The recruitment game: tips for job seekers - Business Strategies

Nursing Homes, Dec, 2002 by Laura Hyatt

In October, Nancy West, senior executive search consultant with Provider Management, of Portland, Oregon, offered suggestions to long-term care managers for maximizing their employee-recruitment campaigns ("The Recruitment Game: Tips for Employers," Nursing Homes/Long Term Care Management, October 2002, p. 10). This month she addresses techniques for those managers who themselves are seeking new positions.

Hyatt: As a long-term care professional, what are the job-hunting options?

West: If you are looking in your local area, check the newspaper ads. You can contact a recruiter who specializes in long-term care. They often know about positions that are not advertised. If there is a specific area where you would like to relocate, you need to check the ads in that area, either through a friend or relative or through the Internet.

If you are not currently employed and confidentiality is not an issue, you can place your resume on an Internet job board. If you are currently employed, some of these will allow you to place a "blind" resume, but be careful how much identifying information you include because your supervisor could be checking the same job boards. If you are employed and actively looking for a new position, don't answer a "blind" ad of any kind, because your resume could end up on your own supervisor's desk.

Networking with people you know and trust is another good way to find out about positions that aren't being advertised. You can also contact the local and/or state chapter of your industry associations. Definitely keep an eye on your professional trade publications, because they contain ads from all over the country. Job fairs are a good way to find facility staff-level positions, but remember you might see a coworker or your boss there.

Hyatt: What should be included on a resume or CV?

West: Some key points:

* Your contact information should be current and should be at the top of the first page.

* List your positions in reverse chronological order, with your most recent position first.

* Include your education, and mention degrees that you are still working toward. Be clear about which degrees have been earned and which ones are in progress. Also list any continuing education that is relevant to the particular position you are seeking. If you are not degreed, list training seminars or classes you have completed, or certifications you have earned.

* Always include your accomplishments. It is best to list them in bullet points under the position where they were accomplished, especially if you have changed industries in your career. A prospective employer will want to know what you accomplished in the fields that are most relevant to the position they want to fill.

* Describe the companies you have worked for--how many and what kinds of facilities they had--and describe your role briefly.

* If your duties were fairly typical for a particular position, don't include them, because it is just wasted space; your accomplishments are what a prospective employer wants to see.

* Include the dates when you held each position. If you leave dates off, the prospective employer could think that you are hiding something or that you've had too many positions of short duration, when that might not be the case.

* If you have held multiple positions with the same company, be sure you put them all under one company heading, so that the prospective employer does not assume you have changed positions frequently.

Hyatt: What should be included in a cover letter?

West: You should be sure to include the best ways and times to reach you. Do not include a lot of flowery generalities about being hard-working and liking people. Be factual. If there are gaps of time unaccounted for on your resume, this is an opportunity to explain them. Perhaps you were caring for an elderly parent or ill family member, or took time off to go back to school. If your resume is already fairly lengthy, you can include some details that you would like this particular prospective employer to know. You can also include your salary parameters.

If you are working with a professional recruiter, he or she will discuss many of the items on your cover letter directly with the hiring contact, but if you are not, you need to be as specific as possible. Above all, it is imperative that you be truthful in all information you give a prospective employer.

Hyatt: How should you dress for the interview?

West: Whether you are going to a corporate or a facility interview, you should dress as if you were going to meet investment bankers. For men, this means a conservative dark suit, starched white shirt, conservative tie, and highly polished shoes. This is not the time to show off your sense of humor by wearing a novelty tie. For women, this means a conservative business suit and appropriate accessories, with minimal, tasteful jewelry. Even if the people doing the interviewing are dressed casually, don't let that make you uncomfortable. You want to show them that you can present yourselfprofessionally in important situations, such as meeting with the CEO or owner, or with bankers or investors. It also shows that you are taking the interview seriously. If you are asked to come to the interview dressed in "business casual," try to get the person making that request to define exactly what his or her concept of "business casual" is.