Balancing the Chaos - Ten Tips to Create a Better Work Life Balance

I feel like I should start a support group with this introduction, but…

Hi, my name is Tiffany and I suffer from horrible work/life balance.  I work full time, am taking classes online, and I am raising two kids.  Throw into the mix household chores, two dogs, Girl Scouts, viola lessons, marching band, and a plethora of other projects going on at any given time, and you have a snapshot of my life.   Just writing this down is making me nervous.  What am I forgetting that needs to be taken care of or done tonight?!

Crazy thing about my little chaotic snapshot above is I know I am not alone.  Life is crazy anymore.  Looking around my office, each one of us has a handful or two of other activities and responsibilities.  Chances are your office is the same way.  Life happens regardless of your title or position.

So, how do you balance it all?  Initially, I started looking for sites with tips, but I decided it was better to get real life answers so I took my question to my colleagues and Facebook followers.  Some answers were almost universal; some were a little more unique.  Here are some highlights….

Ten things you can do to create a better work life balance

1. Limit the amounts of time that you do work stuff at home or vice versa.
2. Use a calendar!  Scheduling events makes it easier to know what is coming up and plan accordingly.  Google Calendar is a favorite for many of those that responded.
3.  Create lists.  Do what must be done first.  Do what you do not want to do and get it out of the way.  Once something is completed, check it off and move on to the next.
4. Turn off your alerts; do not be a slave to your phone.  Check your emails on your own terms; not with every beep, buzz, or blinking light.
5. Take some time for what makes you happy: read a book, watch a movie, go for a run, exercise, or go out for a drink with a friend.
6. Find some peace.  Pray.  Meditate.  Get a massage. 
7. Get help!  This was a tough one for me, but there is no reason that my kids couldn’t straighten up the house while they are waiting for me to get home or wash the dishes from breakfast.  They even like starting dinner once in a while. 
8. Don’t be afraid to let go.  One of my Facebook friends said it best, “When I was working full time, was a full time graduate student and a single mom I achieved balance by letting go of things that do NOT last-dishes, dust and laundry.  Instead, I chose football practice, school activities and a kid flick.”
9. Say no.  I struggle with this one, but it is okay to not do everything all of the time.  If something is not important to you, let it go and focus on what needs your attention.
10. Find what works for you.  Take advantage of the time you have; I study on my lunch breaks and can knock out a good bit of my reading without interruptions which helps me immensely.  A colleague wrote, “Having the opportunity to work remotely is a huge thing for me.  It helps me not to feel guilty about going to my kids’ activities (games, etc.) and I make up my time in the evenings when they are engrossed with homework.  Sometimes they will come and hang out in my office as they do their homework and we’ll all be ‘working’ together.” 

I guess I have some pretty smart colleagues and friends!  Of course this is only a small sampling of the ideas out there; what do you to do to make your own chaos work?  I would love to hear what works for you.    

"Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so love the people who treat you right, forget about the ones who don't, and believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it. 
-Harvey Mackay 

 

Tiffany Worstell is a nationwide Recruiter for Vision Staff at ETS Vision. She can be reached at tworstell@etsvision.com or 540-491-9112. ETS Vision is a Vision Recruiting firm specializing in finding and placing Optometrists, Ophthalmologists, and Vision Staff throughout the United States. www.etsvision.com

Job Searching in a Saturated or Difficult Job Market

The job market for associate optometrists is improving across the country.  However, it is still competitive and often challenging in many larger metro areas in the U.S.  There are not enough jobs available for the number job seekers in saturated areas such as Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Austin. At ETS Vision, we speak with optometrists everyday who are having a very hard time finding opportunities.

 

Don’t Get in Your Own Way: The biggest disservice you can do yourself is to think you are the only qualified applicant for the job. In a saturated market you have to sell yourself much more than the practice has to sell itself to you. For example, I recently worked with a practice in San Diego, CA. I had 6 applicants within 2 hours. By the end of the first week, I had 30 to 35. Your resume, cover letter, attitude, and the things you say have to express what you bring to the table to benefit the practice. What skills and experience do you have that will benefit the practice? What sets you apart? Can you speak Spanish? Do you love working with kids? Can you do specialty contact lens fits? Can you bring new patients into the practice? Don’t move the conversation straight to how much they will pay you. You don’t even have the job offer yet, and this approach can cost you the job.

 

Expand Your Options: Most job seekers we speak with would much rather work for a private practice or small group practice. Corporate optometry is a last resort or often not something they even want to consider. However, large group and corporate optometry is a large part of the industry and continues to grow. These practices can offer you stable employment, great training, a guaranteed minimum salary, and benefits. If private and small group practices are not hiring in your area, don’t limit your options. 

 

Use an Independent Recruiter: A few optometry recruiters, like ETS Vision, have contacts with practices throughout the U.S. Most often we are working on openings that are not advertised in any other channels. Our clients entrust us to locate the right talent to grow their practices. We speak with job seekers in order to understand their goals and experience. We have the ability to market strong candidates to practices with whom we have built relationships with over the years. Sometimes it’s who you know, and recruiters are good to know. 

 

Volunteer: Many new graduates can benefit from this in difficult areas. Volunteering can help build or maintain skills. It helps you learn chairside communication and build patient rapport. It can even help you connect with other practitioners, and possibly lead to an employment opportunity. Look for volunteer opportunities in free clinics or giving your time by participating in free vision screenings that may be offered in your community. 

 

Shake Some Hands: Go to optometric society meetings. Get online and join discussion groups. Get on LinkedIn. Hand out business cards to every optometrist you meet. Drop in and say hello to offices and leave a resume/CV. You can’t be shy in a saturated market. Let people know who you are, and let them know you are looking for an opportunity. 

 

Multiple Part-Time Jobs: Most saturated markets have more part-time openings available than full-time. You should definitely consider trying to get 2 or 3 part-time jobs if you need a full-time income.

 

Relocate: It’s an extreme measure for many, but for some it can mean the difference in having a career or several short-term, part-time positions or nothing at all. Relocating expands your options exponentially. Just make sure you are not expanding your options of relocation to another heavily saturated area.

 

Optometrists - What To Know Before You Accept an Associate Position

Finding a new associate position can be a daunting process for both new and experienced optometrists.  While making a good impression on an interview is important, it is equally important to learn as much as possible about the practice. Here is a compilation of questions from job seekers who I have worked with over the years. I hope that this list will make the decision process less intimidating.

Relationship
-Employee or Independent Contractor?
-Employee at will?
-Is the doctor open to restrictive covenant in case of future ownership?
-Is the doctor open to a transition period, if needed? (After purchase)

 Type of Practice 
-What type of practice is it (full scope, pediatric, etc.)?
-Age of the practice?
-When/what do you refer out?
-How many treatment lanes?
-How many opticians?
-How many technicians?
-How much is the practice overhead?
-How long has each employee been there?
-What does the practice do to market itself?
-How many FT and PT staff?

Patients
-What is the patient pool like?
-Have the number of active patient records been reviewed?
-Is the practice growing or declining in number of patients seen, new patients attracted, and young patients?
-Average number of cancellations per week?
-Average number of patients seen by associate per day?
-How far ahead is the doctor book filled?
-How far ahead is the associate book filled?
-Discounts/Bartering/payment plans?
-PPO type of insurance? Insurances: accept all kinds or just selected ones?
-How much is the discounted price of the PPO compared to the fee schedule?
-Medicare or Medicaid acceptance?
-What percent is FFS, cash and discounted PPO?
-When was the last fee increase?
-Are the fees low, high or average for the immediate area?
-Do you offer patients credit?

Schedule 
-Days, hours, on call, etc.
-How many office hours and days per week is the office open?

Duties
-Job description (separate document) or general description

-Is the doctor responsible for pre-testing?
-What were the most of the cases being done by the associate?

Facilities
-Supplies, equipment, support, etc.?
-Is the practice EMR compliant? If so, what system is being used?
-What is the square footage of the office? Can it be expanded?
-Average age of equipment?
-Do you have a confirmation system for appointments?
-How do you deal with NO Show?

Term of contract
-How long?
-What is the required notice period should either party wish to terminate the relationship?

Compensation
-Is there a guaranteed salary, draw, daily rate or hourly rate?
-Is commission determined from collections or production?
-If collections, what is the collections rate in the practice?
-What percentage of production/collections is used to calculate income?
-Is there a chance to increase compensation in the future?
-Taxes withheld?
-How will the associate be paid? (Weekly/bi-weekly/monthly)
-How much on average was the last associate making?
-What was the average associate production per day?
-Can I get a fee schedule of the practice?

Benefits
-Medical Insurance: health and dental?
-Malpractice insurance?
-Disabilities insurance?
-Required CE courses? How much and for how many hours a year? Are they paid for/reimbursed? Is there a stipend?
-Retirement?
-Sick days…….. # allow per yr…..
-Personal days/vacations…..# per yr allow……
-Holidays?
-What benefits are given to the staff?

Expenses
-Define, list, when paid, etc…..
-Will the practice support the acquisition loan (in case of future ownership), pay the overhead expenses and afford a reasonable income?

Other Questions and Notes
-What is your practice Philosophy and Goals? For the Practice and with new patients?
-Have you had associate before? How many? How long did they stay? What was the reason for the associate resignation?
-How do you advertise?
-Who determines how long I have to spend with new patients/initial exam and record?
-Is there a particular doctor in the area who is your main competitor?
-Who sees the patient first (technician or optometrist)?
-Why was the partnership offer turned down by an associate (if applicable)?
-Will I be able to visit the office during regular working hours?

Partnership/Buy-in/Sale
-Discussion/Formula/Price
-What will be the time frame for an associate position before we can talk about partnership/buy-in/buy-out?
-Is there an option for future ownership? Are you considering a move out of state?

Restrictive Covenant
-Define

Chante Smith is the Western U.S. Account Executive and Recruiter for ETS Vision. She can be reached at csmith@etsvision.com or 540-491-9105. ETS Vision is a Vision Recruiting firm specializing in finding and placing Optometrists, Ophthalmologists, and Vision Staff throughout the United States. www.etsvision.com

Gaining a Competitive Advantage as an Employer of Choice

As the economy rebounds and more employers adapt to filling executive and management positions in the candidate-driven market, it is becoming increasingly important for companies to distinguish themselves as employers of choice, to attract top candidates. The most recent Gallup annual Work and Education poll revealed that only 47 percent of American workers are completely satisfied with their jobs, indicating employers are better positioned than ever to attract candidates who are ready to move out of current roles. So then how does a company become known as an employer of choice that attracts star talent and makes employees never want to leave?

"In today's job market, aggressive salary and benefits packages that will potentially beat out counteroffers are not enough to lure top performers to new companies," says Rob Romaine, president of MRINetwork. "Employers have to develop unique ways to attract candidates into their companies and away from competitors."

To accomplish this, employers have to connect with their employees, find out what is most important to them and then provide programs and services that will be of value to the entire staff. This entails providing career advancement opportunities, ongoing training and continuing education programs, atypical benefits packages and employee perks that will make any employee think twice about leaving. Some companies have gone to great lengths to achieve this, providing unlimited sick and paid time off, flexible work schedules, game rooms and employee appreciation days where catered lunches, massage services and field days are brought in-house for staff enjoyment.

SAS Institute, a North Carolina software company, became the employer of choice in its industry by providing its employees with workplace amenities like an on-campus gym, no limit on sick days, company gates that don't open until 7 a.m. and close promptly at 6 p.m., and maybe most importantly – free M&Ms. These perks resulted in a turnover rate 16 percent less than competitors.

So what strategies can companies use to establish themselves as employers of choice? "It's important for companies to realize they can't become an employer of choice overnight," says Romaine. "It takes a collaborative effort from multiple teams within the organization, focused on developing and implementing strategies that attract star candidates and retain key employees. Each department has to look at what they can do in their respective areas to contribute to this process."

The following are steps companies can take to become an employer of choice:

1. Know the company culture and the type of employees the company hopes to attract.
    
2. Develop a sound employer branding strategy that is focused on distributing consistent messaging about the company culture and mission to clients, investors, employees and candidates.
    
3. Conduct periodic employee surveys to determine employee satisfaction with the company. This provides staff an opportunity to express their feelings on everything from benefits and career opportunities to a variety of company-wide practices, while identifying areas that can be improved.
    
4. Review the feedback from employee surveys and develop strategies to improve areas of concern.
    
5. Look for unique ways to create the "ultimate employee experience", reasons that make employees never want to leave, including anything from on-site cafeterias, gyms or daycare to parking and transit privileges.
    
6. Submit a company nomination for an Employer of Choice or Best Places to Work award in your industry. These awards invoke employee pride and bring increased credibility to the company brand.

While hiring managers may not always have the authority to implement the above strategies, there are things they can do to help retain employees. They can create career tracks for each position, so employees have a clear path for advancement in the company. They can also provide ongoing training, development and mentoring opportunities. Managers should additionally create an environment where creativity and outside the box thinking is encouraged. Finally, managers should reward employees for a job well done via company announcements and awards, or performance-based bonuses, promotions and raises.

Retention of happy, top performers is the most critical strategy for companies to become employers of choice. This is where the status of being a choice employer begins – promotion of the company's values through the ambassadorship of employees.

"What makes a company a great place to work for some people will not be great for others," advises Romaine. However, a company that is an employer of choice will recognize this in the hiring process and give as much consideration to the candidate's fit with the organization as it does to experience, qualifications and talent. They will additionally recognize the value in providing a collaborative, company-wide approach to not only attracting, but also retaining top performers that will move the company forward."

The Inside Scoop from the Recruiters at ETS

We decided to take an internal survey and look at some of the most common things we hear regarding candidates and clients in our searches.  Whether we were looking at positions for Optometrists, Ophthalmologists, or support staff, we all seem to be hearing or saying the same things:

1. What message do we repeat to clients the most? The number one answer was the importance of feedback. Whether emphasizing how feedback will streamline the process of finding their next great associate or stressing how it keeps the interview process moving to reduce the risk of losing a great candidate, timely feedback is crucial to us being able to do the best job for you.
2. What message do we repeat to candidates the most? When asked about the other side of the process, there were three common responses. First, how can we make you, the candidate, stand out from the other candidates I am presenting to my client? Second, the need for realistic expectations, whether with regard to salary or comparing different opportunities, arises often as well. Last but not least, we constantly have to encourage candidates to look outside of major metro areas for work. Chances are, if you’re looking for a job in a major metro area, that area is already saturated, and you’re better off trying to check out an area at least an hour outside of that metro.
3. What is the number one response from our clients as to why a candidate does not get an interview? Lack of experience seems to be quite common. It seems like people of all walks of life run into the cycle of “how to get the job to get the experience if you can’t find a job to get the experience.” Find other ways to set yourself apart. Additionally, we get feedback from clients that a candidate didn’t show any interest in what the practice wanted, or they were selfish. In other cases, clients may not give an interview based on an assumption made by looking at a resume.
4. What is the number one complaint we hear from clients today? Candidates are too worried about themselves, and they are not motivated to work hard to be successful. Clients give us all sorts of insights as to what they feel is lacking in a candidate pool they are interviewing. We hear a lot about how new graduates, especially, want things their way and don’t want to work hard to add value to the practice. This feedback shows up in everything from unrealistic salary expectations, unwillingness to work evenings or weekends, and even in the commitment they show the client with responsiveness. Most of our clients want a long-term addition to their office who understands the work that went into building a successful practice and wants to add value.
5. What is the one way candidates who are great set themselves apart from candidates who are just “okay?” Attitude, people skills, communication skills, interpersonal skills, professionalism…call it whatever you want, it’s PERSONALITY. As one of our recruiters put it best, “Skills can be taught. Personality cannot be taught.” Make sure that anytime you’re getting ready to start your next job search that you remember to put your best attitude in front of the potential employer.

Posted by Chante Smith

 

Chante Smith is the Western U.S. Account Executive and Recruiter for ETS Vision. She can be reached at csmith@etsvision.com or 540-491-9105. ETS Vision is a Vision Recruiting firm specializing in finding and placing Optometrists, Ophthalmologists, and Vision Staff throughout the United States. www.etsvision.com

Employee Onboarding- Ideas For Making a New Employee Feel Welcome

The new employee orientation and mainstreaming process is known as “employee onboarding.” Keeping in mind that you never get a second chance to make a first impression, your practice should make absolutely sure that new hires feel welcomed, valued, and prepared for what lies ahead during your new employee orientation or onboarding process.

Below is a checklist to assist in bringing your new employees “on board”.

• Schedule weekly calls from acceptance to start date to inform the new employee of practice initiatives, updates and even social events that they are welcome to attend.

Continue to convey your excitement to the new employee in having them join your team by:

• Sending an email to your employees/close colleagues/vendors announcing the start date of your new hire. Include contact information for the new employee (with their permission) and be sure to cc them.


• Having others in the practice call the new employee to congratulate and welcome them and to share contact information.


• Sending a welcome packet of items to the new employee like a company shirt, branded notepads, pens or role-specific tools or resources. Call to follow up.


• Sending a gift to the spouse/family/significant other welcoming them to the new practice ‘family’. Call to follow up and personally welcome them.


• Assigning a mentor or peer to call the new employee pre-start date for questions big and small; ensure they’re available for the new hire post-start date.

The mentor assigned to them shares information about the community by:

• Furnishing all the information that relates to family activities, schools, churches, sports activities, etc.


• Taking your new hire and spouse/significant other out dinner to connect on a personal level before the start date, even if they live outside your area. A plane ticket is much cheaper than starting the process over.

If there is a relo, make sure…

• They have all the information and services they need.


• You book flights for their first day and interim living arrangements.

Finally:

• Give them an agenda on what their onboarding plan will look like, including their start time & exact location, and ask for their input.


• Have HR send the new hire paperwork, including benefits.


• Update your website and make any industry-related announcements.


• Have their desk set up with supplies, business cards, logins for email, voice mail and other related technology, pass codes, etc.


• Show the employee their new work space if the new employee is local.


• Notify payroll of new hire and cc the new employee to ensure signing or relocation bonuses are available on day one.


• Have the entire office sign a welcome card that is waiting on their desk.


• Offer to take new employee to breakfast/lunch on start date or send them an invitation to their welcome party scheduled on their first day of work.

Reference:
http://humanresources.about.com/od/orientation/a/onboarding.htm

The View from the Recruiter's Seat: Candidates are Driving the Job Market and Rejected Offers Are on the Rise

Over the past two years, recruiters in the executive and managerial space have observed significant changes in hiring practices, the most important being a shift from an employer-driven market to a candidate-driven market. Following this trend, new data indicates the talent market is now overwhelmingly driven by top performers. Recruiters who responded to the most recent MRINetwork Recruiter Sentiment Study provide cautionary advice to employers who haven't yet awakened to the new reality.

"I have been recruiting for nearly 11 years and I have never seen the market more candidate-driven than it is now. Candidates have choices and 'A' players are being heavily courted," said a recruiter responding to the study. According to the report, in the second half of 2013, 79 percent of recruiters described the labor market as candidate-driven, up 12 percent from a year ago.

The executive and managerial market continues to be so candidate-driven, because the talent pool remains weak. As the economy rebounds, average candidates simply will not do - employers want star players to help them move their businesses forward. This leaves top performers at a strong advantage. Multiple job offers provide these candidates with more bargaining power and the ability to reject less desirable work agreements. According to the study, 49 percent of candidates refused job offers as a result of accepting an offer with another company, up 16 percent from the first half of 2013.

MRINetwork recruiters report several reasons for why more jobs are being turned down:

1. Qualified candidates are hard to find and also difficult to move. New jobs are not offering high enough salaries or enough benefits to incent a move. 
2. Top candidates are interviewing with multiple companies and have multiple offers to consider. 
3. Good candidates are becoming more difficult and demanding. Employers haven't caught up yet. They still think they can get a great candidate cheap.
4. Employers are taking too long to complete the interviewing process.

With rejected job offers on the rise, the candidate-driven market points to several things:

1. Employer branding is more important than ever to entice star talent. "Companies should be re-visiting, from the top down, why their company is a great place to work, and why not," said an MRINetwork recruiter. 
2. It is now crucial that employers find ways to streamline the hiring process to avoid losing their top picks. One recruiter noted, "Slow hiring processes give candidates access to more options and more time to rethink their reasons for making a change."
3. Salary and benefit packages need to be aggressive, not simply market-competitive. Another recruiter added, "More employers need to consider offering a higher salary if their benefits are not as competitive with those currently provided to the candidate. Many employers looking to hire have cut back on benefits and this isn't being covered by increased salaries." 
4. Counteroffers are a reality, especially when it comes to top performers. Since exceptional candidates are frequently recruited from other companies, prospective employers should be prepared to offer a salary and benefits package that the current employer is not likely to beat.

The good news is that more employers are realizing the executive and managerial market is candidate-driven. According to the study, 25 percent of employers are presenting job offers within two weeks of the first interview, up 6 percent from the first half of 2013.

While the study results demonstrate that hiring trends are highly favorable towards top performers in the executive and managerial space, the data is not representative of overall hiring, which the Federal Reserve noted in its most recent Beige Book, is holding steady or increasing at a measured pace. Even still the results are encouraging, showing consistent signs of economic recovery.