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.