Handling Employee Turmoil

We all have probably all been the topic of gossip at some point in our life, most likely in middle school.  But what happens when the dramatics of middle school enter the office?

Honestly, I was shocked when I started my research for this post. Unfortunately, this is a growing problem in all sectors of business.  In fact, a survey for Randstad USA found that 60% of employees list gossip as the Number One problem in the workplace.  It also found that only 8% of the issues get reported.

Gossip and harassment take a toll on not only the individual, but on the office as a whole.  This type of an atmosphere does not foster a team environment, causing productivity to suffer.  If a situation is allowed to escalate, it can create a hostile work environment, leaving not only the tormentor, but the employer as well, open to legal repercussions.

So how can you, as a manager, foster a positive work environment?

1. Address the issue and let the staff know that kind of behavior will not be tolerated.
2. Encourage communication between both parties with a manager present, while remaining impartial.
3. Have a policy in place to deal with workplace harassment.

Contributed by Tiffany Worstell, Eye Care Staff Recruiter-Nationwide. To contact Tiffany, call 540-491-9112, or email at tworstell@etsvision.com

Positive Momentum Grows as Fiscal Cliff Nears

Home prices have now been rising for eight months, and are now up more than 11 percent from a year ago, according to the National Association of Realtors. The current supply on the market fell 1.4 percent in October, representing a 5.4-month supply, down from 7.6 months a year ago and the lowest level of supply since early 2006.

If home prices continue to rise as expected, it will have two significant effects on the labor market in the coming year and years ahead. The most direct result will be the increase in U.S. home construction. Not only did new home starts jump at an annualized rate of 15 percent in September, existing home sales often also results in more construction jobs as home owners renovate before selling or after purchasing.

"Construction employment is still down by 2.2 million jobs compared to its pre-recession peak and has had virtually no recovery," says Rob Romaine, president of MRINetwork. "Despite being less than 5 percent of the total U.S. workforce, that represents more than half of the 4.2 million jobs deficit from the pre-recession peak. Any economic activity that can increase employment for the sector will have the most immediate effect of reducing total U.S. unemployment and increasing U.S. consumer spending power."

Rising home prices will also add to U.S. spending power in another way--increasing equity. The cumulative growth in home equity has added $760 billion in equity to the U.S. economy, nearly equal to the $787-billion economic stimulus package approved in early 2009. Yet, that program was phased in over three years, whereas growing home equity will add another $1 trillion in the next year. While home equity can't immediately be spent on groceries or a new TV, especially if a mortgage is underwater, it can make obtaining credit easier, and can make consumers more confident to spend the cash they do have. Receipts from the holiday shopping season are just starting to be tallied but projections suggest total revenue in 2012 will grow by 4.1 percent, above the 3.5 percent average growth in the last decade.

"About 700,000 temporary retail jobs have been created this holiday season, up from last year. But retail jobs are just the last link in a long chain of jobs created by Black Friday and the weeks after it," says Romaine. "Should projections for a strong holiday season pan out, revenues over the last five weeks of the year will spur a new round of hiring for product development, design, manufacturing, supply chain, marketing, and branding professionals and managers to create and sell products for the 2013 holiday season."

While the economy's momentum continues to build, several significant and fast-approaching storm clouds remain on the horizon. Lawmakers have pushed several critical decisions into the post-election season. Consequentially, before the new year, a lame duck session of Congress will need to revisit a series of temporary tax cuts set to expire, new taxes set to be levied to support the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), expiring extended unemployment benefits, a 30 percent reduction in Medicare payments to doctors, and the first of eight annual $109 billion cuts in defense spending.

Collectively known as the fiscal cliff, should the laws stand as they are now written, more than $500 billion will be removed from the economy in 2013, causing a projected 0.5 percent drop in GDP. According to the Congressional Budget Office, this double-dip recession could cause the unemployment rate to surge back to 9 percent by the end of 2013.

"No one expects the fiscal cliff to occur in its current form, but what compromises will be made are still largely unknown," says Romaine. "Should the compromise be modest enough to prevent a double-dip recession, momentum in both the residential real estate market and consumer goods sectors bode well for unemployment to continue to decline next year as demand for professionals across industries will remain strong."

Practice Owners: 8 Simple Steps to Preparing a Business Plan for 2013

I am very pleased say our business has more than doubled over the past four years – a time period when more than 50% of the recruiters in the country exited the recruiting business due to the difficult economic environment. Certainly, much of our success here is due to our outstanding team of Account Executives/Recruiters, but I also attribute much of our success to taking the time and making the effort to write a comprehensive business plan every year. Even a talented team needs a plan! 

Every week our Account Executives/Recruiters speak with hundreds of practice owners. We have found that a surprisingly small percentage of business owners actually take the time and effort every year to develop a business plan, and that most of the truly successful practices we work with do have a plan in place. 

A business plan consists of three parts, which I will break down into eight steps: 

1. A statement of what you want your practice to be in the future. (Step 1)
2. An assessment of where your practice is today. (Step 2)
3. A realistic breakdown of the steps you need to take in order to get from where you are to where you want to be. (Steps 3-8)

The 8 Simple Steps to Preparing your Business Plan:

1.  Develop a Mission/Vision Statement for your practice – Simply stated, why does your practice exist? Who do you serve? What do you offer patients that they can’t get elsewhere? 

• Vision – Write out a compelling description of a future desired state of your practice. Make sure you can clearly picture what your practice will look like in the future. Think in terms of where you want to be. The purpose of the business plan is to lay out the steps between where you want to be and your current reality. 
• Values – What do you stand for? What are the guiding principals by which your practice operates? Values motivate us before we achieve a goal and determine how satisfied we are once we attain it. Does your current culture support your values?

2.  Assess Current Reality – In a few paragraphs summarize your results for 2012. It helps to look at your monthly financials.

• Positive Effects on Growth – In which areas of your practice are you experiencing the most success? How do you optimize those to produce continued results? 
• Negative Effects on Growth – In which areas of your practice are you experiencing more challenges? What do you need to change in order to obtain positive results? 
• Current Office Structure – Diagram current office structure. Will your current team, with their current duties and responsibilities help you achieve the vision for your practice?
• Understand your key metrics – What is the average per patient production for each doctor in your practice? 
• SWOT – Draw a box with four quadrants: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Be honest with yourself. Give a lot of thought to each area.

3. Describe what your practice will look like in 2017 – This is the fun part. Now is the time for specifics. There are plenty of ways to grow and be successful. In fact, some practices even choose to shrink and be profitable. It is up to you. 

• Will you limit your practice to a certain type of patient base?
• Will you cater to patient needs by expanding hours, days and providers in your current facility?
• Will you expand your facility to accommodate greater patient demand?
• Will you expand your presence in a market by acquiring or building new practice locations?
• How many patients will your practice see?What clinical services will you offer? 
• Will your equipment be all state of the art?
• Will your practice thrive because of your strong engagement with and ties to the community? 

4. Commit to your 2013 Key Initiatives – Decide on a small, achievable set of initiatives that will help move you toward your goal. In most cases, you can’t achieve your vision in just one year, but you can take steps toward reaching it. Typically these initiatives fall into one of five categories:

• Improving office efficiency – Improving your responsiveness to current patient demand by treating more patients, maintaining or improving the quality of care with the same number of resources (team members and operatories) by eliminating inefficiencies in your current systems and processes.
• Broadening your level of services – Providing your patients with more clinical choices, which in turn improves the value and revenue from each patient visit. 
• Increase Demand – Do a better job of filling your teams schedule through advertising, referral programs or adding new/profitable plans. 
• Add Capacity – Add new Optometrists or Ophthalmologists to your practice to satisfy demand. (Don’t take this step until you have the demand and efficiencies to add someone profitably). 
• Buy or create a new patient base – Serve a new patient pool by buying or starting a new practice. 

5. Break your goals up into Bite-sized Chunks – Figure out what your 2013 objectives mean to each team member. It is critical that you involve your team. If you involve them in the process it will improve their buy-in. They will probably be the source of many of your best ideas. Define what the plan means to each team member:

• Does it mean they need more training in a certain area? 
• Does it mean they need to schedule more efficiently? 
• Does it mean they need to improve recall? 

6. Install Guardrails – Make sure each member knows their daily, weekly and monthly goals. 

• This is as simple as taking your annual goals and dividing them by the number of working days in a year.
• The key to exceeding your goals every year is to exceed them every day. 
• Make it a routine to share results on a daily and weekly basis. 
• Reinforce how important each team members part is to the practices overall success. 
• Celebrate the daily and weekly victories. 

7. Create a Budget – This is the tough part. Budgeting is the toughest part of the process because it makes you say no to things you really want to do. Tips:

• Zero based budget – Challenge each cost. Don’t assume you have to pay for something this year, just because you did it last year. 
• Never count on revenue from a new hire or new initiative until it becomes a reality. Most practices count a very rosy picture when a new team member joins their practice. 
• Fund new initiatives off the excess. Don’t buy something or hire someone unless you can survive a failure. Don’t borrow money and risk your practice because you think a new Associate, new location, new piece of equipment will produce. Wait until you can afford a failure. “Plan for the worst, Hope for the best”. 

8. Print and Bind the Plan - Commit to the plan. Don’t just put it in your desk drawer.

• Carry it with you.
• Check progress weekly.
• Refer to it in team meetings.
• If you are falling behind, be aware of what needs to change and take action immediately.
• Celebrate the little victories and share them with your team.
• Bankers and perspective team members will LOVE you when you show them your plan.

You can do this! In fact, you should do it right now! You don’t need an MBA, CPA or Law degree to write a Business Plan for your practice. Certainly, advice from a trained professional is helpful, but in most cases you have what it takes to get the basics down on paper. 

You are the leader of your practice. If you are serious about growing your practice, offering new services, expanding your reach, serving new patients, and preparing for a comfortable retirement, you need to write a Business Plan. If you haven’t done so already, start your plan today!

Written by Mark Kennedy, Owner/Managing Director of Executive Talent Search (ETS Dental, ETS Vision, ETS Tech-Ops). To find out more, call ETS Vision at (540) 563-1688 or visit us online at www.etsvision.com.

A Decline in Productivity Could Lead to Growing Employment and a Self-Sustaining Recovery

In recent months, initial unemployment claims have edged down and the four-week moving average has fallen from over 400,000 claims a year ago to less than 370,000 a week. In September, the reported unemployment rate fell to 7.8 percent crossing the critical psychological barrier of 8 percent for the first time since early 2009. U.S. consumer sentiment has actually reached a five year high in October according to the University of Michigan index.

"There is good reason to look at the economic data and say that the workforce situation continues to improve," says Rob Romaine, president of MRINetwork. "People continue to see friends and neighbors going to work and nothing will rebuild sentiment faster than that. Consumer debt, which is increasing after years of consecutive quarterly declines shows that people have more confidence in their jobs and in their economic future."

Adding weight to the deluge of economic figures, GDP grew at an annualized rate of 2 percent from 1.3 percent in the second quarter of the year. The figure was more positive than many economists projected, yet it still is unlikely enough to pull growth in 2012 as a whole over 2 percent. Such growth, though, is not typically enough to drive substantial improvements in employment markets, and certainly not enough to push unemployment down half a percent in two months. Yet, that isn't necessarily cause to think that either the employment or GDP figures are incorrect.

One potential cause is that productivity, which has increased through both the recession and the recovery, has reached a peak and employers are finding they can't keep running with the same level of staff. The current level of economic growth has become less of a temporary condition and more of the new normal. Managers can no longer count on staff to continue working under emergency conditions, especially as corporate America continues to see record profitability. Since the economy's peak in October of 2007 corporate after tax profitability has grown at nearly three times the rate of GDP.

Since about 2008, the number of employees voluntarily leaving their jobs fell significantly as people didn't want to, or couldn't change jobs at the rate they once did. The U.S. quit rate fell as low as 1.2 percent in late 2009, but has since recovered to 1.6 percent. The rate among workers who feel overworked or under-compensated is understandably even higher.

"Even if a company isn't cutting its staffing levels, it likely is losing employees to churn at a higher rate today than they were two years ago," says Romaine. "While though the recession managers might have tried to cover those losses with existing staff, today companies have reached a point where most positions vacated need to be backfilled. If a salary lasted in the budget through the recession, it was a position worth keeping filled."

If hiring is increasing, however, that could very well help add buying power to the economy just in time for the holiday season, giving a possible boost to fourth quarter GDP.

The United Kingdom recently experienced a similar situation where employment was growing while GDP was shrinking. The counter cyclical employment growth was puzzling to many economist giving it names like 'the employment paradox' and the 'economic puzzle.' Whatever the cause though, the increased employment likely helped to lift the UK economy out of recession in the third quarter.

So whether the dog wags the tail, or the tail wags the dog, 2013 seems to be building the potential for some upside surprise for both the economy and labor market.

Dating and Hiring an Optometrist – They are Just Not That into You

Hiring an associate optometrist is a lot like dating. A job seeker will do their best to impress while digging for information. A practice owner will tidy up and try to show the best face of the practice while probing for future issues. Both sides want to know if the other is interested but do not want to seem too anxious. Sound familiar?

As the process moves along, often the associate candidate will continue to push for the job even after the point there they realize that they would rather “keep dating other people.” It is important for the hiring practice to stay on the look out for warnings and clues before making an offer or, worse yet, hiring an optometrist who really does not intend to stay with the office over the long term.

Here is a list of red flags to look out for, as well as advice on how to deal with each:

Commitment to the Process

When a candidate’s commitment to work with you is in question, you may wish to ask, ‘I am sensing that you are not 100% committed to making a career change at this time, and that is 100% acceptable.  Am I reading this correctly?’

--Candidate doesn’t do research on the practice.

• Ask how committed the candidate is to making a job change.

--Candidate coughs, clears throat, acts nervous.

• Don’t be afraid to ask the candidate to explain his/her nervousness.

--Candidate does not reply promptly to calls or emails.

• Don’t be afraid to ask the candidate how important the opportunity is to him/her, how serious or interested he/she is in the position.

 --Candidate resigns from current job before accepting an offer.

• Ask them directly for their reason for resigning ‘early.’

-- Candidate does not respond to your requests.  Returns calls at odd hours or doesn’t return calls at all.

• State that ‘this is my last phone call to you’ to force a response.

 --Candidate nit-picks parts of an offer, deflecting your attention.

• Ask how committed the candidate is to making a job change.

Willingness/Availability to Relocate

When you have questions about a candidate’s willingness or ability to relocate, consider asking them if they will speak with realtor or relocation coach.

 --Candidate agrees to relocate his/her family when significant other has a good job and children are in school.

• Talk with significant other, recruit him/her and confirm that relocation is acceptable.

 --Candidate has shared custody of children.

• Ask how this will affect a candidate’s decision to move forward on an offer.

 --Candidate has high school age children.

• Ask if the candidate has discussed the potential of a move with the entire family.

 --Candidate has recently purchased a house.

• Ask candidates how long they have owned their homes or how much equity they have in their homes.  Ask candidate if they have checked with their accountant regarding their state’s capital gains tax laws.  (Some states require you to own a home for a specified number of years.)

Qualifications

When you suspect that a candidate has lied, exaggerated or generalized their qualifications or experience, you need to ask specific questions and obtain written documentation that verifies his/her claims.

--Candidate says he/she cannot share production figures because those numbers are confidential.

• Reference check to assess candidate’s accomplishments. 

 --Candidate provides unusually larger production figures

• Verify their payment structure and ask them what their W2 income was last year. Simple math will verify if the production number was more or less accurate. Ask for a copy of the W2 if you feel it is necessary

 --Candidate’s resume states an accomplishment as ‘number 5 producer in the region.’

• Ask for specifics.  There might only be 6 in the region.

Unrealistic Expectations

It’s relatively easy to recognize when candidates have unrealistically high expectations about their next career moves.  What’s not as obvious are candidates who apparently lower their expectations for their future roles.  

--Candidate is unwilling to lower his/her expectations about compensation or is inconsistent about their desired salary.

• Ask the candidate why he/she deserves a certain level of compensation and explain what level is realistic. 

 --Candidate insists that his/her travel expenses for interviewing be paid up front by the company

• Question the candidate’s commitment to making a change.

References 

Candidates may provide incomplete or inappropriate references, or resist providing any references.

--Candidate can’t provide references; says they won’t compromise their current situation.

• Explain the importance of good references.  Make an offer contingent upon satisfactory reference checks. 

--References are all peers, subordinates, patients, suppliers.

• Be proactive by outlining what kinds of references are acceptable.

 Material provided by Management Recruiters International. Contributed by Chante Smith, Account Executive/Recruiter for ETS Vision, www.etsvision.com | csmith@etsvision.com | 540-491-9105.

Longer Tenures Create Opportunities for Workers and Challenges for Employers

It’s become gospel in recent years that workers jump from job to job to job. Some reports say that the average person entering the workforce today will go through as many as 20 jobs in a career. It’s been cited as a symptom of a new crop of workers who avoid committing to a single employer more than a few years. Job hopping has become so mainstream that staying with a single company for more than three or four years now needs to be justified with evidence of accomplishments and career advancement, much in the way job hopping has had to have justification behind it. 

 

It’s a trend that was true of male workers from the early 1980’s through the late 1990’s. In that time frame, the current tenure of wage and salaried male employees over 25 years old fell from 5.9 years to 4.9 years. Since 2002, however, the median male tenure actually grew from 4.9 to 5.5 years. Over that same period, the median tenure of women grew from 4.4 years to 5.4 years—tenures of women had also grown in the decade and a half when male tenures were falling, but that is largely attributable to a change in the career mix of women which began to favor longer tenure-professions. 

 

 

“The 1980s and 90s was a period filled with tremendous opportunity, when employees discovered the power of being free agents and the salary advantages of changing jobs. Since the turn of the millennium though, the economy has been markedly less stable, and employees have been less likely to seek out unnecessary instability by changing positions,” says Rob Romaine, president of MRINetwork. 

 

While consistent tenures of less than three or four years can still cause negative perceptions, being open to change careers in a slow economy like today can be an effective way to jumpstart a career. During the recession many employees took on added responsibilities without receiving a promotion, and those who did see promotion, often saw them in title only. The slow economy caused annual salary adjustments to stay in the low single-digit percentages, yet job changers who succeeded at adding value to their organizations throughout the recession can now find salary increases of 10 or 20 percent or more with new employers.

 

“In sectors of the economy that have reached, or even far surpassed their pre-recession levels, like technical consulting, accounting, or healthcare, rising tenure can mean even fewer experienced candidates are available for mid-career opportunities,” notes Romaine. “But, it also means that opportunities for those willing to change positions will be both more plentiful, and have more potential for reward.” 

 

Median tenure for the healthcare industry over the last decade has increased from 3.5 to 4.4 years, lengthening by three-tenths of a year since just 2010. Professional and technical services median tenure has grown even more—from 3.1 to 4.4 years since 2002. 

 

For employers trying to find top performers, workers staying in their positions longer means simply finding them becomes more difficult. The longer someone isn’t actively in the job market, the older and more out of date their discoverable footprints become. LinkedIn profiles go unmaintained. Resumes in databases grow so old they are irrelevant. 

 

“Finding top talent that isn’t trying to be found requires constant surveillance and proactive network-building. There is nothing automated about the process and it’s challenging for an internal recruiting apparatus to proactively build a pipeline for key positions that a company may only be hiring for every few years,” notes Romaine.

Snapping on the Job

I know what you are thinking; this blog is geared at the eye care field, not our postal service.  You are correct, of course.  But the “snapping” that I am referring to is of the camera, not a mental break.  Today, more than ever, smart phones are commonplace.  In fact, according to a study from Pew Internet & American LifeProject, 46 percent of all Americans are using a smart phone.

Recently, a colleague of mine had a client doing a working interview with an individual; the candidate showed staff members pictures he had taken with his phone of other offices that he had worked in or interviewed with that he considered “very dirty.”  First, it never reflects well to bash former employers.  Second, the fact that he had used his cell phone to take photos of employers meant he could do the same to them.  This was just an interview.  What could have happened if this person was hired? 

Most offices have rules in place regarding the use of cell phones for phone calls and texting, but are you effectively protecting yourself with regards to the camera?

Camera phones leave individuals and companies open to multiple risks.  However, I want to focus on two main topics: the invasion of one’s privacy and theft of company information.

Camera phones enable one to take pictures of surroundings, coworkers, and patients, with great ease and in a variety of intimate situations.  Today’s smart phones allow pictures to be distributed quickly through various outlets which opens the door for espionage and harassment.  Some states have gone so far as to make improper photography a felony.

As an eye care practice, you must ensure that your information and your patient’s information are safeguarded.  Your computers and file cabinets contain sensitive information which could easily lead to identity theft if it lands in the wrong hands. 

What can you, as an employer, do? It may be time to update your cell phone policy to specifically cover the camera phone issues.  Make sure that all staff members are aware of the policy and why it is needed.  I would suggest limiting the areas that cell phones are permitted and requiring staff to ask management before taking photographs.  And, of course, with any policy, you will also want to have in place consequences for those that do not obey the policy.

Jobs Recovery Increasingly Uneven as Talent Gap Widens

In June, total job openings in the U.S. grew to 3.76 million, according to the Labor Department, the highest level since the summer of 2008. In the past 36 months, job openings have grown more than 70 percent, far surpassing the recovery following the last recession, in which job openings grew just 47 percent in the same time frame.

Meanwhile, the unemployment rate has fared worse in the 36 months following the current recession than in the previous one. Between September 2003 and September 2006, unemployment fell 25 percent from its peak, from 6 percent to 4.5 percent, while in the current recovery's 36-month period, unemployment has fallen only 14 percent, from 9.6 to 8.3 percent. So where is the disconnect between job openings and falling unemployment rates?

"Enough confidence has returned to the market that most employers have lifted blanket hiring freezes and are expanding the range of positions they are working to fill outside of those directly tied to incremental revenue," says Rob Romaine, president of MRINetwork. "We are seeing search activity growing across more functions, but actually making that final hiring decision among most employers has only increased slightly."

Recruiters continue to report that hiring processes have been drawn out by managers having unrealistic expectations of candidate credentials and experience in the current unemployment situation. Yet, evidence shows that the top candidates such managers are looking for are more likely to reject offers the longer the hiring process becomes.

"In the recruiting industry, we talk a lot about the importance of having a streamlined interview and offer process regardless of the state of the economy because while there is high unemployment, there is also a growing talent mismatch in the United States. What this means is that while there are plenty who are unemployed, there are still very few who fit the needs of a given pasteurization in the professional space," notes Romaine.

In nominal, non-adjusted numbers, total U.S. employment peaked in August 2008 and fell precipitously for 15 months, reversing course in January 2010. In that time, nearly 11.5 million jobs were eliminated. The professional and business services sector-about 13 percent of the U.S. private workforce-lost nearly 2 million of those jobs. The construction industry, which represented less than 7 percent of the private workforce, lost 3 million jobs from peak to trough.


In the two years since that employment trough, the professional services segment of the workforce has returned all but about 200,000 positions. In fact, the much broader U.S. service providing sector, which accounts for more than 80 percent of the 113 million U.S. private sector jobs, has recovered all but about 300,000 positions. Of the 4.2 million-job decline since the peak of U.S. employment, half of those positions-2.1 million-are in construction, and another 1.8 million are in manufacturing.

"With today's levels of advanced training, certifications, and degrees it can be difficult to move between even similar career paths quickly," says Romaine. "But going from a factory floor or construction site to a professional office job is such a fundamental change that it requires both training and a veritable career restart. Such a change of course is possible, but the availability of such workers does little for employers looking for experienced professionals today."

It could take several more years for the mix of skills in the U.S. talent market to properly recalibrate. In that time, unemployment will remain heightened while the skills of the workforce move to more closely match the requirements of job openings today.

Optometrist-Tips for a Successful Skype Interview

The best associate optometrist for your office may be practicing out of area right now. This is a common obstacle in all healthcare recruiting but it is now easier than ever to connect with that talent pool. Video or Skype interviews have begun to replace or supplement in-person interviews.  The technology reduces travel and other expenses associated with conducting interviews in person.  The following are some tips to help both the interviewer and the candidate make the best first impression.

1. Be familiar with the technology you are using—download the program ahead of time, and do a test run with a friend.  Skype is one of the more common software programs being used, but as with any technology, it’ll be much better to work out the technical kinks on the front end before starting the interview.
2. Make sure you look into the camera.—if you are looking at the screen, you are not making direct eye contact with the person with whom you are communicating.  This can be just as damaging for a video interview as it would be if you were sitting across a table from someone.
3. Be mindful of your background and lighting—put yourself in an area with little to no background noise, and be mindful of potential interruptions.  Also be aware of what the person will see behind you.  It is best to avoid stark white walls and busy backgrounds.  Test the lighting in the area where you will interview ahead of time to make sure it is flattering. 
4. Adjust the camera ahead of time—you want the camera to show your head, shoulders, and hands.  You need to be able to communicate fully, so this includes being able to transmit and receive nonverbal cues.
5. Dress for success—dress for a video interview the same way you would if you were meeting the person at the office.  Dark colors with a touch of color are the safest and look best on camera.
6. Username—the same rule that applies to email addresses applies for video interviews.  Make sure your username and profile picture are professional.
7. Have a script—having notes in front of you can prevent awkward silences and keep the conversation on track.

These are just a few of many tips available on the web for successful interviews. 

Check out the following websites for more information about nailing your next video interview:

For Job Seekers:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505125_162-47541444/ace-your-skype-job-interview-14-smart-tips/

http://www.forbes.com/sites/deborahsweeney/2011/08/15/4-tips-for-skype-interview-success/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ming-chen/7-deadly-skype-interview-_b_1274107.html?view=print&comm_ref=false

For Interviewers:

http://www.inc.com/guides/201103/4-tips-for-conducting-a-job-interview-using-skype.html

http://mobileoffice.about.com/od/webconference-how-tos/a/How-To-Use-Video-And-Web-Conferencing-For-A-Job-Interview.htm

The Associate Optometrist Job Interview – Questions to Ask Your Next Associate

Most vision practices are small businesses where the difference between adding a great associate and a bad one can mean a huge swing in revenue. This is why interviewing is so important to the process. Not only is this your time to impress the potential associate with the quality of your opportunity, but this is when you are most likely to uncover red flags and issues that will affect the success of the hire.

 

This blog is broken into two parts. In our previous blog, we covered what you can and cannot lawfully ask a job candidate (link-http://eyedocrecruiterblog.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-associate-optometrist-job-interview.html). In this section you will find a list of sample questions that you may wish to consider asking as you interview a potential associate. You will likely have other questions that are more particular to your own office but our hope is that this will serve as a good starting point.

 

Work History

• Where have you worked?

• How long have you been in each position?

• Why did you switch jobs?

• Describe the general environments in which you have worked

• In which insurances did you participate?

 

Goals/Motivations

• What motivates you?

• What attracted you to my position?

• Why are you looking for another position?

• In what way do you hope to develop over the next 1-3 years? 5-10?

• Are you interested in eventual partnership or ownership? How soon?

• What are your income expectations?

• What do you like the most about the position with my practice? Least?

 

Clinical Philosophy

• How would you describe your practice philosophy?

• In what areas do you have interest in further training?

• Do you have an opinion on (ocular disease treatment and management, vision therapy, etc.)?

• How do you present treatment plans? What is your success rate?

 

Competencies and skills

• What would your current boss say that you do well? In what areas would he/she say that you needed to improve?

• What was your average production at that office?

• What are your clinical strengths?

• What do you prefer to refer out?

• What CE courses have you taken recently?

• What journals do you read?

 

Uncovering future issues

• Will you need to relocate for this position? If so, who else will be affected by your move? Are there factors that would make either area more appealing? Will you need to sell a house?

• What is an acceptable commute time for you?

• How often have you been late over the last year?

• What kind of notice period do you have to give?

• Do you have a restrictive covenant that would keep you out of this area?

• Are you right handed or left handed?

• Are you familiar with the equipment used in this office?

• What days are you available to work?

• Will you be able to provide references from other dentists or specialists? Former employers?

• Are you willing to undergo a background check and drug test?

• What resources do you need in order to be successful?
• Now that we have spoken are you interested in pursuing this position further?

 

Sorting the best from the rest

• If you have ever been in an office with a light schedule, what did you do with your free time? What did you do to help fill the schedule?

• What do you use to measure your success?

• Which of your strengths and achievements do you feel best distinguishes you from other candidates with whom I may speak?

The Associate Optometrist Job Interview – What You Can and Cannot Ask

Knowing what you should ask is important. Just as important is knowing what you cannot ask. Here is an overview of lawful and unlawful questions commonly asked during the job interview process. This list is provided by Management Recruiters International.

U.S. Pre-Employment Inquiry Guide*

Please note: Lawful/unlawful pre-employment inquiries vary by country/region. Please consult local advisers.

 Name
  
Lawful Pre-employment Inquiries
Applicant’s full name.
“Have you ever worked for this company under a different name?”
“Is any additional information relative to a different name necessary to check work record? If yes, explain.”
  
Unlawful Pre-employment Inquiries
Original name of an applicant whose name has been changed by court order or otherwise.
Applicant’s maiden name.

Address or  Duration of Residence

Lawful Pre-employment Inquiries
“How long have you been a resident of this state or city?”

Birthplace

Unlawful Pre-employment Inquiries
Birthplace of applicant.
Birthplace of applicant’s parents, spouse, or other close relatives.
Requirement that applicant submit birth certificate, naturalization, or baptismal record.

Age
  
Lawful Pre-employment Inquiries
“Are you 18 years old or older?”  
“Are you of a legal age to work?”

Unlawful Pre-employment Inquiries
“How old are you?”
“What is your date of birth?”

Religion or Creed

Lawful Pre-employment Inquiries
You may ask about a candidate’s ability to work on weekends or holidays, if this availability is job-related.  However, you may have to accommodate candidates’ religious observances that conflict with your interview schedules, if it is not a burden to do so.

Unlawful Pre-employment Inquiries
Inquiry into an applicant’s religious denomination, religious affiliations, church, parish, pastor, or religious holidays observed.

Race or Color  

Unlawful Pre-employment Inquiries
Complexion or color of skin.

Photograph         

Unlawful Pre-employment Inquiries
Any requirement for a photograph prior to hire.

Height

Unlawful Pre-employment Inquiries
Inquiry regarding applicant’s height.

Weight

Unlawful Pre-employment Inquiries
Inquiry regarding applicant’s weight.

Marital Status    

Lawful Pre-employment Inquiries
Does this employer employ your spouse?  Has the candidate has ever been known by another name, in order to facilitate accurate background check.

Unlawful Pre-employment Inquiries
Asking a person’s maiden name, gender, marital status spouse, preference for ‘Miss,’ ‘Mrs.,’ or ‘Ms.,’ pregnancy, family plans, or childcare arrangements. Requirement that an applicant provide any information regarding marital status or children. Inquiry as to the ability to reproduce or advocacy of any form of birth control.

Handicap or Disability

Lawful Pre-employment Inquiries
Can you perform the duties of the job in which you wish to be employed, with or without accommodation? You may inquire about the candidate’s total number of absences in the previous year.  

Unlawful Pre-employment Inquiries
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits all pre-employment medical inquiries.  Do not ask specific questions about diseases or illnesses, the number of days the candidate was sick in the previous year, workers compensation injuries or claims, mental health issues and history, past addiction, past illegal drug use or current prescription drug use.  
 

Citizenship       

Lawful Pre-employment Inquiries
 “Are you currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis for any employer?” If the applicant’s answer is “yes”, you may then ask “Will you now or in the near future require employment visa sponsorship (ie, H1B Visa)?” If the candidate’s answer is “no” to your original question, whether they are currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis, you may then ask what his or her immigration status is.  (To avoid discrimination claim based on national origin, these questions should be asked of all candidates, not just “foreign-looking” or “foreign-sounding” candidates).

Unlawful Pre-employment Inquiries
(Questions below are unlawful unless asked as part of the Federal I-9 process). “Of what country are you a citizen?” Whether an applicant is naturalized or a native-born citizen; the date when the applicant acquired citizenship.  Requirement that an applicant produce naturalization papers or first papers. Whether applicant’s parents or spouse are naturalized or native-born citizens of the U.S., the date when such parent or spouse acquired citizenship.

Military Status

Lawful Pre-employment Inquiries
You may ask about job-related military experience or training. 

Unlawful Pre-employment Inquiries
Inquiry about military status or type of military discharge.  Inquiry about future military commitments (e.g., reserve status) that may require time off work.

National Origin

Lawful Pre-employment Inquiries
Inquiry into languages applicant speaks and writes fluently.

Unlawful Pre-employment Inquiries
Inquiry into applicant’s:
a) lineage
b) descent
c) national origin
d) descent
e) percentage, or nationality unless pursuant to the Federal I-9 process.

Nationality or homeland of applicant’s parents or spouse. Inquiries into how applicant acquired ability to read, write, or speak a foreign language.

Education

Lawful Pre-employment Inquiries
Inquiry into the academic, vocational, or professional education of an applicant and the public and private schools attended.

Financial Status

Lawful Pre-employment Inquiries
You may perform credit checks if you follow the Fair Credit Reporting Act Regulations. 

Unlawful Pre-employment Inquiries
Inquiry into financial status (unless job-related), past garnishments or bankruptcy.  

Experience       

Lawful Pre-employment Inquiries
Inquiry into work experience. Inquiry into countries applicant has visited.

Arrests 

Lawful Pre-employment Inquiries
 “Have you ever been convicted of a crime?” “Are there any felony charges pending against you?”

Unlawful Pre-employment Inquiries
Inquiry regarding arrests, which did not result in conviction (except for law enforcement agencies).

Organizations or Activities

Lawful Pre-employment Inquiries
Inquiry into the organizations of which an applicant is a member, excluding names or characters which indicate the race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry of its members.

Unlawful Pre-employment Inquiries
Do not inquire as to a list of clubs, societies, or lodges; or about smoking, drinking or other legal activities that the applicant may engage in off-duty.  More than 1/2 of U.S. states protect smokers against employment discrimination based on smoking off-duty, and a growing number prohibit discrimination based on any lawful off-duty activity.

*Post offer employment paperwork.  Many questions that are inappropriate at the screening stage can become legitimate after an offer is made and must be answered before employment begins.  This will certainly be the case in regards to reference checking.  Other examples of necessary information include providing a SSN for education verification (if a degree is a job requirement), date of birth, and work eligibility documents if needed to verify employment eligibility, process pay or perform a background check. 

Recruiter Survey Shows an Increasingly Candidate-Driven Market

 

Employment markets are most often measured by unemployment, a quintessential macroeconomic indicator. Yet, on the microeconomic level -- the level that all companies work on -- it is an indicator that is far from representative. In today's economy, the headline unemployment number is perhaps less representative than ever before.

For many sectors, and more importantly, for many skill sets, the high unemployment of the last several years remains stubbornly in place. But those industries and skill sets are being countered by others that are adding positions and exhausting the talent supply. Looking at the macro trends, the labor market seems to be at a standstill, with talent supply perhaps even loosening. Yet, at the micro level there is a strengthening undertow.

In a recent survey of MRINetwork recruiters -- who work primarily with the professional and managerial segment of the workforce - 67 percent said they would characterize today's talent market as candidate-driven, an increase of 13 points from a year ago.

"In technical areas, there is a severe shortage of talent and salaries are going up," said one recruiter in the survey. Another respondent noted that, "Great candidates are increasingly more difficult to locate. While technical candidates remain sparse, the issue has become more widespread and now includes areas such as HR specialty, accounting, and marketing."

The level of demand for talent in professional occupations, though, doesn't mean full employment. In the most recent report from the Labor Department, the professional, managerial, and related unemployment rate was 4.4 percent. Before the recession that rate was as low as 2.1 percent, but various factors continue to keep it higher.

"The message from [the] C suite is 'do more with less.' There's no room for marginal players," as one recruiter put it. While employers are hiring, recruiters note more and more of those searches being for "white tigers," with lists of requirements that screen out almost all possible candidates.

"Employers remain too focused on finding a candidate who has every bit of experience on the company description. Employers still feel that plenty of people are available because of erroneous news reports about unemployment," noted a recruiter.

Once the right candidate is found, the need to act quickly has become more urgent. According to the survey, 60 percent of accepted offers were made less than four weeks after the first interview, and 47 percent were made after two interviews or less, a 10 and 19 point increase from a year earlier. Yet, that is an urgency many employers still don't recognize.

As one recruiter recounted about the situation, "Employers ... are afraid to make the wrong hire. Before the recession, we were hearing things like, 'We know he doesn't have that one thing we were looking for but everyone liked him and we are going to make an offer anyway.' Now we are hearing things like, 'everyone liked him and he has everything we are looking for but we've decided we now also want this.'"

The headline numbers for some time will continue to show a labor market where unemployment is high, job growth is low and people remain ready and available to work. In some segments that is true, but using that philosophy in other parts of the market will result in top candidates turning down offers, and critical positions being left unfilled.

Curriculum Vitae (CV or Resume) for Optometrists

I have been receiving a lot of questions lately on what should go in a CV and how/when to present references.

This is simply for the purpose of content. Formatting is not included. Just remember, Keep It Simple. Just because you know how to do some fancy formatting graphics and tables, doesn't mean you should.

CV’s are typically completed in detail and resumes are a summary. Most practices looking to hire want at least a resume, but would rather a complete CV. Letters of recommendation, copies of credentials and certifications can wait until later. Do not provide those at time of application.
 
Curriculum Vitae

Name, O.D.
ADDRESS
City State, Zip
Home Phone
Cell Phone
Email address
Website (if applicable)

Optometric Licenses
State – Licenses number

Professional Career Goals
Write something that lets potential hiring authorities know what you are looking for professionally.

Education
Optometry School, City, State, Graduation Year, notable honors
Undergrad School, City, State, Graduation Year, notable honors
Do not include high school or early education. If you have another post-graduate degree you should list it. Always list degrees starting from most recent to the oldest.


Residency and/or Notable CE
Program Name, City, State, Month/Year completed

Practice Ownership and/or Employment History
List by Business Name, Position, Month and year start thru Month and year end. You should also list achievements, strengths, productions, notable skills.

Professional Honors
List fellowships, distinguished awards, etc

Professional Membership
List organizations/study clubs you are part of and offices held. Include location.

Community Service
List community organizations you are involved in and offices held. Include location.

References
List should include people who are professional colleagues, supervisors, or someone from the community who can vouch for your character and work ethic. At least 3 but no more than 5.

Name
Title
Company
Address (at least city, state)
Phone number
Email (if available)
Website (if available)
Your relationship to this person

Please, feel free to share or comment on what you look for or what you put in your CV.

Searching for Perfect Candidate May Miss the Perfect Match

When hiring managers begin to write the list of qualifications, they build lists of everything they think they want in a candidate. It's a process not unlike building a dating profile; pulling characteristics out of the air to describe the perfect match. In dating, people tend to understand that finding someone who matches that description is unlikely. When they find someone they like, it is almost a coincidence when they match even the broadest elements of the original profile.

By contrast, hiring managers frequently use far less latitude in their candidate searches. The descriptions involve far more precise requirements and they are less likely to waiver on them should someone outside of the criteria apply.

"Using vetting of candidates based on stringent requirements can keep out the candidates who have no place in an organization, but there isn't an automated filter that is going to increase your ability to identify, much less attract impact players to your organization," says Rob Romaine, president of MRINetwork. "There isn't an accredited Master of Innovative Thinking degree or Doctorate of Self Starting, and a resume that claims someone has such qualities only means they know those skills are important."


The 8.2 percent national unemployment rate, and even the 3.9 percent bachelor's degree and higher unemployment rate, seem to still give employers a false sense of plentiful candidate supply. It's like the man stranded on a tropical island, surrounded by salt water - yet dying of thirst.

"In the early days of the recession, we saw amazing candidate availability. Top candidates truly were victims of circumstance - doing great work but losing their positions regardless - and became available on the active candidate market," notes Romaine. "But a type of reverse osmosis has had time to set in. The most desirable candidates found new positions. Today's unemployed population - especially the professional space - largely consists of people whose skills and education doesn't match with the needs of the marketplace.

More than 22 percent of the U.S. workforce is in a professional or related occupation, but less than 11 percent of the 12.2 million people unemployed in May have professional experience. That translates to just 1.3 million lawyers, engineers, economists, computer programmers and more who are unemployed today and actively looking for a job. If you widen the net to include managers and financial professionals, the statistic grows to 38 percent of the U.S. workforce but still less than 19 percent of the unemployed population.

"When talking casually to hiring managers they know how tight the market is, they understand that of the 1.3 million professionals who are unemployed, they are unlikely to find that one person with fifteen years of wind propulsion experience who is willing to relocate to them," says Romaine. "But as soon hiring a candidate leaves the abstract and interviews are being conducted, managers start looking at the 8.2 percent unemployment rate or the 17.9 underemployment rate and hold out for a candidate who matches the detailed profile they've written. By holding the line so tightly, though, they will often overlook someone who could actually be their perfect match."

Optometrists: Cover Letter, CV, What's Missing?

Proof Book: An Essential Tool for a Successful Interview

On a typical day, our recruiting team speaks with more than 20 Optometrists who are actively or passively seeking a new Associate position or potential partnership opportunity. Every Optometrist we speak with understands the importance of putting together a solid cover letter and resume/C.V. Developing a great cover letter and solid CV are very important in landing an interview. But there is one more thing you need: A Proof Book.

Whether you are about to graduate from Optometry school or you’ve been in practice for twenty years, it is always beneficial to put together a Proof Book for interviews. Over the years we’ve seen Proof Books tip the scales in a candidate’s favor more than fifty times.

So what is a Proof Book?

A Proof Book is simply a collection of information that encompasses your background, your professionalism, your accomplishments, and your clinical and patient relations acumen. There is certainly no magic format or combination of content, but typically a Proof Book should include some or all of the following:

a. A current CV/Resume
b. Case presentations
c. Production numbers or equivalent
d. Accomplishments
e. Letters of Recommendation
f. References
g. Blank paper for notes
h. Questions for the practice
i. Blank thank-you notes

How do I use it in an interview?

This depends on the interviewer. If the interviewer is taking the lead, you can use some of the sections as back up when you are answering questions about your how you’ve handled various patients and procedures. You can use it to show that you produce $40,000 a month in your current practice. You can use it to prove that you’ve successfully completed advanced training. You can even use it to show off letters of recommendation from patients, professors, or previous employers.

If you take the lead in the interview, you can use your Proof Book to illustrate the key points you want to make during your interview. It is one thing to tell an interviewer you produce $50,000 a month; it has much more impact if you can show the interviewer a report that backs up your claim.

A Proof Book gives you the opportunity to advertise your clinical skills when you don’t have the luxury of doing a working interview. A picture is worth a thousand words when you are trying to display the quality of your margins or the medical results of a particularly complicated case.

Even if you never open it during your interview, having a Proof Book demonstrates of preparedness and professionalism. I can’t guarantee that if you go to the office supply store, buy a nice binder, and take three hours to assemble a Proof Book that it will always get you the job. What I can guarantee is that creating a Proof Book will give you the advantage over another candidate with similar skills and background.

Written by Mark Kennedy, Owner/Managing Director of Executive Talent Search (ETS Dental, ETS Vision, ETS Tech-Ops). To find out more, call ETS Vision at (540) 563-1688 or visit us online at www.etsvision.com.

Moving This Summer?

Now that summer is upon us, you may be preparing to move - and one of the most significant challenges is likely the relocation of children. Our friends at FAS Relocation Network have put together some very helpful tips.

For additional assistance with relocation feel free to visit their website www.fasrelo.com and tell them ETS Vision sent you!

7 Successful Strategies for Moving with Kids

While each and every child in this world is unique, virtually all share similar relocation needs throughout the moving process. A successful family move can be achieved by focusing on fundamentals, and including the children in each step.

Apply these 7 tips to ensure a successful transition with your children:

1. Include your family in the relocation details immediately. Kids prefer to be a part of the changes that take place in their world. In the end, this exercise typically provides parents with valuable information on their children's needs, desires, and concerns.

2. Stay positive. Find out things in the new location that would interest them. Football, dance, places to see - whatever they have passion for and would get them excited about the move. Give dimension to their new world and allow them to imagine it as a haven for new opportunities.

3. Maintain and open forum. Talk with your children about their experiences - good and bad. LISTEN. Do not dismiss their concerns no matter how trivial they may seem. They will appreciate being heard.

4. Take them to say "goodbye." The ability to say goodbye helps children of all ages get closure. Moreover, it will give them the opportunity to maintain contact with friends (going-away parties, former school visits, scrap-book.)

5. Set up their room once you've arrived in your new neighborhood. Kids can feel homesick, even if they are with you, so getting their things back in place will help them feel more comfortable.

6. Help your child meet new friends once you've reached your new destination. A move during the school-year can be ideal for new friend-finding initiatives.

7. Relax. While your children may be angry with you initially, they intuitively understand. They will soon forgive you. Sure it may take time, but do not allow yourself to feel guilty or frustrated. You are doing what is best for the family. Be patient and they will come around.