Finding Employment in a Tough Job Market

1. Finding Employment in a Tough Job Market

2. Overview • Economic outlook • Finding your hook • Enhancing - Cover Letter and Resume • Preparing for an Interview • The Interview and its questions • Follow up

3. Statement • This lecture was initially presented at Society of Nuclear Medicine, San Antonio, TX, 2011. • Its goal was to give to give appropriate tools for finding employment. • In retrospect, the tools presented in today’s lecture is appropriate for anyone seeking employment, new graduate to seasoned technologist. • This lecture will be made available at our website for additional referencing, if needed.

4. What Caused Today’s Job Market? • Socioeconomic – hospitals and clinics and practices tend to tighten their budget • Declining stock market • Housing devaluations • Declining reimbursement • Medicare cuts • How’s the Molly Market • While we are back into the available supply will it last? • Employers are reluctant hire new FTEs • What were physicians ordering during the shortage – we need to bring them back • Key Volume + Revenue = Jobs

5. Unemployment vs. Retirement • Are fewer people retiring? • Economy • Losses in the 401k Market • Last stat found 3.75% in 2008

6. Projections Data from the National Employment Matrix

7. Positive Data • According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics • Growth will arise from technological advancement, the development of new nuclear medicine treatments, and an increase in the number of middle-aged and elderly persons • ASRT Survey results indicated that nearly 71% of nuclear medicine technology students were able to obtain employment within 6 months of graduating in 2009 • ww.asrt.org/Media/pd/Research/EnrollmentSnapshot10.pdf

8. Economical Outlook & Employment • Market flooded with applicants? • Companies can afford to be more selective. • What makes you different? • How do you make yourself more marketable? • Find YOUR hook!!

9. Points of Interest • What can you do to be different? • How do I compete with other technologist also seeking employment? • What kind of experience do I have? • What do employers want? • Part-time vs. Full-time • Should I move? • Applications process • Interview and follow-up

10. Sell me this Syringe Shield

11. Research……Yourself How/Why did you choose Nuclear Medicine as your major/career field? What are your long and short term career goals? What skills have you developed? What relevant experience do you have? How would you describe your personality? What motivates you? What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses, and how do you compensate for them? What are your failures and how did you learn from them?

12. Start with Self Assessment • Knowing yourself – you can sell yourself • Visit https://www.strengthsquest.com • Gallup Poll assess your strengths • There are 34 different possible descriptions

13. Stress your Clinical Experience • Employers are looking for experience – What’s yours? (Hook’em) • PET-CT • CT Training • MRI Experience • General Nukes and/or Cardiology • Oncology – Imaging and or therapy • Management experience • Patient care – advanced patient • What types of facilities did you worked at? • Medical Center - Trauma One • Mobile/Stationary PET or Cardiology • Cardiac Pain Clinic • Types of outpatient facilities • Worked with Phase III radiopharms/procedures • Equipment - D-Scan – First pass – Time of Flight

14. Parameters of a Job Search • Don’t be picky or wait for the perfect job • Join sites • LinkedIn, Facebook • Twitter • Post resume online • Distribute on all job boards; websites • Volunteer – if possible • Rewrite your resume • Write a cover letter that is specific to where you are going to apply • While you are waiting find other hospital employment

15. Finding Those Job Openings • Personal contacts • Internships • Employers • Classified ads: • National and local newspapers • Professional journals • Trade magazines • Internet resources • Attend professional meetings at any level • State employment service offices • Private employment agencies and career consultants

16. Professional Associations • SNM/TS Job bank • http://interactive.snm.org/index.cfm?PageID=209 • ARST Job Bank • http://www.healthecareers.com/asrt • Get a Nuclear Medicine Job • http://www.getnuclearmedicinejobs.com/ • Indeed – One Search. All jobs • http://www.indeed.com/q-Nuclear-Medicine-Technologist-jobs.html • Monster – find a job and/or place a Resume • http://jobs.monster.com/v-technology-q-nuclear-medicine-technologist-jobs.aspx • Careerbuilder.com • Keywords Nuclear Medicine = 130 jobs found on May 2, 2011

17. What employers want? • More experience • Pay lower salaries • Higher productivity • Diversity • Hard working • Strong academically and technically • Good communication skills Oxymoron

18. Who is your competition? • Unemployed technologists • Graduating(ed) students • Those seeking a better job • People that have moved into your area • X-ray technologist?

19. Do I Move Away From Home? • Employment • Should I move? • What if it’s only part-time? • Consider the cost of living and can I pay the bills? • What is the potential of going full-time? • It there career advancement? • Job Benefits? • Stability • Home • Grew up and lived here all my life • Family • Spouse had a good job • What about my significant other?

20. http://www.salary.com/ Common Mistakes Cost of living should be about the same. I only want to live here! No being proactive No researching your prospects Don’t follow through

21. Employment Considerations Job Location and Cost of Living Career Advancement Continuing Education Salary Benefits

22. The Cover Letter and Resume • Cover letter & resume are always sent together • Online applications are common • If you can only attach documents, but the cover letter to the resume into one file • Copy the Chief Technologist • Follow up to make sure they received the document

23. Action Words - Cover Letter/Resume Use active tone • administered • created • developed • established • implemented • launched Personal qualities • adaptable • conscientious • dependable • efficient • hard worker • reliable • will relocate

24. The Cover Letter • Write a specific person, if possible • Identify the position and its reference # • Mold the cover letter to the position • Create desire • Define your technical competency • Refer to your qualifications/resume • Seek response if possible • USE SPELL CHECK!! • Don’t repeat yourself • Be confident but polite • Arouse interest

25. Components of a Cover Letter • Dear Sirs – Identity someone specifically • 1st paragraph • Identify the position and its HR# • Where did you find the position • Close with a “butter up” comment on why you wish to work for them • 2nd and/or 3rd paragraph • Discuss your qualifications and skills • “Hook in” your experience to the position • Last paragraph • Closing comments - Looking forward .. Available at our convenience – Thank you

26. The Resume

27. Essential Components Heading, skills and experience • Qualifications summary • Education and training • Certification(s)/Licensure(s) • Publications/Papers Presented • Honors/Awards • Professional Activities

28. The Resume • Reverse Chronological is best • Most Important Sections First • Use action words and statements • Tailor Resume to Position • Use Keywords from Job Advertisements • Emphasize Skills • Do NOT use Full Sentences • Perfect Spelling and Grammar • Resume should be scanned-ready • Bring professional copies to interview • New Grad – should only be one page • Experienced – could have multiple pages • Hard copies - professional resume paper

29. Qualifications Summary • Adds up the sum of all experiences. For instance, stating that you have 5 years of budget planning experience may be more impressive than listing it individually under each job, and hoping that the employer realizes that you are an expert in this area. Example • "Sixteen years of editing and writing experience. Three years of experience managing advertising sales, promotion, production, and circulation. Winner of the Jesse H. Neal Award for Journalistic Excellence."

30. Resume Main Body • Most important section of the resume. • Your task is to show that you have the skills and experience that the employer needs. • If you do not have a lot of work experience, then include volunteer/clinical experience and related work experience • Demonstrate your accomplishments and indicate that you have the required skills for the position.

31. Resume Content Categories • Certification/Registry/Licensure • Professional Associations/ Societies/Organizations • Personal Information (not recommended) • Hobbies/Interests (include if related) • References - do not include, but … • Have at least 3 • Get permission before you submit the names • Use people who will give good references • For the job application make sure you have: Name, title, address, phone, e-mail, and your association • Bring list to the interview

32. What goes first – education or experience? • In general educational information follows the job experience section • Three situations in which education should precede work experience: • You are currently in school or a recent graduate. • You are changing careers and your education is more pertinent to the new career than your job experience. • You are seeking a position where specialized education is a prerequisite for employment.

33. Do’s & Don'ts

34. Don’ts • Don’t exaggerate • Don’t overlook non-work experiences • Don’t include information just to fill space • Don’t label the document “Resume” • Don’t use humor in your resume

35. Don’ts continued… • Don’t be cute or fancy when it comes to layout and presentation • The point of the resume to show the employer that you are a viable candidate for the job-not that you know how to use multiple fOnts and grAphics • Use the same font structure • Failure may cause issue if you send it digitally • Go for a clean, professional-looking resume • Use Times New Roman or Arial • Consider the paper and tactile senses

36. Things not to do on your Resume • Never lie • Don't include salary information • Don’t attach job references & testimonials • Don’t include personal statistics & photographs • Don’t include personality profiles • Don’t copy someone else’s resume. Be original and creative

37. Do’s • Be concise • Carefully proofread and edit your resume • A resume must be error free • Don’t always count on spell-check! • Have someone check over it for you • Tailor your resume to fit information from the job description

38. Small Typos That Can Change the Meaning(from actual resumes): • “Education: College, August 1880-May 1984” • “Work Experience: Dealing with customers’ conflicts that arouse.” • “Develop and recommend an annual operating expense fudget.” • “I’m a rabid typist. • “Instrumental in ruining entire operation for a Midwest chain operation.” • “I was proud to win the Gregg Typting Award.”

39. Five questions to ask yourself before submitting your resume • Does my resume show that I fulfill the employer's needs • Are my strengths clearly stated • Did I include anything that does not add value to my application? (These items probably can be removed.) • Have I spelled everything correctly and carefully read through to ensure that there are no typos, grammatical errors, etc. • Read your resume backwards, one word at a time, or have someone else proofread it. • Have I used acronyms/abbreviations that may not be understood by prospective employers?

40. Resumes and Technology • More and more companies have online databases/websites • Consider the following

41. Resumes & Technology... • If you have to scan your resume into digital • Put first and last name at the top of every page • Use white/light-colored paper, printed on one side • Use standard typefaces like Times New Roman and Arial • Avoid graphics, italics, script, and underlined passages • Microsoft Word resume • May be uploaded as an *.doc file • May be a copy and paste into text box • If ASCII is required do not exceed 65 characters per line • Best option is to send a PFD file • Requires Adobe Acrobat X Pro or file converter program

42. Watch what you post online? • Employers do check your online accounts! • Employers do review Facebook, Myspace pages, pictures, and comments • Employers also read twitter comments Think before you post pictures or comments that might burden your career future!

43. So you have an Interview Before you go

44. Interview Preparation Research Yourself – skills, qualifications, qualities, strengths, and weaknesses Career field, specific employer, and position Interviewing formats, questions, and trends Prepare Develop and practice effective communication skills Practice, practice, practice Perform Make a positive, professional impression

45. Before the Interview • Before the interview: • Shut off your cell phone • Don’t be late to the interview • Do not text in the waiting area • Do not chew gum during the interview • Everyone you meet is a prospective interviewer • Even the Cabbie has input

46. How should you Dress ? Women's Interview Attire • Suit (navy, black or dark grey) • The suit skirt should be long enough so you can sit down comfortably • Coordinated blouse • Conservative shoes • Limited jewelry (no dangling earrings or arms full of bracelets) • Professional hairstyle • Light make-up and perfume • Neatly manicured clean nails • Portfolio or briefcase Men's Interview Attire • Suit (solid color - navy or dark grey) • Long sleeve shirt (white or coordinated with the suit) • Belt • Tie • Dark socks, conservative leather shoes • Little or no jewelry • Neat, professional hairstyle • Neatly trimmed nails • Portfolio or briefcase

47. Points to Keep in Mind • Grooming • Handshake • Body language • Enthusiasm and eye contact • Listen carefully • Communication skills. Good grammar • Never make Negative statements about previous jobs or employers • It's essential that you write a thank-you note to every person you met at the company • Know the company • Know yourself • Know your job history • Know the questions "Tell me about yourself." • Prepare questions of your own – practice answers • Get the big picture. Visualize the entire interview, from start to finish. • Punctuality • Dress • Good night sleep

48. Communication • Verbal communication - only 7% of communication • How you say it/tone of voice – 38% • Non-verbal communication – 55%! • Handshake • Body language/Posture • Facial Expressions • Eye contact

49. Prior communication -Scenario Terrence has an interview with Hospital Y on Monday. He is e-mailing his contact in Human Resources to request directions on Friday afternoon. Terrence’s e-mail looks like this: To: carol.mccullough@hospitalY.com From: crazyterry@hotmail.com Date: Friday, June, 5 2011 4:53 p.m. Subject: Yoooo Carol! carol, have interview on monday need directions. my resume is attatched TTYL THNX!!!:) Terrence

50. Interview Streaming • Check out a local Career Counseling Center • Many schools have computerized interview streaming programs for practice • One on one with the computer asking your question • Your responses are recorded • The staff at the center will evaluate your interview and give you suggestions to improve your technique