OFFICE OF CAREER MANAGEMENT

Administration & Conference Center 2930 Flowers Road, Suite 318

M - F 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. (and later by appointment)

Planning and Assessment

Career Decision Making

Resume and Cover Letter Preparation

Job Search Skills Interview

Preparation, Mock Interviews

Evaluation and Salary Negotiation

Career Management Career Fairs Employment

Opportunities Internships Career Coaching Website

CAREER MANAGEMENT

Online Career Management at

www.mercerprofessional.org

CAREER RESOURCES

CAREER RESOURCES

Georgia Association of Physician Assistants Spring ConferenceMarch 20-23, 2013

Lake Lanier Island, GA

Health Care Career FairNovember, 2013

11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.AACC Building

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Marketing YourselfFor the competitive job market

PAs are in demand. Investigate different areas of practice. Different work environments. Different

management styles.

START EARLY

MYTH: Willingness to work as a PA anywhere will make me happy.

NOT TRUE!

FOCUS ON YOUR STRENGTHS

Know yourself very well

Research employers

Develop professional marketing tools, i.e.

resume, cover letter, 30 second

“commercial,” and thank you letters

Participate in mock interviews

Network, network, network

MARKETING PLAN

IDENTIFY YOURInterests, Values, Skills, Characteristics, Strengths, Weaknesses, Goals, Objectives,

Experiences, Expectations, Talents, Achievements

KNOW YOURSELF

RESEARCH POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS

Hospital/Clinic/HMO/Health Center

Size of Facility, Location, Number of Employees,

Services Offered, Leadership Hierarchy, Style of Management, Salary and Benefit Information, Company

Mission and Vision

Industry Outlook,

Competitor Information, Financial History and

Status, Strategic Plans and Objectives

KNOW YOUR TARGET

Landing a PA position is simply a matter of successfully marketing yourself to the right

healthcare organization

EFFECTIVE MARKETING INITIATIVE

ProductPlacePackagingProduct PromotionPositioningPrice

DEVELOP MARKETING PLAN

PRIMARY MARKETING TOOL

ADVERTISEMENT, NOT AUTOBIOGRAPHY

PROMOTION MUST BE IN TOP 1/3

OUTCOME FOCUSED - ACHIEVEMENTS MUST BE QUANTIFIABLE OR QUALIFIED

ONE RESUME DOES NOT FIT ALL!

RESUME

REVERSE CHRONOLOGICAL

FUNCTIONAL

COMBINATION

THE EFFECTIVE RESUME IS THE ONE THATGETS YOU THE RESULTS YOU DESIRE.

RESUME FORMATS

RESUME PREPARATION

RESUME PREPARATION

RESUME PREPARATION

Important to Employers

Job Description

Mission and Vision

Good “FIT”

DOES YOUR RESUMEREFLECT WHAT THEEMPLOYER WANTS?

CLINICAL EXPERIENCE PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE COMMUNITY SERVICE VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE LEADERSHIP PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AREAS OF EXPERTISE SUMMER OR PART-TIME JOBS

RESUME BUILDERS

THE INTERVIEW IS A SALES PRESENTATION

DO IN-DEPTH RESEARCH ON THE EMPLOYER AND COMPETITORS

MAKE THE FIRST IMPRESSION COUNT

VIEW EACH QUESTION AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SELL YOURSELF

INTERVIEWING

What can you do for us?

What kind of person are you?

What distinguishes you apart from other candidates?

Can we afford you?

INTERVIEWER’S PERSPECTIVE

I. Know Your Objectives What’s your goal or purpose? Can you

articulate it?II. Who’s Listening?

Are you interviewing with an HR representative, recruiter, or the hiring authority?

III. Use a Hook Focus on value, expertise, successful outcomes.

VI. Ask For The Job

A message without a specific request is a wasted opportunity.

TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF…

Know salary ranges for type of employer

Private vs. Government

Community vs. Private

Hospital vs. Clinic

Large vs. Small

SALARY QUESTION

Insurance: Major Medical, Maternity, Disability, Cancer

Professional Liability Insurance

Professional Development

Memberships

Recertification fees

Benefits

Give and take Acknowledge the interviewers comments

with facial and verbal expressions Avoid “yes” and “no” Do not interrupt the interviewer No lecturing Stay alert Make sure you understand any questions;

ask for clarification

ACTIVE LISTENING

Credential verification questions

Experience verification questions

Opinion questions

Behaviorally anchored questions

Competency questions

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Rapport Building

Information Collection

Self Protection

QUESTIONS YOU ASK ARE FOR…

Lack of interest or enthusiasm for the job

Too strong an attitude of what’s in it for me

Unclear and unspecific job/future goals

Assuming employers hire based purely on

credentials and experience

Not selling yourself enough

TOP 5 REASONS FOR INTERVIEW FAILURES

Too much information (TMI) Verbatim answers from How to Interview

book Using money as reason for leaving a job or

wanting a new one Comments on controversial topic(s) Gossip Answers that sound pretentious or you

know it all

WHAT NOT TO SAY

Analysis process

Job search, application process, and

strategic opportunities

Networking opportunities with employers

Mock interviews

Negotiating strategies

THE OFFICE OF CAREER MANAGEMENT CAN HELP YOU!

CONTACT INFORMATION

Betsy Johnson, DirectorOffice of Career Management – Atlanta

(678) 547-6023Johnson_em@mercer.edu

12/5/12