Daily demands and busy schedules can cause healthcare professionals to forget about long-term career plans. The following tips serve as refreshers on career advancement skills, including key things to do and avoid, and are provided by Carson F. Dye and Kurt Vining from executive search firm Witt/Kieffer.
1. Look for challenging jobs. Healthcare professionals that attain career advancement keep an eye on future opportunities that will challenge them but to which they can bring a mature set of skills.
2. Overcome common barriers to success. Some executives frequently falter in career advancement by burning bridges and not preparing for their next job. Others place too little emphasis on networking or participation in professional associations. Some don't keep up with technology and lose their personal mission.
3. Write out your plan. Create a "personal mission statement." Memorize it, and use it as a way to tout your unique skills, traits and experiences in the market place. Keep your mission statement in mind, and share it with executive search consultants to distinguish yourself from competitors.
4. Stay active in the market and network. Professional organizations are a great way to hear about new career opportunities and gain professional references. A simple membership to these associations isn't enough, though. Members should be engaged and working to advance the association's work.
5. Interview for career opportunities that interest you. Don't go 20 years without an interview — that will leave most people rusty. The process can be useful to learn about compensation trends, benefits, responsibilities and challenges.
6. Network with members of the C-suite. Get to know other CEOs, COOs and trustees. They will know about openings within the senior levels of their organization and may be able to recommend you for an interview.
7. Incorporate professional development tactics into your days. It can be focusing on industry trends, attending continuing education programs, attending local networking luncheons or reassessing personal development goals. Just as you take time to exercise, take time to further your professional wellbeing.
8. Further your understanding of search firms. Know the legal and ethical obligations of retained executive search firms, which lie with the healthcare client.
9. Develop professional relationships with search consultants. If a job description doesn't fit you, recommend a colleague. Developing relationships with these consultants before you need their help can make them more likely to respond to your requests.
10. Organize your résumé. Don't feel obligated to keep it to two-pages. Many healthcare professionals with 10 or more years of experience extend their résumé to at least four pages.
11. Get résumé savvy. Make a digital copy of your résumé for emails. Use lots of white space and a 12-point font for design elements, and avoid shading, graphics and italics. Hard copies should be laser printed on white paper.
12. List measurable results on the résumé. Don't rely too much on a title. Key measurable accomplishments and achievements can concretely differentiate one senior vice president from another.
13. Keep some résumé basics. Some things haven't changed, such as chronological order of positions, graduation dates, personal activities and special honors. Other things have changed: Don't put "references available upon request." It begs the question. Don't include a professional objective, as it may not be spot-on for the position at hand.
14. Be honest. Professionals who think they can exaggerate or make false claims on their résumé without being caught are kidding themselves.
15. Treat calls as the first interview. A prospective employer or executive search consultant may first call you to gauge your interest in the position. Provide your personal mission statement and a brief overview of your career, and then follow up by emailing an updated résumé to the caller.
16. Prepare for in-depth phone interviews before first in-person interviews. Discuss your potential fit with the organization as well as your measurable accomplishments.
17. Do your homework. Before the interview, learn all you can about the organization — its mission, vision, values, business units, job responsibilities, recent news and more.
18. Ace the interview. Arrive early. If traveling, some executives arrive a day early to observe the organization in action. Talk to everyone you see, such as administrative assistants, as these employees can influence the decision. Balance talking with listening. Be prepared to answer key questions about your leadership style, strengths, weaknesses and what others say about you.
19. Know what the employer wants from you. Emphasize your overall leadership experience, and focus on what specific objectives they need completed.
20. Negotiate offers successfully. Even if compensation falls short, you can work around salary caps by negotiating sign-on, six-month or guaranteed bonuses.
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1. Look for challenging jobs. Healthcare professionals that attain career advancement keep an eye on future opportunities that will challenge them but to which they can bring a mature set of skills.
2. Overcome common barriers to success. Some executives frequently falter in career advancement by burning bridges and not preparing for their next job. Others place too little emphasis on networking or participation in professional associations. Some don't keep up with technology and lose their personal mission.
3. Write out your plan. Create a "personal mission statement." Memorize it, and use it as a way to tout your unique skills, traits and experiences in the market place. Keep your mission statement in mind, and share it with executive search consultants to distinguish yourself from competitors.
4. Stay active in the market and network. Professional organizations are a great way to hear about new career opportunities and gain professional references. A simple membership to these associations isn't enough, though. Members should be engaged and working to advance the association's work.
5. Interview for career opportunities that interest you. Don't go 20 years without an interview — that will leave most people rusty. The process can be useful to learn about compensation trends, benefits, responsibilities and challenges.
6. Network with members of the C-suite. Get to know other CEOs, COOs and trustees. They will know about openings within the senior levels of their organization and may be able to recommend you for an interview.
7. Incorporate professional development tactics into your days. It can be focusing on industry trends, attending continuing education programs, attending local networking luncheons or reassessing personal development goals. Just as you take time to exercise, take time to further your professional wellbeing.
8. Further your understanding of search firms. Know the legal and ethical obligations of retained executive search firms, which lie with the healthcare client.
9. Develop professional relationships with search consultants. If a job description doesn't fit you, recommend a colleague. Developing relationships with these consultants before you need their help can make them more likely to respond to your requests.
10. Organize your résumé. Don't feel obligated to keep it to two-pages. Many healthcare professionals with 10 or more years of experience extend their résumé to at least four pages.
11. Get résumé savvy. Make a digital copy of your résumé for emails. Use lots of white space and a 12-point font for design elements, and avoid shading, graphics and italics. Hard copies should be laser printed on white paper.
12. List measurable results on the résumé. Don't rely too much on a title. Key measurable accomplishments and achievements can concretely differentiate one senior vice president from another.
13. Keep some résumé basics. Some things haven't changed, such as chronological order of positions, graduation dates, personal activities and special honors. Other things have changed: Don't put "references available upon request." It begs the question. Don't include a professional objective, as it may not be spot-on for the position at hand.
14. Be honest. Professionals who think they can exaggerate or make false claims on their résumé without being caught are kidding themselves.
15. Treat calls as the first interview. A prospective employer or executive search consultant may first call you to gauge your interest in the position. Provide your personal mission statement and a brief overview of your career, and then follow up by emailing an updated résumé to the caller.
16. Prepare for in-depth phone interviews before first in-person interviews. Discuss your potential fit with the organization as well as your measurable accomplishments.
17. Do your homework. Before the interview, learn all you can about the organization — its mission, vision, values, business units, job responsibilities, recent news and more.
18. Ace the interview. Arrive early. If traveling, some executives arrive a day early to observe the organization in action. Talk to everyone you see, such as administrative assistants, as these employees can influence the decision. Balance talking with listening. Be prepared to answer key questions about your leadership style, strengths, weaknesses and what others say about you.
19. Know what the employer wants from you. Emphasize your overall leadership experience, and focus on what specific objectives they need completed.
20. Negotiate offers successfully. Even if compensation falls short, you can work around salary caps by negotiating sign-on, six-month or guaranteed bonuses.
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Getting Ahead by Not Falling Behind: How to Take Ownership of Your Healthcare Career Through Staying Current