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POLISH 2 PROSPER
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Defining your "Why"

4/16/2021

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By Joan Johnson OTR/L, MPA-HA
​Master in Health Administration

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Many of our clients are unhappy in their current positions, yet unsure of their long term career plan. Some are feeling caregiver burnout, physically and emotionally exhausted by the increasing demands of patient care, frustrated with lack of professional opportunities for growth, or tired of a negative workplace culture. Whatever your “Why” is for needing a change, having it defined will help guide career decisions, even if your future title and direction remain open-ended or unclear.

Prioritizing your professional and personal needs by writing them down will help you feel more confident in making a career change.

Define what career success and job satisfaction mean to you.  What do you value most?  What “fills your cup” and keeps you motivated?  What do you excel at?
  • Does success mean you leave work feeling fulfilled?
  • Does building programs or services help you feel accomplished?
  • Does utilizing specialty skills that create a professional niche bring you joy?
  • Do you feel successful supporting others in providing quality care to patients by supervising or managing others?
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What is most important to you in a position? Salary and benefits? Autonomy and flexibility with the schedule? Working for an organization with a strong mission, values, or ethical business practices? Opportunities for professional growth? Working with a collaborative and positive team?
  • Make a list in order of your priorities.
  • Rate them 1-10 in order of most desirable, knowing that you may not get everything you desire but have defined those most important to you.
  • How do these priorities tie into your personal and professional goals, and help guide your search for career success and job satisfaction?
  • Is it most important for you to have multiple income streams, or have a sustainable career that is going to be less impacted by economic changes and healthcare policy implications?
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Your definition of career success belongs to you. Write it down. Develop a vision board. Get inspired. Make a priority list. Even if you are unsure where you will end up, taking a calculated risk and making a change is easier when you have a written plan.

We now offer 1 hour career coaching sessions to help you solidify your priorities and define your personal vision of career success.
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Transferable Skills to Include in your Resume

4/16/2021

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By Joanie Johnson OTR/L, MPH
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How to highlight transferable skills in your resume to land a non clinical position:

We hear all the time from clinicians that, “I am just a Therapist.” Many clinicians feel they will be overlooked for positions, are not qualified, or may not be considered since they are their professional title.

Feeling “stuck” is a common theme we hear with our clients...How do I show that I have these skills, abilities, and can do more than just therapy or direct patient facing care???

There is a multitude of transferable skills that are relevant to other fields both within and outside of healthcare settings.

If you are going for a Leadership or Management role, consider the following:
  • Have you been a subject matter expert in a clinical or other area?
  • What committees have you been involved in? What were your contributions?
  • Have you been a clinician instructor, or professional mentor?
  • What marketing or community events have you participated in? Are you an engaging public speaker and professional advocate?
  • Have you been able to help develop a new program or service in any of your roles? What was the outcome?
  • What leadership qualities do you have, and how are they reflected in your work? Have you been an indirect leader in a department, on a project, or a resource?

Also, consider the daily skills that you use as a clinician, and how these translate over into other roles:
  • Conflict management: consider your ability to manage complex patient and family situations, understand clinical and patient care needs, and make recommendations to patients of varied cultures, educational levels, and health literacy levels
  • Communication Skills: how do you coordinate care, leverage your communication style, and advocate for patient needs?
  • Education Skills: highlight your skill in educating and instructing patients, caregivers, families, and other professionals in your area of specialty
  • Negotiation Abilities: how do you get patients and families involved, invested, and build trust to engage them in their care plan. Take credit for your abilities!
  • Problem solving and critical thinking skills: what are examples of how you think on your feet, manage multiple competing demands, and triage patient clinical needs

If you are considering moving into leadership, management, or non-patient facing roles, these are just a few of the many examples of how your skills transfer to other positions.

Make a list of all of your accomplishments, projects, and organizational contributions. Take credit where it is due.
You are an amazing provider who has the capacity and skills to transfer to other positions and areas.

We can help!
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Changing Career Paths: Things to Consider

4/16/2021

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By Joanie Johnson OTR/L, MPH
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Changing careers or pivoting directions can be intimidating and scary. Leaving the comfort of a reliable position or schedule, consistent paycheck, and familiarity gives many a sense of insecurity.

For others, making a career change might be a necessity for financial, family, or personal reasons. Working in a toxic work environment, or dealing with daily stresses and caregiver burnout, are some of the many reasons clinicians look to change career directions.

Considerations in making a career change are different for every person. Some might need more consistent hours or pay, better benefits, more flexibility and autonomy, or all of the above. Others might want to improve job satisfaction and opportunities for growth.

What your “WHY” is, make a list of what is most important to you and why you need to make a change. Your priority list might look something like this:
  • Consistent hourly pay or salary
  • Retirement options
  • Healthcare benefits
  • Opportunities for growth and career expansion
  • More solid career outlook
  • A position that is more economically solid in a changing healthcare landscape
  • Flexibility and autonomy for improved family life
  • Utilizing specific skills or experience to the fullest capacity

Consider your unique skills and personality traits, and what you are passionate about professionally.

There are ways to focus on your “WHY” if you know what they are, and have a solid foundation to feel confident moving forward with making a change.

Polish2Prosper Career Consulting is now offering career coaching services for Healthcare Professionals needing to build confidence and direction with changing career direction. Contact us for more information.
“We are your partners in making career transitions and provide expert support and coaching to help others define their “WHY””.
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What are hiring managers looking for?

4/16/2021

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By Joan Johnson OTR/L, MPA-HA
​Master in Health Administration
Department Hiring Manager

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How do you represent yourself in the most attractive way to stand out from other applicants and shine for a potential employer?

Hiring managers want to have employees who align with the following:
  • Fit with the organization and department culture: as we all know, clinical skills and documentation systems can be learned. Hiring an employee with ideal personality traits for the team and organizational culture are one of the most important factors in hiring a new employee.
  • Eagerness and capacity to learn: are you the type of employee who is motivated, responsible for your own learning, willing to ask questions and seek answers?
  • Integrity and strong ethics: are you a competent and professional employee who is trusted to represent the company professionally in all situations?
  • Enthusiasm: are you motivated to learn about the company, their culture, processes, and ways of providing care? Are you willing to reach out to others and get to know your colleagues?
  • Commitment and organization loyalty: are you an employee who is invested in the organization and department, and not looking to move and transition into another position in 6 months? Hiring managers want to have an impression that you are worth investing time, training, and energy into adding you to their team.
  • Invested in the well being of the organization: if you come off too pushy or desperate for a position or wanting to get the foot in the door, a hiring manager post likely will pass you by. They are wanting to know that you want to be working for THEIR organization, for the right reasons.
  • Flexibility: are you someone who can rise to the occasion when there is a challenge? For example, your colleague called out sick and you have a last-minute change to your schedule. Are you going to be upset, rude and disgruntled or are you going to be flexible and accommodating?
  • Open to feedback: hiring managers want to know that you can have a conversation about your strengths and be open to areas of growth. You need to reflect that you can manage conflict, negotiate challenging situations, and are committed to learning and growing as an employee.

Including these key “soft skills” in your professional resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile will make your documents attractive to both Talent Acquisition and Hiring Managers. Practicing behavioral interviewing with these factors in mind will help make the long-lasting impression that you desire.
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From Clinician to Operations Manager

4/16/2021

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By Joanie Johnson OTR/L
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Networking Can Open Doors You Didn't Know Existed
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Four years ago, I applied for a Supervisor position with goals to work for my dream organization.


This is an organization I had been applying to for over 5 years, had landed interviews, but never a formal position offer. I REALLY wanted to work for this organization for much of my professional career. This supervisor position ended up not requiring a clinical background, and unfortunately at the time, I was not able to manage the pay decrease to transition.

I stayed connected with the recruiter, and 1 year later, she reached out to me about an opening due to a department restructure. This position required an RN degree to manage the Home Health Department.

At the time I was an OT with 7+ years of management experience (5 of which were in Home Health), a Masters Degree in Health Administration, and years of management training and education under my belt.

My heart sank that I would not qualify for this job since I did not have the clinical licensure required.

The recruiter collaborated with the hiring manager to change the position qualifications to allow rehabilitation clinicians to apply.

I was invited to interview and was offered the position. I would like to think this all occurred because of my work experience, skills, and professional qualities.

However, had I not connected with this recruiter and established a positive relationship, I would not have known about this position opening. I had made a positive impression, and she had kept my resume in mind with priority openings she was working to fill.

This recruiter had a keen eye for talent and finding an employee who was a good fit for company culture and demands of the department.

Professional networking is the key to opening doors you did not know existed.

Contact Polish2Prosper for tips, tricks, or LinkedIn strategy to help you make a successful professional impact.
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Virtual Interview Tips

4/16/2021

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By Tanya Peterson MS, OTR/L
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In the era of covid, and possibly well into the future, virtual interviews have become more necessary than ever.

As if interviews weren’t stressful enough, now we need to add in some technical components to juggle.

But- you can’t beat the commute!

Here’s some quick tips to help you feel confident and prepared while on camera:

THINK ABOUT YOUR SURROUNDINGS
  • Make sure you are in a well lit and quiet room. If possible make sure your face is illuminated from the front. If your light source is coming from behind you - it can cause shadows.
  • Consider the angle of your screen or camera - no one wants to look up your nose or only see a small portion of your face
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DRESS PROFESSIONALLY
  • It may feel weird to dress up to hang out in your living room - but it’s necessary. You don’t need to be in a full suit, but make sure you are presentable. This can be as simple as a button down shirt or nice blouse. Don’t overdo it.

USE STAR FORMAT TO ANSWER QUESTIONS
  • STAR: Situation, Task, Action, Result ← Use this template
  • Provide examples of situations that have arisen and how you handled them
  • ​Speak at an even pace and be authentic ​

FOLLOW-UP
  • Thank your interviewer in an email and briefly recap what makes you an excellent candidate. Refer to a topic or discussion that took place during your interview.
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    Featuring articles from Joanie Johnson and Tanya Peterson. 

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