Locums

Merrainiacs:

"Locums" is a Latin word used interchangeably with a number of other terms: Travelers, Interim Staffing, Contract Staffing, Road Warriors.....you name it. In short, it's a business we're growing like "Wildfire" (not to be confused with the classic Michael Murphey song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pc3OnSQc48s&a=mUP2mnpFtp0&playnext_from=ML). There could be any number of reasons a hospital might choose to hire an interim employee. For example, one of their staff members takes a medical leave, a maternity leave, a position is open and needs to be filled until a permanent hire can be made, a hospital wants to take a "permanent" employee on a "trial period" until they can be certain everything will work out......Whatever the reason, it's a business that continues to grow, and we've carved out a nice following with our prestigious list of clients. Generally, assignments can last anywhere from 30 days up to two years although there are no rules. Our specialty is at the director level although interim employees are hired at the staff level, in the executive suite and yes....even that Doctor that is treating you can be simply an "interim" employee covering for someone else.

In short, our firm will find the employee in usually two - five days and have them on site within a week. We provide the insurance, handle the payroll, taxes, benefits, housing and any related matters. The hospital can onboard them very quickly, and they don't have to worry about all of the usual HR "stuff" (this is a technical term) because we're handling it.

Short case in point, we got a call from a client that needed an Interim Director Laboratory Services ASAP. They called us last week because they failed an inspection and the state came down on them. Three days later we had their new interim director onsite. While we look for their next permanent director, we've got a turnaround expert in there that will make sure the ship is sailing right before the new director comes in. Perhaps the interim candidate we placed there might even transition into the permanent role.

It's a great business. In our case, we have specialists that do nothing but handle the interim side of our work. It requires a great deal of knowledge, and each minute counts. We might work all through the night on an interim assignment depending upon how tight the timeline is. To learn more about this business or if you have questions about whether an interim assigment is appropriate for you, feel free to contact us: info@merraine.com

Until next time........

Merrainiac

Shameless Self-Promotion

Heya Merrainiacs,

As a followup on our series about resumes, heres a few tips on the art of self-promotion.Everyone is repulsed by braggarts – people who are shameless self promoters. So don’t be one, ya hear?!

The truth is that (thankfully) these people rarely exist in the job search and career transition arena, as I can’t remember the last time I spoke with a candidate whom I felt was arrogant. Sure, people say off-color things when the stakes are high in an interview. But this doesn’t mean they are bragging. Typically, they are nervous and get caught in an awkward moment.Here’s a good formula for broadcasting your skills without being viewed as bragging. Write down and rehearse the 4-5 points that distinguish you from your peers. In other words, what home-runs have you delivered that demonstrate why you are such a strong candidate for a job. Know your messages cold so that in the heat of the moment, they are ready to be launched without a moment of consideration.

Don’t be afraid to speak matter-of-factly about your specific achievements. For example:

· - Exceeded management’s expectations by deploying a restructuring initiative that achieved…

· - Helped position my previous employer to be more market competitive and provide value-added service to its clients by…

· - Received multiple awards for generating year-over-year improvements to…

· - Worked with world-class experts in “x’, which provided me with a unique perspective to…

Be proud of who you are and what you have done and deliver your accomplishments in a direct, professional and measured way. Every action creates a reaction, and your role in selling yourself is to activate job opportunities, promotions or advancements. You’ll know if you did this well when a faint smile appears on the listeners face or you sense some other visceral reaction that captures their interest.

Hope that helps.

Merrainiac

Integration, and a Prayer

Hey Merrainiacs!

The big change this week was the completion of our website integration- a project I've been working on for quite a while- so I’m pretty psyched that we’re up and running. From now on- all of our social networking links are integrated into our website! Yipee!

Extra donuts for me on Monday…I think I'll hold out for the Vanilla Cream Filled!

On a more serious note, just wanted to send a prayer into cyberspace for all the people affected by the oil spill in the Gulf. If you want to move out and need a new job, we are always here for you!

Merrainiac

Interview Tips

Hey Merrainiacs,

Been a couple of busy weeks here at Merraine, closed some great deals and working hard on a few more. After a couple of posts about resumes, let’s move on to the next step of the process.

So you’ve sent your resume in, and of course the place loves it (….if you’ve taken my advice). They want to interview you. Yippee! You’re in!

Not so fast - you have just begun the process. Here are a few things to watch out for in your first interview.

· The first thing goes without saying, but needs to be said: Dress Nicely! The outward impression that you give matters, people! Think about it: you wouldn’t want to hire someone if they came to the interview dressed like this, now would you?

Didn't think so.

In the same vein, another important interview tip: Make the right impression. Be on time.

Moving along- you've gotten to the interview on time, wearing your best power suit. what next?

Well, here at Merraine we prep all our candidates before any interview. So check us out !

www.merraine.com...maybe we'll have your next job waiting for you!

'Til next time,

Merrainiac

Is Your Resume a Silent Career Killer?

Here are some pearls of wisdom from our friends over at Get What You Set (experts in outplacement) that are definitely relevant to us Merrainiacs...

Is Your Resume a Silent Career Killer?

Spend a few moments taking the following vital signs on your resume:

No response: Does your resume go unanswered when you respond to ads?

Experience: Does it list the functions you performed in your jobs, such as “responsible for …”?

Personality traits: Does it include phrases such as “team player”, “detail oriented” and “effective communicator”?

Aspiration: Does it leave out the specific role you are seeking and how you are positioned to make a meaningful and relevant difference to a prospective employer?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then your resume is in need of an overhaul. To get it on a healthy track and captivate the reader’s imagination, make sure your resume communicates

• The measurable results you achieved by performing your day-to-day functions (or from special projects), and how they impacted various stakeholders and/or the bottom line.
• How your personality traits helped fuel your results (the phrases alone are just generic and used by everyone).
• Your interest in assuming a specific role and your ability to deliver value that goes beyond the scope of management’s expectations.
• An expression of your work ethic, such as how your competitive intensity, disciplined and focused approach, or extraordinary commitment to getting things done was manifested.

Taking the time to invest in the health and vitality of your resume will surely yield better results.

Now thems' some good pearls.

-Merrainiac

Some Resume Do's and Don'ts

Heya, Merrainiacs...Merrainiac numero uno here, with a couple of Dos and Don'ts for resumes. See, I go through at least 50 resumes a day, so I consider myself pretty well versed in resume Etiquette.

Lets start with a Don't. Don't, under any circumstances, do this (watch that from 6:13). Scented Pink resumes are a no-no.

Do. Do include your current contact info (yes, there are Idiots in this world who don't know that).

Don't: Lie on your resume. Recruiters find out about these things- we just had to pull the plug on a candidate last week who lied about his current employment (Seriously! when we called to do a verification check, they said he hadn't worked there in three years. The nerve!). Don't Lie, people- you will live to regret it. Which brings me to another Don't. Don't write skills that are irrelevant. I don't care if you were on your swim team in high school when you're applying for a Director of Nursing position.

I know resume writing can be hard. thats why Barb, our VP here at Merraine, helps our candidates build professional resumes that actually help you get hired! so so take a peek our current jobs , and lets see if we have your next job waiting for you...I really want to dance the Conga again.

Later,

Merrainiac.

Meet the Merrainiacs - Merraine Group Inc.

Welcome to The Merraine Brain, Merraine Group's blog about everything Merraine. I'm Merrainiac, otherwise known as Naava Posy, Project Manager at Merraine. Who /What are we?

We are one of the premier healthcare recruitment firms in the biz. We place managers, directors, VP's and "C-suite" executives in hospitals and medical centers around the globe. Over the last nine years, we have worked with over 400 hospitals while averaging a 97% retention rate. 97 percent, people! Them's some good stats!

Seriously, though. Working here is pretty great. besides our impressive stats, I work in a remarkable team with friends who enjoy their job- getting others employed!

Just a quick meet and greet with a few of the folks I interact with the most:

First there's Jeff. Jeff is the one who brings in the dough-both kinds. Jeff is the Team leader for our Southeast and Southwest regions. He also brings us Dunkin Donuts every Monday morning. Needless to say, Jeff is pretty popular.

Next comes Barb. Sweetest lady you could imagine- you would never guess that behind that smile lies the sharpest brain we have. Smart as a whip, she knows every medical and nursing term, as well as most of the names of the candidates we have in out database (Tens of thousands of candidates and counting). I get most of my info straight from her. She is our VP of Career Development and oversees all of the recruitment and research teams. She's been here for nine years.

Barb's office is right next to Eli's. Eli is our Database Manager, and her dog, Maggie (Yea, a dog-friendly office- We're awesome. Deal with it.) never stops yapping. Eli keeps her door closed pretty often so Maggie won't bark at all of the candidates coming in for interviews.

Jonah, our team leader for the Northeast, Northwest (including California) and Mid-Atlantic regions is the fast talker. Lemme tell you, that guy could convince a lion that he's a shark. And I'm sure he has-- Jonah has some pretty crazy stories. He's been with us for over five years.

Oh, and there's David-our trusty Managing Director- a great boss and a great guy ( and no, I'm not just saying that cuz he's gonna read this- though I'm sure it won't hurt). David truly puts the team into a cohesive group that works really well together. Together we pick up jobs, source candidates, and blog. (Well to be fair, I'm doing most of the blogging now)- but its all due to David's management skills. At least, that's what we tell him :>)

Then there's Janice. Janice is the Team Leader for Midwest, Heartland and Alaska/Hawaii regions. She's our newest Team Leader and believe it or not.....a former narcotics officer and a nurse! She reminds us how exciting it is to get to work in the recruitment biz- the first time she placed a candidate, she made us all dance around the office! And boy did we dance...all the way into our Managing Directors office. Now here's the clincher- and proof that I work in the coolest office of all time. David Gantshar, Managing Director-the fearless leader of our department- joined us in the Conga! Thats how excited we get when we place a candidate. I won't lie, the fee we get is nice. But the fact that we know that we placed a capable candidate in a job where they can do good- thats the reason for the Conga.

Jessica is Barb's assistant and our lead Project Manager. She's as quiet as can be but the candidates love her. They know Jessica has all of the "inside information" about the hospitals.

I don't interact too much with the rest of our leadership team (Steve - Finance; Eric - Legal; Marci - Marketing, Wiggi - Information Technology) but they all play a critical role in our day-to-day operations. We're all supported by some of the best recruiters and researchers in the industry. I'll introduce you to them some other time.

So now that you've met the team, we can start talking about working together to find you your next job!

Wait, Jeff just came in, and its Monday morning- Donuts await.

Keep ya posted.

Merrainiac