Career Blog

5 Questions That Will Help You Hire Better in the New Year

 

Hiring the right people is essential for the success of your team. The team is only as good as the people you hire. Hiring people who are not the right fit is costly. When interviewing, you need to ask the right questions to hire the right people. Basically, there are two types of interviewing questions: those that address capability and those that reveal character. Capability questions are used to establish skills, qualifications, and aptitude.  Character questions are used to reveal personality, self-awareness, and integrity. It is natural to ask capability questions. But are you asking enough character questions? Asking these questions will help you determine if the candidate will be a good cultural fit for your team. Hire well to ensure long-term success.
Character Questions:
1. The Role-Model Question: “What trait of your parents do you most want to inherit?” or “Who do you admire? Why?” Answers to this question can reveal the candidate’s values and self-awareness.
2. The Integrity Question: “When is it acceptable to lie in business?” The only acceptable answer is never.
3. The Curveball Question: This can be any tricky question such as “How would you survive an apocalypse?” or “What is 25 X 13?” The actual answer is not as important as how the candidate arrives at an answer. The curveball question is used to see how people react in real-time under pressure. It will reveal how a person reacts in uncomfortable and difficult situations.
4. The Grit Question: Grit is the ability to persevere toward a long-term goal. “What led you to this career?” or “How have you dealt with failure?” Listen for the candidate to reveal their determination, initiative, and tenacity. Hiring people with grit will help your team face potential challenges.
5. The Humor Questions: Humor helps employees build relationships, cope with stress and enjoy their work. Every team can use more of this. To reveal the candidate’s sense of humor, ask “What is the funniest thing that happened to you in the last year?”
As you listen to the candidate’s answers, trust your gut to determine a person’s character. Hiring good people with strong character goes beyond retention rates and profits. Bringing in the right people for your team will have a positive impact on your company culture that will add value well beyond the new year.
Kathy Lin - Tal HealthcareWritten by:
Kathy Lin, Marketing Communications Manager
Kathy writes content for Tal Healthcare, a healthcare career website. She has a background in recruiting, sales, and teaching.  She holds a BA in Biology from the University of Vermont.  When she isn’t writing you can find her outside running, skiing or biking.

 

 

7 Reasons Why Leaders Need to Make Time for Self-Care During the Holidays

Tal Healthcare December Holiday Campaign

 

Leadership is stressful. For leaders, stress is a part of the job and cannot be totally avoided. The best way to cope is to make time for self-care; are you? Long hours and hard work are an essential part of success but can lead to chronic stress. Filling all your days and nights with endless work leaves little time for rest and relaxation and can result in chronic stress.  Make self-care a priority.
Here are seven reasons why leaders need to make time for self-care during the holidays:
1. Your physical health: Headaches, high blood pressure, and overeating are all physical responses to chronic stress. The long-term activation of your stress response system disrupts the way your body functions. This can put you at risk for many health problems.
2. Your emotional health: Fear, anxiety, and anger are all emotional responses to chronic stress. This can affect the way you interact with your team, family and friends. Self-care will give you a need reset that will help you more effectively manage the emotional challenges of leadership.
3. Your creativity: Long term stress can diminish your creativity. To solve problems and perform at top leadership levels, you need your creativity to be functioning at maximum. Taking time for self-care will ensure that you are functioning at top creative capacity.
4. Your focus: The ability to focus and concentrate is directly correlated to the amount of stress being experienced. The more stressed you feel, the more difficult it is to concentrate and focus. Leadership requires an optimal level of focus.
5. Your memory: The negative effects of stress on memory have been widely documented. Stress causes chemical changes which interfere with the brain’s ability to form new memories. A robust working memory is a foundation for leading with strength and grace.
6. Your motivation: The chemical imbalance created by chronic stress can lead to decreased Unmotivated leaders struggle to guide their team to success. Rest and reset to maintain your motivation.
7. The people who give you strength: Chronic stress can cause us to neglect the very people who give leaders their strength. These are the friends and family members that make us feel most human.  Don’t let stress diminish your quality of life.
Leaders need to learn ways to recognize and manage their stress. The best coping tactic is making time for self-care, especially during the holidays. Keep stress at bay; take time to unwind.

 

Kathy Lin - Tal HealthcareWritten by:
Kathy Lin, Marketing Communications Manager
Kathy writes content for Tal Healthcare, a healthcare career website. She has a background in recruiting, sales, and teaching.  She holds a BA in Biology from the University of Vermont.  When she isn’t writing you can find her outside running, skiing or biking.

 

 

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year for a Job Search

 

Tal 2018 Holiday Picture

Hiring doesn’t stop for the holidays, and neither should your job search. The holiday season offers some definite advantages for job seekers. Get your holiday cheer on and start your job search.
Perks of a Holiday Job Search:
1. Less competition: Because other job seekers are distracted with holiday gatherings, travel or shopping, there is less competition for jobs. Since the pool of candidates is smaller, your competition is reduced. This makes it even easier to stand out.
2. Employers are Hiring: Companies are finalizing budgets and goals for the upcoming year which may include new projects and increasing team size. Also, many employees give notice just before the holidays to coincide with holiday travel plans. Companies are seeking to fill these unexpected openings.
3. Holiday Parties: Every holiday party is a chance to network. Have your business card and elevator pitch ready. Most people are thrilled to help, especially during the holiday season. Who knows, even Uncle Bob or Aunt Carol might be able to introduce you to someone who can assist in the search.
4. Holiday Cards: You can reconnect with past professional connections by sending them a holiday card. Let them know your goals and ask for help.
5. Holiday Sales: If you need a new interview suit, this is the perfect time to take advantage of holiday sales. Take this opportunity to make a great first impression.
Hiring is no longer seasonal, and neither is your job search. Take advantage of the special features a holiday job search has to offer and hopefully you will be able to ring in the New Year with a new career.

 

Kathy Lin - Tal HealthcareWritten by:
Kathy Lin, Marketing Communications Manager
Kathy writes content for Tal Healthcare, a healthcare career website. She has a background in recruiting, sales, and teaching.  She holds a BA in Biology from the University of Vermont.  When she isn’t writing you can find her outside running, skiing or biking.

 

 

Gratitude: A Powerful Leadership Tool

 

 

 

Do you appreciate the people who make your success possible? With all the challenges of being a leader, it is important to remind yourself that working with your team is a privilege. When you appreciate your team, it creates an environment that celebrates the good and inspires success.  Now is the perfect time to show your gratitude.
Showing authentic gratitude will:
1. Boost Respect

Leaders earn respect when they show their team members appreciation. Leaders who take the time to understand and acknowledge the unique way each person on the team participates, innovates and grows are more focused on recognizing the team’s achievements than their own.  When a leader shows gratitude, they gain respect.

 

2. Build Trust

When you express gratitude for the hard work and contribution of your team, their trust in you and your leadership increases. Your team will trust you for valuing what each person brings to the table. Trust is the foundation for a team’s ability to grow and thrive.

 

 3. Increase Productivity

Research shows that when individuals are thanked for their efforts, they become more productive. The sense of feeling valued can be instrumental for motivating your team to achieve greater success.

 

 4. Develop Resilience

Gratitude has a positive impact on resilience which is defined by emotional regulation and the ability to bounce back from setbacks. When leaders are thankful they become more resilient.

 

 5. Improve Health and Well-being

Gratitude has been credited with lowering blood pressure, improving sleep, reducing depression, and increasing immunity. When leaders show gratitude, they thrive.

Cultivate a culture of gratitude with your team.  Spend some time reflecting what it is about the individuals on your team for which you are grateful and let them know. Gratitude is one of those small things that makes leadership and life better. It is a powerful tool that will inspire your whole team. Gratitude is viral, once it gets started it will keep growing and giving.

 

Kathy Lin - Tal HealthcareWritten by:
Kathy Lin, Marketing Communications Manager
Kathy writes content for Tal Healthcare, a healthcare career website. She has a background in recruiting, sales, and teaching.  She holds a BA in Biology from the University of Vermont.  When she isn’t writing you can find her outside running, skiing or biking.

Use Gratitude to Grow and Nurture Your Network

 

 

 

Thank you notes are critical in helping to grow and nurture your network. Writing a thank you email is one of the best ways to maintain your network connections.  Make sure you take time to thank everyone who helps you with your career, your job search or who offers career advice. Professionals who take time to help with your career deserve your thanks. Show your gratitude with a well-crafted email. All it takes is a few authentic lines.
Templates for some of the professional situations that deserve a note:
       1. For a reference:

Dear [Name],
I made it to the final rounds of interviewing with [company]! Thank you for agreeing to serve as a reference. Your help means so much to me. I’ve attached an updated resume and a copy of the job description for your reference. The company is looking for is someone with [top skill]. When I remembered the [project name] that we worked on together, I thought of you. I truly appreciate all your help and am so grateful to have you in my network. Please let me know how I can help you!

       2. For giving advice:

Dear [Name],
Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions about [task]. Hearing about your experience with [similar task] was very helpful! I ended up exceeding expectations on [task]. I am grateful to have you in my network. Your advice has been very important to me. Please let me know if there is anything with which I can assist you.

       3. For making an introduction:

Dear [Name],
Thank you so much for introducing me to [new-contact]. We just got off a phone call. We discussed [project you needed help with]. Now I feel much better equipped to handle [examples of tasks related to the project]. I appreciate the help you have provided and am grateful to have you in my network. Please keep me in mind if you ever need help.

 

Take time to show your gratitude.  Your email can make all the difference when the next time rolls around. When your network contact feels appreciated, you will be able to count on more help in the future. Good thank you notes are the best way to grow and nurture your network.
Kathy Lin - Tal HealthcareWritten by:
Kathy Lin, Marketing Communications Manager
Kathy writes content for Tal Healthcare, a healthcare career website. She has a background in recruiting, sales, and teaching.  She holds a BA in Biology from the University of Vermont.  When she isn’t writing you can find her outside running, skiing or biking.

9 Ways Nurse Practitioners are Transforming Medicine

 

 

National Nurse Practitioner (NP) week is the perfect time to recognize how Nurse Practitioners are transforming medicine. Nurse Practitioners play an important role in providing timely access to quality healthcare.

 

November 11-17 is National Nurse Practitioner (NP) week.  This is the perfect time to recognize how Nurse Practitioners are transforming medicine.  Nurse Practitioners play an important role in providing timely access to quality healthcare.

9 Ways Nurse Practitioners are Transforming Medicine:

We at Tal Healthcare say, “Thank you,” to all the Nurse Practitioners who are making a positive impact on healthcare.
Kathy Lin - Tal HealthcareWritten by:
Kathy Lin, Marketing Communications Manager
Kathy writes content for Tal Healthcare, a healthcare career website. She has a background in recruiting, sales, and teaching.  She holds a BA in Biology from the University of Vermont.  When she isn’t writing you can find her outside running, skiing or biking.