How to Work from Home Successfully

You’ve been dreaming of this day ever since you started working. That fabulous life of waking up and working in your jammies all day from your own humble abode. You get to skip out on the pesky morning traffic, your grouchy boss, those darn office politics, and most importantly, the brown colored water in your office they call “coffee”. Seems like a great way to work, right? Wrong. It’s actually way harder than it seems. Working from home is a luxury that is earned because your boss trusts you and it’s important not to take advantage of this newfound freedom.

Here is some insight on how to work from home like a boss:

Routine is Important

When you first start working from home, it can be a little overwhelming. Where do you start first? How do you prioritize your tasks? When do you take your breaks? Can you even take breaks? The best thing you can do for the first couple of weeks is develop a routine that suits you. If you get up and immediately start working, it sets the tone for the day and determines how productive you will be. Plus, if you’re up before everyone gets in the office, it gives you the chance to get ahead. If you have children that need to be picked up from daycare, write down all the things you need to get done before you leave to go pick them up. Try setting an alarm for an hour and then take a five-minute break to succumb to one of the many distractions around your house – like laundry or putting away the dishes. Get into a groove that works best with your schedule and stick to it!

Get Out of Those Pajamas!

Staying in your pajamas while working from home makes it easy to succumb to getting back into bed. Don’t be lazy – change into something you would wear if you were going into the office. Dress for success!

Take Care of Your Distractions Before You Start

Distractions. Your children, the television, your loud neighbors, the doorbell ringing, household chores, and your phone are all great examples of why it’s so hard to work from home. Take care of them beforehand. Make a point to only use your phone for work-related calls, drop your kids off at daycare, keep the television off, and do NOT answer that door! If you must, reward yourself with 5 minutes of distraction time – that is, if you get your important tasks done.

Get Your Own Office Space

Just because you’re not in the office doesn’t mean you can’t create your own workspace at home! Create an office out of a spare room in your house or if you can’t do that, find a clean, quiet space to do your work. Having your own space keeps the distractions at bay.

Work {Away} from Home

Yes, it’s called “work from home” but you don’t actually have to be at home. In fact, getting out of your house and working in libraries, coffee shops, or anywhere else with Wi-Fi, gives you the feeling of still being in a working environment, plus you’ll be in a space where the coffee is good! It also gets you away from all the distractions at home. Get out of the house – grab your work necessities and head on over to the closest Starbucks stat!

Take Many Breaks – Seriously!

If you have been working all day long without any breaks, then you’ll burn out fast. Get some fresh air – take a ten-minute walk around your house or go get a cup of coffee from a local coffee shop. Take time to recharge yourself so you’re ready to crush the next couple of hours.

Working from home is a lot tougher than it seems and it’s hard not to get sucked into all the distractions. If you’re new to working from home and you’re having a difficult time adjusting to all the distractions around you, read this article to help you stay focused.

Top Five Things That Hinder Career Growth

Are you not feeling satisfied with yourself in the professional world? Have you not been able to reach any of the goals you set?

You could have developed some negative traits that are holding you back in your career. Here’s five:

Graphic Attribution: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

 

Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting My First Job

Whether you’re a new grad or you’ve decided to look for a new position, congratulations on the new adventure you’re starting! Not only can this be a really exciting time for you, but it can also be a bit stressful. Full disclosure: this will be one of the toughest times in your life. Yes, there are tons of positions open all over the world, but you’re also in the same position as four million other people!  Don’t get discouraged though! The time will come where you start going on interviews and then, finally, you’ll start your first job!

Starting your very first full-time job can be a little overwhelming. While it’s an exciting time because you finally get to start making your own money to save up for a new car, a house, a wedding, or just to start paying off your student loans, the unknowns can be a little stressful. Here are a couple of things I wish I knew before starting my first position:

Everyone is on their own timeline.

Some people have their dream jobs right out of the gate and others will still be in school getting their Master’s. The worst thing you can do is compare yourself to them. You are not falling behind, and you are not way ahead, you are right on time.

You’re going to make many, many, MANY mistakes.

That’s really the only way you are going to learn. You’re not going to learn anything by being perfect. The worst thing you can do is get angry with yourself.  Forget the mistake, remember the lesson and move on.

Make the extra effort to befriend your coworkers.

Starting a new job can be intimidating and so can the people around you. When you start your first workday, try to introduce yourself to as many people as possible. Remember people’s names and make an effort to start a conversation. The friendlier you are, the more comfortable you and your coworkers will be.

There is an opportunity in every single task.

Whether it be a team outing, helping a coworker, or grabbing lunch with your boss,  always think about the possible positive outcomes – you could be surprised where it takes you. “Our lives are defined by opportunities, even the ones we miss.” Eric Roth

Decorate your office/cube.

There is no shame in making your office or cubicle feel a little more like home. Grab some picture frames or an inspirational quote and put it on your desk. You’ll spend 40 hours a week in that space, you might as well spice it up with things you like. AND it doesn’t hurt to keep it clean.

Setting attainable goals.

Whether it be work related or personal, it’s important to set goals. Goals are like plans that help us break things down into doable tasks. Too often we celebrate finished products and not all the little tasks we completed that got us there. Allow yourself the gratification of completing all these tasks, you’ll be surprised how accomplished and motivated you feel.

You are not alone if starting a new job stirs feelings of anxiety and fear.  Be confident in your skills, remember they hired you and trust the process. For help with resume writing, preparing for your interview, negotiating salaries, and more subscribe to our blog.

 

 

5 Ways to Take Charge of Your Career

In just about every interview, you can expect to be asked, “Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years?” A generation ago, we used to know… You get a job in your twenties, work hard to get raise after raise, get promoted once or twice, and then you retire. Nowadays, people don’t know. They get bored with one company and then jump to the next one, looking for something that’s new and challenging, sometimes even returning to school for a complete career change. An unclear path like this makes it hard to create a career vision and figure out where you actually see yourself in 10 years. Hiring managers understand this jump-ship mentality and it’s why almost every hiring manager asks you this question.

Let’s dive in and help you take control of your own future.

  1. Develop yourself.

In order for you to grow in your career, you also need to grow your skillset. Try to learn something new every day. Find people who have similar roles to you and take a look at their skills. What are they doing that you can’t?

  1. Networking is a must.

Take the time to build relationships with people in the business world. This could open many doors for you down the road. It’s also nice to have a lot of people in your corner rooting for you to succeed. The more connections you have, the more possibilities there are. Use them to your advantage.

  1. When you want something, you’ve got to ask for it.

For example, if there’s an opening in upper management and you want the position, what do you do? Go to your supervisor and tell them why you should be considered for the role. Don’t tell them why you should have the role. Explain why you should be considered, use statistics, explain your experience, and share your accolades. Don’t risk being looked over for the position because you didn’t say something.

  1. Stay passionate.

Write a list of all the things you love about your position to keep you motivated. Then, write a list of things you’d like to be doing down the road – skill wise. Chances are you could find that in with your current company. Maybe you’d like to lead a team- create a target and work towards it.

  1. Ride outside your comfort zone.

Consider your comfort zone a small circle around you using the skills and connections you’ve had for years. Now think of all the skills and connections outside of that small circle that you are missing out on. Live life to the fullest and try to be a “yes man”. You never know what could come out of going outside your comfort zone.

Figure out where you want to be, what direction you want to go in, and what you want to be doing (what’s your 10-year plan). Only you can control your future.

Giving Back to Our Orlando Community

At HealthCare Support, we strive to be one of the most trusted employment partners in our industry. But, we aren’t only concerned with the quality of services we provide to our clients – we also take pride in providing a great place for our employees to work and a culture that they want to be a part of. Indeed, one of our core missions is “Shaping futures for individuals and their families.”

Our employees have come to learn this firsthand, as well as all the health care professionals we place in jobs. However, we also think the same way about our community here in Orlando. We are in a great position to be a positive force in our local community, and our service-based culture extends into many volunteering efforts.

Throughout the year, our Internal Development Team rallies our employees around several charitable causes. One of our favorite things to do is participating in various races and walks to raise money. Just last month, we were able to raise $12,000 for the American Foundation for Suicide prevention at the “Out of Darkness Walk.” We also had the privilege of sending several volunteers to the Florida Citrus Sports 2018 “Feast on the 50” at the Camping World Stadium. There, our employees helped raise money for disadvantaged children in the community surrounding the stadium.

Another thing we love to do is collecting food and supplies for different drives. We participate annually in the A Gift for Teaching School Drive, rounding up boxes of necessary school supplies like crayons, notebooks, pencils, markers, and scissors for needy students. And, as Florida residents who understand the devastating effects of hurricanes, we raise hurricane relief supplies for those most in need whenever the situation calls. Most recently, our team collected essentials like diapers, toilet paper, paper towels, food, and clothing for those affected by hurricane Michael last year.

Every deal we make, every professional we recruit, and every new person we hire allows us to have more of an impact around us. If you are looking for your next job in the healthcare industry, let us help! To get in touch with us, you can call 407-478-0332.

The Marie Kondo Effect – Spring Cleaning Edition

The Marie Kondo Effect – Spring Cleaning Edition

Spring is here! Have you started your spring cleaning? If not, watch “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo” on Netflix to get in the spirit. In the meantime, we’ve summarized some tips and tricks for getting organized and clean this spring.

I know two things in life. 1. Cleaning is one of the least exciting things ever. 2. Getting rid of things you might actually need down the road is a tough thing to do — what if you end up needing that $3 butterfly net you got at Goodwill 2 years ago? Chances are you probably won’t ever use it ever again but there’s always that “what if”.

“Tidying Up with Marie Kondo” helps us with that. The show is basically about a woman that goes around to people’s houses and helps them purge by dumping all their things on their beds and seeing which items still “spark joy”. If they don’t, to Goodwill they go. This not only works for your living space, but also for your car, your computer files, and of course, your work office!

So, why is spring cleaning beneficial?

Being busy in the 8-5 business world, I’m sure organizing your desk is one of the last things on your mind, but it can be really important for your success. Here are a couple reasons why you should spring clean your desk/office right this second:

  1. It makes you more efficient.

    When you have a place or file for everything you wont waste your time looking through piles of papers on your desk. Everything is right where it should be, and this keeps you at the top of your game.

  2. Being unorganized is distracting.

    If there are a lot of things on your desk, it’s easy to get distracted by old papers or old projects. There is also the factor that looking at your messy desk, and thinking about how you have a messy desk, is also distracting and wasting time. Having an unorganized desk makes for an unorganized mind.

  3. It makes you appear more professional

    . Someone who is a very professional person takes pride in appearing clean and organized, whether that be their outfit, makeup, hair, or even their desk. Look at your desk from a different perspective. What does the way it looks say about you?

  4. Keeps important or sensitive information protected

    . Being unorganized could leave you at risk for accidentally exposing delicate information that can easily be misplaced on a messy desktop. Keep all your sensitive information stored in a locked drawer.

  5. More room to do your work

    . It’s hard to do your work when every time you reach for a sip of water, you knock something off your desk. Having a clean workspace, gives you the space you need to be diligent.

  6. Keeps you from getting sick!

    Besides productivity reasons, having a tidy desk also allows you to clean your desktop. Did you know the average desk contains 400 more germs than a toilet seat? Get in the groove of cleaning it every Friday, and you’ll surely cut back the amount of office colds you’re exposed to.

What better time than spring to do a little cleaning? Set some time aside to go through your drawers, your computer files, and your desktop to see which items “spark joy” in you. If they don’t, it’s time to say goodbye.

“Dos and Don’ts” While Interacting with Patients

For those in the healthcare industry, interacting with patients is likely a key part of what you do every day. Though some like nurses and general practitioners see more of the patient than surgeons or anesthesiologists, anyone involved with healthcare needs to have the interpersonal skills to relate to their patients. After all, the whole purpose of healthcare is to administer to the sick and injured, and the relational aspect is no small piece of that. Here are some things to do, and not to do, every time you meet with a patient.

Things to Do

  • Encourage the patient to speak – This will help them feel valued and involved. A patient isn’t merely a broken machine to be set right, but a human being requiring care.
  • Listen carefully – Listening when a patient talks shows that you genuinely are interested in what they are saying, and you might actually learn something important for their treatment.
  • Answer the question the patient asks – Don’t immediately disregard uninformed questions, but answer as best you can and then explain how you see things. This will make it feel more like a conversation and less like a lecture.

Things Not to Do

  • Use jargon – In all likelihood, your patient probably didn’t go to medical school, so drop terminology which would be meaningless to them. An oversimplified understanding is better than not understanding at all for a patient.
  • Steamroll a conversation – Don’t just show up, lecture the patient, and leave before they had time to process anything you said. This is a great way to ensure that your patient will leave confused and dissatisfied with you as their caregiver.
  • Include unnecessary information – Another way to cause confusion is to explain too much or answer questions they didn’t ask. Be as clear and concise as possible. Otherwise your patient might forget key things you said in the stream of over-information.
  • Make assumptions about the patient – When a patient begins telling you something about their feelings or symptoms, don’t cut them off before they finish because you think you know what is wrong. This is a great way to alienate your patient and you might even jump to the wrong conclusion.

Find Your Next Healthcare Job

HealthCare Support can help talented, passionate healthcare professionals find the perfect long-term or short-term job. Our professional network is vast, and our dedicated team can help place you in the ideal situation for your career. To learn more about our open jobs and services, please give us a call at 407-478-0332.

Signs of a Good and Bad Job Candidate

Finding the right employee to fill an open position at your company can be tough. If it seems like over and over again you are hiring the wrong people, you may need some help with the hiring process. Specifically, you need to be able to pick up on positive and negative signs of a candidate during the interview process. This way, you’ll avoid the dreaded situation of figuring out you’ve hired the wrong person and having to start the search over again. Watch out for the following indicators of good and bad candidates for your next job opening.

Good Sign: They show excitement and zeal.

Bad Sign: They seem disinterested or even bored.

Paying attention to the candidate’s level of interest in the job is critical. Sure, some may be polished, seasoned interviewees who know how to fake it for a job offer. But, you will usually be able to tell in your gut after getting to know them better if they are truly excited to work with you. On the other side, it is a serious red flag if the interviewee seems like they’d rather be somewhere else.

Good Sign: They are punctual and prepared.

Bad Sign: They are late and ill-prepared.

Punctuality conveys that the candidate values your time and is thoughtful enough to plan ahead. A good candidate will have multiple hard copies of their resume, and their resume itself will be carefully constructed with perfect grammar and punctuation. If a candidate comes in without their resume, or it has typos and basic mistakes, it shows that they are not detail-orientated and lack focus. If you think you can overlook these things, remember that they will likely make similar mistakes after you hire them.

Good Sign: They ask thoughtful questions.

Bad Sign: They have no questions at all.

If the candidate is asking in-depth questions about your company, it shows that they have spent time thoroughly researching things before coming in. Even more so, it demonstrates that they have carefully considered what it would be like to work at your company and aren’t sending out applications all over the place. A candidate that has no questions for you at the end of the interview is likely one that isn’t actually interested in your company, but sees the job simply as a way to make money.

The hiring process can be tiresome, stressful, and costly, so let HeathCare Support help you fill open positions with the right candidates. Our team specializes in matching all manner of health care professionals to employers looking to hire. Call us today to learn about how we can assist employers at 407-478-0332.