Tips on Landing a Job From HR Recruiters

There are many ways to land that job you have always dreamed of. The same goes for health care careers. There's no replacement for the well-written resume or refined personal interview technique. Sometimes, however, you have to find a way to get through the employer's human resources (HR) department and their recruiters before even getting a chance at interviewing with a prospective supervisor.

With that in mind, we thought we'd pick the brain of one of our own Concorde HR recruiters as to the best way to break through that initial barrier and get your name in front of a hiring director. Hopefully, this helps you breakthrough that HR ceiling and land the job in health care careers you've always wanted.

Some of the basics

"Talk to friends, colleagues, and ex-bosses, first and foremost," said Marianne Morgan, Recruiting and Human Resources Manager at Concorde's Campus Support Center in Mission, Kan. "Most job opportunities come from your network or extended network. Don't ever underestimate your network."

Morgan suggests every job applicant complete a self-assessment. Think about the kind of job that suits you, what will challenge you and fulfill you. Ask yourself what you're willing to forego leaving your current role if you are going to change jobs (vacation, seniority).

She also suggests carefully reviewing your resume.

"Update it regularly," Morgan said. "It is always a working document. Have a proofreader and someone that knows you professionally. Most of us don't like to toot our own horn, so have a trusted co-worker review who knows your accomplishments and can recommend things to add or delete."

Use social media when pursuing health care careers

Don't underestimate your LinkedIn profile, Morgan said. Make sure to update it regularly.

"Also, make sure your profile photo is a professional one," she said. "Build connections regularly. You want to have 50-100 connections at least to be noticed by recruiters. Make sure your email account is linked to is a current one, one you check regularly so messages don't sit in your inbox not being noticed."

As mentioned earlier, using your extended network for opportunities is good, so use your social media platforms to help you look for jobs. Just be sure you’re aware of who can see your posts or comments because a current co-worker or boss might see that you are looking for a new job.

Asking for Letters of Recommendation

There are certain best practices to follow when asking for letters of recommendation or references. Your health care career could hinge on how you use them. For advice, we asked Reina Resnik, a Graduate Employment Specialist at Concorde's campus in Miramar, Fla.

"In today's competitive marketplace, prospective employers may ask you to contact someone in your past who can vouch for your performance and/or character," Resnik said. "Think carefully about who you'd like to ask for a recommendation or reference."

If you're currently employed and applying confidentially to a new job, you may need to look back to a previous employer to provide a professional recommendation or reference to avoid jeopardizing your current position. For a professional letter of reference, seek out a boss or colleague who you believe you've impressed, with whom you've built a rapport, and/or who is known to go the extra mile for others.

"The same goes for academic letters or references," Resnik said, "but make sure to first check your school's policy on requesting recommendations. You might need to go through a centralized process - for example, via the president, dean or registrar - depending on your campus procedures."

Remember, the person providing a recommendation or reference is doing you a favor, so be considerate of their time constraints, Resnik said. Be prepared to offer bullet points of the qualities and/or accomplishments you'd be grateful for them to highlight.

Ultimately, the recommendation comes from the recommender, but he/she might ask you to help with the wording. Be prepared to write a draft of your own letter or talking points for their consideration.

Once contacted, prepare yourself

"Once you're called for an interview, make sure to respond or call back the scheduler in a timely fashion," Morgan said. Then, start your research. Research what the company does, how many employees. What does the company culture look like on social media? Review your LinkedIn connections and see if any can help you with this position.

"If they start with a phone interview, remember, this is not a time to sell your personality," Morgan said. "This phone interview is to verify your experience, your education, your salary and your ability to do the job. Listen closely and answer concisely; don't be long-winded."

"Remember to be respectful to this person on the other end. They are your first impression. Always be timely for the call and cancel with plenty of time if needed."

Writing a Great Follow-up letter

In the fast-paced, tech-savvy world of today, a follow-up letter generally takes the form of a follow-up email. The follow-up email's purpose is to keep a job candidate in a prospective employer's mind and to show continued interest in the employer's open health care career position and place of employment.

The follow-up email is an opportunity for a candidate to show he or she is conscientious, as well as serious and excited about the open position and place of employment.

A follow-up email is generally appropriate... ideally the same afternoon or evening after the interview or the following day. The email should thank the interviewer for taking time from his or her busy schedule to discuss the open health care career position.

It is also helpful for the email to very briefly describe how the candidate's skill set matches the needs of the open position and employer. It also should contain a signature block with the candidate's full name, as well as an email address or phone number at which the candidate is comfortable communicating with the prospective employer.

Follow-up emails also might be relevant at various points in the job-seeking process, depending on the specific situation. For example, if a health care career candidate is not currently looking for a job but met someone who might be a valuable professional contact in the future, it might not hurt to send a quick "nice to meet you" email.

Another example: If a significant amount of time has elapsed since the candidate's job interview without the candidate hearing anything back, the candidate might follow up a second time to inquire as to the status of his or her application.

Last Bit of Advice

A candidate should take care to check grammar, punctuation, and tone before hitting "send" on a follow-up email or any written communication with a potential employer in order to make the most professional impression.

"Also, please remember that this represents general advice and is not tailored to any particular job-seeking situation," Resnik said. "Candidates should always feel free to reach out to their campus services office if they'd like to discuss a specific job opportunity."