Empowering the Biomedical/CE Professional
Q and A with Jenifer Brown, founder of Health Tech Talent Management
After working for 22 years in talent acquisition for technical fields, Jenifer Brown has launched her own talent management search firm. Health Tech Talent Management focuses on finding and placing talent in the medical equipment service industries. Below, she answers questions about what successful job candidates have in common. TechNation: The traits many recruiters value – punctuality, professionalism, a strong work ethic – would be helpful for candidates for many kinds of jobs. Are there traits you value as a recruiter that are more specific to the biomed field? Brown: To me, a main value is good communication and customer...
Career Strategies to Meet the Economic Challenges of Today
We have heard it over and over how “economic projections are far from rosy” (Bloomberg, Feb 14, 2012), and the economy and employment trends continue to fluctuate. One thing that is evident is that employers are facing some very difficult challenges, especially in workforce planning. At the top of every employer’s concern is the challenge of finding and retaining the best-qualified employees, and in today’s market, available high-quality talent is extremely limited. Employers, especially in health care, are forced to do more with less resources, and budget constraints continue to hold back hiring even for critical positions. They are dealing...
Much of my time is spent speaking with potential managers who are being considered and evaluated for a position with our company. As part of my evaluation I ask questions about specific competencies that we’ve determined must be present in order for any given applicant to meet the minimum and necessary qualifications to function as a clinical engineering manager with us. Some of the competencies are easy to spot and also easy to qualify, such as whether or not a candidate can maneuver through the complexities of working at a hospital. Just by being an employed biomed pretty much guarantees...
Manners Matter
With the difficult job market and tough competition today, you need to stand out from the others and make a good impression. It is not enough to be technically savvy, smart and experienced to succeed in today’s workplace. If your technical skills are comparable with your peers or your competitors, then the use of common courtesies, or good manners, along with excellent communication skills can put you ahead and ensure you stand out in a very competitive market. You would be surprised that in the world of social media and high-tech tools, the use of common courtesies has declined, especially...
Veterans and the Job Market
What do the following words have in common: Terror, 68-Alpha, terrorist, ammunition, enemy, war, destroy? Each of them has something to do with armed conflict. These are also words that occasionally appear on resumes that I get from veterans who have typically been recently discharged from the armed services. Not surprisingly, there are plenty of veterans in the field of clinical engineering. We come through a number of career paths and specialties fields eventually find our way into this industry – working at a hospital, in field service, or in my case, in an office. This column can serve two...
Follow-Up. Don’t Fall Through
Effective communication is one of the most highly prized and sought-after skills in any business. Many in our field believe that technical ability is all that is needed to succeed. However, the ability to communicate well is important regardless of your occupation or your position. As one of our clients frequently says, “I need someone that can fix the customer as much as I need someone who can fix the equipment.” I couldn’t agree more. In your job search, effective communication throughout the process is just as important as how you communicate once you are employed. Whether you are writing...
Make “friends” with LinkedIn
LinkeIn? I think I’ve heard of that – what is it again?” Someone said that to me last week during interview chit chat – shortly after I recommended to this person that he ensure that his LinkedIn profile was current. I was shocked that I might have to “sell” someone on the concept of LinkedIn. I was even briefly tempted to ask this person if he had ever heard of “the Internet” to make my point. I did not ask – it wasn’t the right time to be the wise guy that I can sometimes be. At any given moment...
Are you prepared for the big three?
Preparation for job interviews is very important, and many of us are not usually prepared to answer some of the tough interview questions. The following are the “Big 3” interview questions we have learned are the most difficult for candidates to answer in a confident manner. Being prepared with your response prior to an interview can be especially helpful. TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF Prepare ahead of time by developing your own personal branding statement or “elevator speech” that clearly tells who you are, your major strengths, and the benefit that your employers have received in your positions. The advantage of...
Trade Shows - Simple tips for self-promotion
One of the very first things I want to know about someone who’s applied for a job with us is this: What can you do? Meaning what are you currently capable of doing if you were to start working for us? I’m not talking about what you could figure out with a little trial and error, and I’m also not talking about what you could do if you had ample reference material and a couple of hours. I’m talking about right here and right now – what can you do? The faster I can determine someone’s capabilities, the faster I...
Why did you leave your last position?
When working with candidates, we are often asked ho to respond to the question , “Explain why you left (or are seeking to leave) your last position.” This causes a great deal of anxiety, especially when you were not prepared to handle this question. Whether you left for another position, or you were downsized, restructured or terminated – any way you put it, it’s still not easy to discuss it during an interview. You should be prepared to discuss the reason you left every position, regardless of the reason for leaving. The following are guidelines on how to prepare you...
