the operating room, in the emergency room, in the examination room.  However, a physician leader combines clinical care knowledge with administrative duties in an attempt to take a “good” medical facility or group and make it a “great” medical facility or group.  He/she is changing the face of medicine – realizing that change must occur – and is combining clinical knowledge with administrative leadership to do so.  The problem is leadership does not come naturally to many.

Creating a vision, sharing it, and then seeing it through to fruition does not come inherently to many physicians.  They are trained to identify a problem / situation / condition and then take the steps necessary to fix it.  They cannot grow into something that they do not understand, are skeptical about, or shy away from due to societal misperceptions (Alec Baldwin’s “I am God” speech from Malice, for example).

Many of today’s physicians have never received formal leadership training.  They are not born leaders, but they can learn to become great leaders.  Everyone can learn new skills, and the same goes for doctors.  Leadership is a skill, and (as such) it can be learned.     

Coaching and Motivating Team Members

Leaders do the right things, managers do things right… (Warren Bennis)

Leaders proactively develop their teams; they do not simply manage them.  In clinical settings, doctors have to tell patients what to do.  As leaders, doctors must motivate and coach their teams toward a vision and various goals.  Doctors no longer work as autonomous units anymore.  Leadership is the ultimate team sport, and it can take years to develop and coach staff to become a cohesive, cross-functional unit.  Continuously let your people know how much you value them, but help them grow by providing real, constructive suggestions.

Empathy and Emotion

If a man be under the influence of anger his conduct will not be correct…(Confucius)

Empathy makes for a good physician.  Being able to understand the feelings of others (and therefore wanting to help) is the main reason many doctor’s enter the medical field.  However, there is a difference between empathy and emotion.  Empathy is wonderful; losing control of your emotions is not.  When this happens and you lash out or become angry, you

• Lose the respect of your team
• Do not see a situation clearly
• Lose focus

Communication

Many people (in general) are poor communicators, and we have all have heard comments made about doctors’ bad “bedside manners”.  However, within any organization that strives to provide best-in-class health care, superior coordination, information sharing and teamwork – across many different disciplines – are required if values and outcomes are to improve.

The need for physician leaders is growing.  According to the American Medical News, 15% of chief medical officers at health systems had clinical duties in 2010, up from 12% from the year before.  Leadership is an intangible skill.  It is not a discipline or a certification that can be listed on a resume or on LinkedIn.  Strong leadership skills can be learned, but they are hard to identify in candidates.  This is where Snelling Medical Professionals can help.  We employ the recruiting methodologies designed to help you find medical staff with the leadership skills you need.  If you would like to know more….contact us today….a representative from Snelling Medical Professionals will contact to find out how we can better recruit for you.

Is it possible to turn a seasonal job into a full-time position?  Absolutely.  Is it easy? Not always…not every seasonal (summer or holiday) worker can transition to a full-time employee.  Remember, if the company could hire everyone, they would not have needed to bring on a seasonal staff. However, there are definite things that you can do to better ensure your chances of being the person who makes that successful transition.

The key is you.  You will not be handed a full-time work gig simply because you are “present”.  You need to show management that you are a “high value” employee.  You need to do this because (in today’s business environment) management emphasizes value when deciding who makes the transition from seasonal worker to full-time employee.  Now, this judgment is based on perception – it is subjective to a certain degree, but there are 5 things that you can do every day to increase your value and therefore your chances:     

• Go above and beyond – no matter the job, there are always opportunities to learn something. Training and education provide value to your boss.  Remember, you have been brought on to help during the company’s busy season.  By taking the initiative to learn new skills and providing your employer with the flexibility to better utilize your skillsets, you are providing value.
• Embrace your workplace – Every company has something strange about it.  Usually there is something trivial about the way that a company operates –its processes, its employees, etc. – that is bothersome. Look past it.  Like everything in life, nothing is perfect.  Tolerance is the stamp of a high-value employee.  Whining, complaining and antagonism are not.
• Show up on time – many times, workers (of all types) can be unreliable. Something as simple as showing up on time and not extending your breaks can provide value.
• Remain productive – By its very nature, seasonal work is designed to provide coverage during an extremely hectic time of the year.  The longer the “season” the higher the probability that a worker’s productivity will start to fizzle out.  Diligence, perseverance, and optimism add value, and that is what managers remember when it comes time to hire full-time employees.
• Speak up – Finally, if you do not let your managers know that you are interested in becoming a full-time employee then all the above advice is moot.  No one is a mind reader and many summer and holiday workers simply want nothing more than a little extra spending money (to use when they return to school in the fall or to spend on Christmas presents).  If you do not fall into either of those categories, let management know.

Remember, value succeeds.  High value employees may lose jobs (due to downsizing or closure or simple bad luck), but they get new jobs.  If you continue to provide value – no matter the job, no matter the job duties – you will be successful in landing your best-fit job.

This is where Snelling can help.  We provide seasonal, temporary and temp-to-hire workers to our clients year-round.  Our clients know that we provide top-quality workers who consistently produce outstanding results.  If you have what it takes to provide the level of service, commitment and value that we stand for, come join our team.  Register on our website today to search through our jobs database.  When you are ready, locate your closest Snelling office, where our talented staffing managers can assist you today.

Because of this, employing quality seasonal employees and keeping them engaged is of upmost importance.  If you do not focus on them and their level of job satisfaction, you could easily isolate your customers, lose business and (therefore) lose money.

In many ways, you must focus on their satisfaction levels in the same way as your full-time (year-round) employees.

For example, you must:     

• Provide a comprehensive orientation / onboarding process.  Your seasonal help may have no experience working in your business / industry, and are working with people they do not know.  To avoid isolation, every employee should be integrated into the company in the same manner.  However, there may be time constraints associated with bringing on seasonal workers.  Therefore, adjust and concentrate some aspects of your onboarding program.  For more information on establishing and planning an onboarding process (link to article), visit our Client Resource Hub.
• Communicate – Take the time to talk with your employees, not just give them orders. Acknowledge them, thank them for their contribution, and work to build consensus and buy-in from all employees.  Remember, whatever goals you set, your employees will be the ones to reach them.  Find out what tools they need and act on any feedback you may receive.  One of the fastest ways to deflate engagement and damage morale is to ask employees for their opinions and points of view and then ignore (or be perceived as ignoring) them.

In some ways, engaging your seasonal workers is more crucial.  You need these workers for a reason – your business is cyclical (80% of businesses are).   Because of this you must:

• Add value to their job – It is true that many seasonal jobs are considered menial or entry-level.  These jobs have to be done, but no one wants to admit they are the towel-folder at the hotel pool, or they put up and/or break down event tents during the busy wedding season.  Help these workers see that that what they are doing contributes to the greater goal….for example, to give people great vacation and/wedding memories.
• Do not overwork – Yes, your “busy season” is just that – busy.  Days are long.  However, exhausted workers are disengaged workers and disengaged workers cannot provide the level of service needed to maximize your revenues.  So work to give your employees some level of “off-time”.  Do not schedule shifts back-to-back, provide for full days off and try to limit shifts to 8 hours (in some states, overtime kicks in after 8 hours of work/day).

Your goal is to seamlessly integrate your seasonal workforce into your operation. Disengaged, disinterested seasonal workers will never fully meld with your existing workforce.  This can impact your bottom line.  Companies with the most engaged employees have a 19% increase in operating income, while those with the lowest levels had a 32% decline.

People do make a difference.  No one knows this better than Snelling.  Our goals are the same:  allowing you to work smarter, not harder, while increasing your profitability.  So, with the peak hiring season already upon us, contact Snelling today.  We can work with you to find your perfect fit seasonal worker – one who melds seamlessly into your organization and allows you to reach maximum profitability.

NOTE:  A full-color, downloadable PDF is available 

Medical practices are relying more on advance practice clinicians – a group that includes nurse practitioners and physician assistants.  Because of this demand, salaries have increased approximately 9%.  However, the turnover rate is showing signs of increasing as well.  In the annual Physician Retention Survey, the turnover rate for both nurse practitioners and physician assistants was 11.5%.  This was down from 2011, but remained almost 5 percentage points higher than the turnover rate for physicians.

Keep Your Best People

All medical practices are human- driven organizations.  Machines do not treat people (not at least by themselves); people do.  It is a person’s clinical expertise and knowledge of how to read the machine’s data that drives the diagnosis and eventual treatment.

Therefore, in order to combat turnover and keep your high value staff members, it is inherent that you become a better “people person”.  In other words, you need to embrace your inner HR manager.     

With over 30,000 employees and a constant stream of new hires, talent management is an important topic at Google.  Their culture demands that they consistently make spot-on hiring decisions, and that they work very hard to keep their high value employees.

What is equally as interesting (but totally predictable) is that the company has an HR process that is 100% dependent upon analytics.  It is called People Analytics, and it is the basis for all talent management, hiring and compensation decisions at Google.

So can the principles of People Analytics be applied your medical practice’s turnover and staff retention issues?   Absolutely.

You need to build a better boss

Google’s People Analytics did find that there is a “resounding” statistical difference between a good boss and a bad boss.  Google found that there are several things that employees – all employees – want in their managers.  They want even-keeled individuals who

• Take genuine interest in their lives and careers
• Do not micromanage
• Are results-oriented
• Have a clear vision and plan for the team
• Help them work through problems by asking questions, not dictating answers.

Why is it important to “build a better boss”?  Unless you are self-employed, you really work for a person, not an organization.  No matter the culture, industry, or daily job duties, if you have a bad boss, the entire experience is poisoned.  If you have a good boss, going to work every day is a joy. People will follow good bosses to the end of the earth; people quit jobs they love because of bad bosses.  Anyone who has worked for either knows this to be true.

There really is a high value on a high value employee   

Good bosses retain good staff members.  Google has calculated that there is a performance differential between an exceptional technologist and an average one of as much as 300%.  These numbers may not translate directly to your medical practice, but people do work harder, smarter  and more collaboratively for bosses they respect.   If you work to become a good boss, you will reap the rewards of this performance differential.

People are what make your office hum.  While we all cannot have a Google working for us in the background, Snelling is here to lighten your load.  We work every day on the behalf of medical facilities all over the country to help you build your hardest working, most collaborative, most innovative office possible.  So let us know how we can help.  From temporary staffing for vacation coverage to long-term assignments, we can find your best-fit staff to fit your management style and office culture perfectly.  Visit our website to today to find your local Snelling Medical Professionals office.

NOTE:  A full-color, downloadable PDF is available. 

As stated in yesterday’s The Snelling Blog, the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) is intended to ensure that, as a member of the Armed Forces, Reserves, National Guard or other “uniformed services”, you are allowed to seamlessly return to civilian employment.

This law is not about finding you a new civilian job.  Its focus is on providing that you are reemployed in the job that you would have attained had you not been called away for military service.

It is important to note that, in order to be eligible for USERRA “protection”, you must have had 5 or less cumulative service years (with some exceptions) in the “uniformed services” while with a particular employee.

Employee Obligations

As an employee, you cannot simply show up and expect to start working within the hour.  You have certain obligations that you must meet.  These include:        

• Having provided – or had an officer from your command provide –prior written notice to your civilian employer that you are leaving to perform military service.
• Having received either an “honorable discharge” or a “general, under honorable conditions” discharge when released from military service
• Returning to work in accordance with USERRA guidelines.  To be eligible for protection under USERRA, you must apply for reemployment within the following timelines:
  • 1-30 days of service – report the next scheduled work day (allowing for travel time and 8 hours of rest)
  • 31-180 days of service – apply within 14 days after completion of service
  • 181+ days of service – apply within 90 days after completion of service

You Have Done Your Part – Now Here are Reemployment Entitlements

If you have met the obligations listed above, you are entitled to receive:

• Prompt reemployment
• Any seniority-related benefits.  These can include a change in pension status and rate of pay as if you were continuously employed during your deployment
• Immediate reinstatement of health insurance for you and previously covered dependents with no waiting period and no preexisting condition exclusion (unless it was determined that this condition was incurred during military service)
• Any additional training needed to qualify you for reemployment.
• Accommodations for any disability you received (or any disability that was aggravated) through military service.

Documentation?  What Documentation?

All veterans, upon release from active duty, are provided with documentation (DD-214, endorsed orders or a letter from your command) that establishes that the application for reemployment is timely, that it did not exceed service limitations and that the release from service was not a dishonorable discharge, etc.

However, the employer may not use a lack of this documentation to deny or delay reemployment.  If documentation is provided later that shows ineligibility, then the employer may begin the termination process.

For more information…

This blog post is meant to be a high-level overview of USERRA.  Any blog that tried to cover all exceptions and nuances would quintuple in size.  If you would like to read/understand any/all exceptions, please refer to USERRA Advisor found on the Dept. of Labor’s website

However, if you decide that you do not want to go back to work for your former employer, Snelling can help!  We have a successful track record of putting veterans –like you – back to work.

Snelling has all the tools you need, from

• Résumé writing
• Overcoming objections in the job search
• Creating a job search “battle plan”
• Removing military “jargon” from your résumé and vocabulary

Register at our website today, or locate your nearest Snelling office and speak to one of recruiters today, who can help you take your skills and knowledge and translate that to a civilian job.

NOTE:  A full-color, downloadable PDF is available. 

The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) is intended to ensure that persons who serve or have served in the Armed Forces, Reserves, National Guard or other “uniformed services” are allowed to seamlessly return to civilian employment.

This law is not about finding veterans new civilian jobs, but about providing that returning service members are reemployed in the job that they would have attained had they not been called away for military service, with the same

• Seniority
• Status
• Pay
• Benefits (to a certain degree)

Returning veterans, who are eligible for USERRA “protection”, must have had 5 or less cumulative service years (with some exceptions) in the “uniformed services” while with a particular employee.

Employer Obligations

As an employer, you have certain obligations. These include:

• Placing the employee on a military (or other appropriate) leave of absence if you received appropriate verbal or written notice.   The USERRA does not require an employer continue paying the employee’s salary; however, you are free to do so.  You are also able to pay out vacation or other similar leave accruals, if the employee requests it.       
• Promptly reemploying the person if they returned to work in accordance with USERRA guidelines, unless

1. Changes occurred in the business that mean that reemploying the person would be impossible or unreasonable (for example, layoffs occurred that would have included the individual).
2. Undue hardships would be incurred
3. The job was for a “brief and nonrecurrent period” and could not reasonably be expected to continue indefinitely or for a significant period.

NOTE:  You, as the employer, have the burden of proving (not simply asserting) unreasonableness, undue hardship, or the brief, nonrecurrent nature of the employment

• Employers must provide entitled employees notice of the rights, benefits and obligations – this can be met by posting the USERRA Poster  where the employer “customarily place notices for employees”.

The Issue of Prompt Reemployment

The amount of time that a person has to request reemployment depends on the amount of time spent on military duty.  Generally speaking, she must request reemployment by the beginning of the “next regularly scheduled work period”, if her military duty lasted less than 31 days.  She has approximately 14 days if her military duty lasted between 31 and 180 days; she has 90 days, if her military duty lasted more than 180 days.

No paperwork?  No excuse

All veterans, upon release, are provided with documentation that establishes that their application is timely, that they have not exceeded service limitations and that their release from service was not due to dishonorable discharge, etc.

However, the employer may not use a lack of this documentation to deny or delay reemployment.  If documentation received later shows that he was not eligible for reemployment, then he may be terminated.

Most employers want to do the right thing by hiring back returning veterans, but there is a lot of uncertainty around the compliance issues of USERRA.  Noncompliance can lead to liquidated damages.

This blog is meant to be a high-level overview of USERRA; it cannot be a definitive USERRA guide. That blog would be quadruple the size of this.  However, if you like more information on the nuances of USERRA and your obligations as an employer, look to Snelling.  We are versed in employment law, and we are heavily involved in veterans’ issues.

Snelling can lighten your load and ensure that you stay within compliance.  Register at our website today, or locate your nearest Snelling office where our knowledgeable staff can assist you in all your workforce planning needs.

NOTE:  A downloadable, full-color PDF is available.