When it comes time to look for a new job in the medical industry, working with a talented and experienced recruiter familiar with the world of healthcare is a smart call. The best recruiters know who is hiring as well as the hot skills currently in demand. Assisting you in putting together a résumé and helping prepare you for interviews are two other ways they make your job search a successful one.

Partnering with a great medical recruiter can be an important part of your career growth. Here are three attributes worth noting when in the market for someone to help with your job search efforts.

They Are Connected with the Local and Regional Medical Industry

The best medical recruiters maintain connections with those in the field on both a local and regional basis. This ensures they understand the cultures of the medical offices and hospitals in your area. Once they get to know you better, they will be able to place you at an establishment where you’d make a good fit.

At the same time, they also know what skills and abilities are currently in demand in the medical industry. This helps you decide on where to focus your training to ensure your career prospects stay bright in the future.

Following-Up is Important

Recruiters must regularly follow-up with both the candidates they are presenting and the medical companies looking for new talent. When you are waiting to hear back about a potential interview with the healthcare company of your dreams, it helps to be working with a recruiter who keeps you in the loop. You need to be aware of the current status of your recruiter’s efforts throughout the job search process.

Takes the Time to Understand you as a Medical Professional

When first meeting with a medical recruiter, pay attention to how closely they interview you. They need to fully understand your professional and educational background as well as what skills and abilities you bring to the table for a potential employer. You should treat this meeting as essentially a two-way interview.

Ensure the recruiter takes detailed notes during your discussion. Hopefully, their staffing agency has you fill out an application so all your skills and other professional abilities are searchable in a database. This makes it easier to match you with an employer looking for someone with your skill set.

When you are in the market for a medical recruiter, be sure to talk to the experts at Pinnacle Workforce. As one of the top healthcare staffing agencies in the country, we can help take your career to its highest level yet. Make it a point to contact us as soon as possible.

Developing a professional network is vital for your career prospects. This rings true in nearly all industries, and the world of healthcare is no exception. Maintaining this list of professional contacts is one of the many reasons to stay connected with your old bosses and other managers.

You never know when it comes time to look for a new position, and being able to call on a robust professional network definitely helps during a job search. Here are some additional ideas for keeping in contact with a former manager.

Ways to keep Connected with a Former Superior

Thankfully, social networks like LinkedIn and Facebook make staying in contact with former bosses and coworkers a breeze. Try to focus your online professional networking efforts on LinkedIn, as it is the website’s main purpose. Remember, Facebook makes it too easy to share content better kept between personal friends instead of professional contacts.

Make it a point to stay up to date with your former bosses’ current online contact information — most importantly their email address. If you are announcing your availability for work, send personal emails to your contact list instead of a group email. Any extra effort spent in this fashion will probably result in more people willing to help you out.

If you keep home addresses for your old managers, consider sending Holiday and birthday cards for a nice personal touch. You can also send these cards to your former medical office or hospital provided they still work there. Once again, concentrate on the professional side of networking, but staying in touch outside of your work life can also help your future job prospects.

Getting a Great Reference might make all the Difference

In addition to finding out about a new job opening, former bosses are arguably the most important references you can use when applying for a medical position. They’ve worked with you closely and understand your strengths as well as the positive differences you can make for an employer. Be sure to contact the former boss in question before using them as a reference to ensure they are okay with it.

Whenever you need advice on any part of the job search process in the healthcare industry, talk to the experts at Pinnacle Workforce. As one of the top medical staffing agencies in the country, we can help take your career to the next level. Connect with us at your earliest convenience.

While a summer season filled with vacations and other leisurely activities makes it difficult to think about professional networking, it isn’t good for your career to slack off during these three months. You never know when an opportunity for additional responsibility and salary might arrive on your doorstep. The summertime offers a great choice for both relaxation AND developing your healthcare industry career.

With taking your medical professional future to its highest level as the goal, here are a few tips for networking during the summer. Let’s check them out.

Don’t let the Good Weather stop your Networking Efforts

It is important to stay networking throughout the entire year. While it may be tempting to slack off a bit during the summer, be sure to keep a steady effort level. Sure, take a few days off if you are going on vacation or prefer your weekends to be work free, but make sure to re-engage when you return.

Try to attend a medical professionals conference during the summer as these are great events for meeting people who could help your career. If the conference is located in a part of the country known for vacationing, you will be able to kill two birds with one stone!

Volunteer in your Community

Consider volunteering your services to other medical establishments either in your own area or in another region. This is another great way to meet a variety of people in the industry. The Red Cross definitely has a need for medical professional volunteers to help with any summer weather-related disasters like hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes.

Making a regular deposit in your professional karma bank never hurts as well!

Online Networking is still Important

Even during the summer, there are times where you can’t be outside on a 24×7 basis. Redouble your online medical networking efforts over this time, especially by staying active on LinkedIn. Add new industry connections both locally and across the country, while recommending and endorsing the abilities of those with whom you’ve previously worked — in many cases, they will return the favor.

If you have any writing ability, consider publishing your own healthcare or nursing blog. This is a great way to become a thought leader in the industry; putting yourself on the fast track to career success.

Whenever you need additional insights on medical career development, talk to the knowledgeable recruiters at Pinnacle Workforce. As one of the country’s top healthcare staffing agencies, we can help take your career to new heights. Meet with us soon!

While definitely rewarding at times, working in the medical industry can also be stressful, especially if the stress outweighs your sense of professional accomplishment. Maybe you are being overworked or just don’t get along with many of your coworkers? Whatever the reason for your unhappiness, finding a different position in the healthcare industry could be the key to putting your career back on track.

It is important to take stock of your current satisfaction level and, if warranted, make the jump to another position. Here are three signs you are unhappy and need to start looking for something new.

Your Professional Development is Stifled

If you feel your current employer isn’t providing a proper opportunity for professional development, you need to find a new job to truly get that chance. Maybe your company doesn’t invest in a training program or tuition reimbursement for acquiring an advanced degree. This is a short-sighted policy, as employee training is vital in an industry where patient care remains the prime directive.

When looking for another position, pay attention to any opportunities for professional development offered by a potential new employer. Medical companies need to invest in their staff for their own long-term health.

A Salary and Benefits Package lower than the Industry Standard

In addition to investing in their employees training and education, healthcare companies also need to ensure they compensate their staff at competitive levels for their region. This includes both salary and a benefits package. If you feel you aren’t being paid what your worth, research the average salaries for your position and location.

If you feel you are underpaid, give your medical recruiter a call as soon as possible!

You are Overworked and your Company is Understaffed

Consistently having to work extra shifts because your medical office is chronically understaffed definitely leads to personal unhappiness. This could be a sign your current company’s financial prospects are bleak, or perhaps they just don’t want to invest in a proper staffing level. Stress is bad for your overall health and well-being, so don’t hesitate to look for a new position when this situation arises.

Remember, a partnership with a great healthcare staffing agency definitely helps when it comes time to look for a new job in the medical industry.

When searching for a great medical staffing agency, look no further than Pinnacle Workforce. As employers of the top healthcare industry recruiters in the nation, we can help take your career to its highest level. Reach out to us when you need to make a change!

In any industry — the healthcare world is no exception — you can feel trapped in your current position. With no hope for promotion and raises few and far between, it is easy to lose inspiration and simply go through the motions each day. When working in a field where patient care is the overriding concern, empowering yourself to take charge of your career is a must for a variety of reasons.

You need to stay proactive to ensure steady career growth throughout your professional life. What follows are a few ideas to help keep you on the right path, whether with your current employer or possibly in a new position.

Educational Growth is a Must

When employed as a medical professional, your continuing education must be the main focus. This includes taking classes to keep up to speed with the latest healthcare technology innovations as well as possibly going back to school to earn an advanced degree related to your field. Additionally, make it a point to acquire as many relevant certifications as possible, since they add valuable heft to your résumé.

The best healthcare companies care about their employees’ career growth and professional development; offering tuition reimbursement and training programs aimed at achieving these goals. If your current employer doesn’t provide these benefits, consider looking for a new position with a medical company that does.

Search for a New Opportunity if Necessary for Career Growth

If you are stuck in your current position, it’s likely you need to look elsewhere for a better opportunity. It is important to prepare for the job search process. Keep your résumé updated and create a cover letter template and collection of potential references.

Partner with a Recruiter specializing in the Medical Industry

A partnership with a top notch recruiter familiar with the healthcare world offers you the best chance at steady career growth. They can help you put together a job search package, including your résumé, cover letter, and more. Interview preparation is another skill held by the top recruiters.

They also know the best companies currently looking for the hottest skills in the medical industry. In short, it is the smart call to keep your professional outlook on the upswing.

When searching for a great recruiter with whom to partner, look no further than Pinnacle Workforce. One of the top medical staffing agencies in the country, we can help take your career to its highest level to date. Speak with us at your earliest convenience.

Even in a medical career filled with progressively greater professional accomplishments, you may have been fired from a previous position. This fact needn’t dissuade you from trying to better yourself by finding a new job with another company. There remains a lot of turnover in the healthcare industry and most companies won’t disqualify a candidate for a misstep earlier in their career.

The important thing is to properly address a previous firing during the job interview. This post offers a few tips on how best to answer when asked about a dismissal in your work history.

Prepare and Practice your Answer before the Interview

Probably the most important tip is to be sure you prepare your answer to this question beforehand. About the worst thing you can do is fumble over your answer while seeming unsure on how to respond. This comes off as being less than honest, which may end up disqualifying your candidacy.

Answering in a forthright, honest manner is vital. Practice the question with a friend or even your recruiter to ensure your interview performance — especially when it comes to this question — is top notch.

An Honest Answer without Blaming Others is the Best Route

A truthful answer, when asked about a previous firing, is always the best approach. Speak about the incident in a straightforward way with a clear voice while making natural eye contact with the interviewer. Never lie or try to hide the real reason for your firing behind falsehoods and half-truths.

Don’t try to make excuses or blame others for the situation leading to your firing. This also puts you in a bad light which may adversely affect your chances at a job offer more than the firing itself. It is important to frame the issue in an objective manner.

Show you’ve grown because of your Firing

Take the opportunity to display how you’ve learned from being fired and that you’ve grown in your career as a result. This gives your potential new employer some reassurances you would be a good choice for a job offer. If this is your first round of interviews after being fired, describe how you won’t make a new company feel sorry for giving you a second chance.

If you need additional insight on how to handle a previous firing in a job search, talk to the experts at Pinnacle Workforce. As one of the country’s top medical staffing agencies, our recruiters know the healthcare industry inside and out and can help you and your career. Contact us at your earliest convenience.

Congratulations are in order for earning a job interview with one of the top medical companies in the area. Whether you are hoping for a position with a hospital, medical office, or some other healthcare company, your interview performance needs to be top notch. That doesn’t mean you can skimp on the post-interview follow-up, as it also plays an important role in your overall candidacy.

With earning a great job offer as your goal, here are three things you need to do when following-up after a medical interview. Good luck in your efforts!

Follow-up using a Friendly and Professional Email

When you get home after the interview, shoot off a quick email to the interviewer. Be sure to thank them for the opportunity to talk about the open position and how your skill set matches their needs. You don’t need to go overboard with selling yourself for the job — the interview itself is where that needed to happen — just focus on a quick and professional statement.

If you haven’t heard back after a week or so, consider sending another email with a polite request on the status of the interview process. This additional email should suffice, as you don’t want to be perceived as a pest.

Don’t forget to send a Thank You Note

Another follow-up note using venerable snail mail doesn’t have to seem old-fashioned in today’s hiring landscape. In fact, it is a nice touch that truly illustrates your interest in the open position. Use a business letter outline and professional stationery for the note; expressing your appreciation of the chance to become a valued employee of their firm.

Connect with the Interviewer on LinkedIn

As the preeminent social network for professionals, a LinkedIn account is a must when working in the healthcare industry. After the interview, send a connection request to the interviewer. Beforehand, give your profile a once over, making sure the information on it matches your résumé, as any discrepancies won’t bode well for your chances at a job offer.

Consider endorsing some of the interviewer’s skills to curry a measure of favor before the hiring decision is made, but don’t go overboard. Hopefully, following these three steps helps you earn that valued job offer.

If you need any assistance in finding work in the healthcare industry, talk to the experts at Pinnacle Workforce. As one of the country’s top medical staffing agencies, we can help take your career to the next level. Contact us to schedule some time with us as soon as possible!

In many cases, professionals are judged by how well they react to adversity instead of their performance during the more halcyon times. This same rule applies to your personal life as well as your medical career. Anytime you begin to feel overwhelmed, it is important to take a deep breath and analyze the situation before taking any ill-considered action or even giving up.

Since simply flying off the handle when circumstances become too difficult is never a good tactic, here are a few ideas for responding smartly to those kinds of situations.

Let the Left Side of your Brain take Over

Acting in a rational manner is vital when confronted with a stressful situation. On the other hand, becoming too emotional could lead to a bad decision, which is a never a good thing when working in a hospital or medical office. Take a few moments to collect your thoughts and formulate a plan of action.

The left side of your brain is more logical compared to the right side. Don’t feel overwhelmed, and instead, rely on your training and experience to formulate a plan of action to properly handle the situation. Once again, deep breaths and positive thoughts help this process by lessening your stress level — it will all work out for the best.

Don’t try and handle Everything by Yourself

When dealing with a medical emergency or any situation beyond your skill set, don’t feel like you need to solve the issue on your own. Remember, you are just one member of a talented healthcare team and one or more of your coworkers can offer insight and advice to help handle the problem. The worst thing you can do is panic while subsequently making a mistake without seeking input from others.

This is an example of a circumstance where you can’t let pride or fear keep you from asking for help from someone else. Patient care needs to be the overriding concern in the medical industry. It is important to keep this golden rule in mind whenever you feel you are unable to handle a situation properly. Seek help if you feel you are in over your head.

If you are looking for the means to supercharge your healthcare industry career, contact the experts at Pinnacle Workforce. As one of the nation’s leading medical staffing agencies, we provide the insight to take your professional life to its highest level. Contact our medical staffing professionals at your earliest convenience.

While the medical industry is generally immune to economic downturns — with good jobs typically available all across the country — some states offer certain advantages as well as more robust employment opportunities. This situation applies to all professions within the field of healthcare, including nurses. Finding the right state to start or grow your nursing career simply takes some research and a desire to succeed.

What follows is a look at some of the most promising states for your nursing career. Good luck in your job search efforts!

Cost of Living and Quality of Life Are Important

Don’t forget to consider a location’s cost of living before deciding on relocating for a nursing position. While nursing salaries are higher in California, so are rent, groceries, and other expenses. Quality of life is also relevant, so if you enjoy going to the beach on a regular basis, a job in Vermont is probably not the best choice for you.

The Highest Nursing Salaries Are in These States

The five states with the highest salaries for nurses include: California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Alaska. Unfortunately, all those states also have high costs of living, especially the previously mentioned California in addition to Hawaii. However, the beachcombers among you probably wouldn’t have too much of a problem paying extra in monthly expenses given the local scenery.

When you factor cost of living along with the highest average nursing salary, Texas, Michigan, Nevada, Idaho, and New Mexico are the states where your pay goes the farthest. All these states have their own unique advantages, from the bright lights of Las Vegas to the beautiful mountain lifestyle of Boise, Idaho.

The Most Robust Nursing Employment Markets

Looking at states with the fewest number of nurses per population, the top five include: Utah, Hawaii, California, Alaska, and Nevada. While the cost of living is high in many of those locales, you won’t have much competition when looking for a job.

Factoring in cost of living, quality of life, availability of jobs, and salaries, the five best states for nurses are: Washington, Colorado, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Texas. Needless to say, you have many things to consider and a host of options all over the country when it comes to looking for a nursing job.

Working with a knowledgeable recruiter gives you the best shot if you are looking for a nursing position. As one of the nation’s top healthcare staffing agencies, Pinnacle Workforce employs the best recruiters in the business. Make it a point to contact us at your earliest convenience.

These days, many families need to go the extra mile at their jobs to earn a comfortable living. Sometimes this includes working overtime, evenings, or even the dreaded third shift. When you end up employed at a different time than your significant other, your relationship can undergo a measure of strain and difficulty.

It doesn’t always have to be this way. You need to simply be conscious of the issue and carve out some time in your busy schedule for just the two of you. Let’s take a closer look.

Prepare a Special Meal at anytime of the Day

Working a different shift from your partner means you rarely get the time to eat a special dinner together. If they work a nighttime schedule, surprise them when they get home with a hearty breakfast. Go the extra mile and make their favorite morning food — maybe a special home fries recipe does the trick?

The important thing is showing that you care and actually spending some meaningful time together. Even consider making this shared breakfast time (or lunch, if that works better for your schedule) a regular part of your relationship.

Vacation Time spent Together becomes Important

A different work schedule than your partner makes taking vacation together a priority. Make sure not to waste any PTO offered by your employer. Schedule any vacation together, while making sure your request is submitted early, to lessen the risk of it not being approved.

Taking some time to recharge your batteries is important, especially in the stressful healthcare industry. You don’t even have to travel to an exotic location. A staycation spent together at home works wonders as well.

Do a Little Extra Work around the House

Make the effort to straighten up around your house — maybe even doing a certain chore your partner hates, like yard work or cleaning the bathroom? It will be worth it when they get home after a 12-hour shift to a clean house and a glass of wine or a cold beer. These simple things go a long way in keeping your relationship strong if you are unable to spend a lot of quality time together.

When you need additional insight in making your healthcare career as success — both at work and in your personal life — talk to the experts at Pinnacle Workforce. As one of the nation’s leading medical staffing agencies, we can help you in more ways than one. Be sure to schedule some time with us soon!