Sheila Rogers, Founder and CEO

Whether we like it or not, personal selling is important in any profession.  In HIT, we need to sell ideas and concepts, strategies and solutions.  Our “buyers” include bosses and co-workers.  Here are some personal selling tips that may help you today, or sometime in the near future:

1) Be sincere with people. People are smart and see right through insincerity. If you are not sincere and honest with everyone you meet then you should not be selling anything.

2) Sell what you believe in. If you do not have a passion what you are selling you will not be happy–or very successful.

3) It is vitally important to constantly hone your sales and communications skills. Continuous growth and training in formal professional selling techniques is also very important. Take training classes, listen to professional development audio podcasts and seminars, read all the professional development material you can get your hands on, and start a program of self-study and development in sales today if you haven’t already.

4) First listen to your “customer”, understand his or her wants and needs, and only then try to determine whether or not you can deliver the product or services to meet those wants and needs. If you approach a prospect with a solution before understanding the problem you are likely to be wrong about the solution.

5) The best sales people ask a lot of questions and genuinely listen to the answers before speaking again.  (This is probably the reason we have two ears and one mouth!)

6) Your “customers” are all different so you should treat them differently.

Remember, personal selling is a lot like a first impression…you only get one shot before an opinion is made.  So, put your best foot forward in selling yourself, the ideas you have and the solutions you can offer in HIT.  Good Luck!

-Sheila Rogers

Sheila Rogers is Founder and CEO of HIT Consulting Jobs.  She can be reached at 214-929-8959, or sheila@hitconsultingjobs.com.

<Cherie Lester with EngageMeHIT (www.engagemehit.blogspot.com) wrote this great blog — Thanks Cherie - Sheila>

Over the past 5 years I have spoken to hundreds of EMR Professionals that want to enter the world of the traveling consultant.  Most consultants in our industry will travel weekly on a Mon-Thurs or Sun-Thurs schedule with exceptions for longer stays on a client site or variable remote work. 

When discussing the nature of weekly travel to a “newbie” I have learned to play devil’s advocate.  The first person I ever interviewed when I entered into the HCIT Industry had never traveled before.  He assured me that he “LOVED” to travel and was totally “psyched” about the opportunity.  Six months into his engagement he called me to resign, said he couldn’t take the weekly travel any longer.

 Recently I discussed the riggers of weekly travel with some seasoned road warriors.  Below are results of the Q & A from those discussions:

What made you decide to start traveling for work? Most Frequent Responses:  Higher Income.  New Surroundings and co-workers with each new engagement. Enjoy travel & seeing new locations.

What was the hardest adjustment you had to make when you transitioned into traveling weekly for work? Most Frequent Responses: Being away from family(pets). Missing out on family or other functions (weekly bowling or child’s plays etc) and having to leave spouse to do all the work. Navigating the airports, luggage, flight delays, airport security etc.

What do you wish all consulting/staffing firms offered that would make your travel life easier for you?

This question received the most diverse answers, some of the most frequent responses were:  Corporate Credit Card for travel, better discounts on hotel, car, flights etc.  Occasionally paying for spouse to travel, like over the holiday work weeks etc., better assistance for new travelers, even something simple like a handbook with traveling suggestions.

What did you have to give up when you started traveling weekly?  The number one answer was time with family and friends, some other responses were: freedom to join sports leagues or meet friends for dinner once a week during the week, and for single folks: having a pet, being home during bad weather (someone had a water-main break in sub zero temps and didn’t realize until they got home days later) and being in one place so it’s easier to start a romantic relationship.

What did you gain from becoming a traveling consultant?  Some of the top answers for this question were:  better income, seeing out of town family & relatives more, greater independence, being able to travel to new places, less stress, meeting new people, and quiet time at the hotel in the evenings.

Here are a list of tips from the road warriors:

1.  Pack Light!  Learn to pack everything you need for the week into a carry-on bag.

2.  When traveling coast to coast, find extended stay hotels and if you travel home, leave most of your belongings at the hotel during your absence.

3.  You can bring your pet, just check for local pet friendly hotels.

4.  Always have an extra charger (computer, phone, iPod etc) handy.

5.  Make sure your ID, discount cards, credit cards etc are kept in the same place, are always handy and are in a front pocket for safe keeping.

6.  Keep a folder or file or zippered pouch for all your travel receipts so they’re easy to locate at the end of the week for the purpose of scanning and emailing or mailing to your employer. (if you’re 1099, for tax purposes)

7.  Set up a calendar alert to remind you to log your time & file your expense receipts each week.

8.  Know the name and number to your employers IT Helpdesk in case you have problems with your company issued lap top.

9. Whenever possible do not wear a belt, difficult to remove shoes, hair pins, excessive jewelry, etc so that you can move through airport security quickly.  Make sure your laptop is housed in a safe but easy to manipulate bag, keep your pockets empty etc.

10. If you are single and live alone, make sure you have a neighbor or relative that can check on your place of residence in your absence.

11.  Provide neighbors and relatives the name and number of your hotel, along with your cell phone so they can easily contact you in case of an emergency.

12.  Have the number of your direct boss, a company co-worker and your direct report at the client hospital programmed into your cell phone, that way if your flight is delayed you will be able to alert people of your delay.

Sheila Rogers, Founder and CEO

We all know that social and business media is exploding online.  The HIT industry is no exception.

I was at a seminar the other day, and the speaker used this simple example to explain social media:

• Twitter – I am eating a hamburger
• Facebook – I like hamburgers
• FourSquare – This is where I eat hamburgers
• Instagram – Here is a vintage picture of my hamburger
• YouTube – Here is a video of me eating my hamburger
• LinkedIn – My skills include eating hamburgers
• Pinterest – Here is a hamburger recipe
• LastFM – Now listening to hamburgers

A couple years ago, I knew very little about these tools.  Today, I am considered an “expert” by some.

I encourage you to get on the train!  Healthcare IT will continue to grow the use social media to inform, educate, motivate and recruit.

-Sheila Rogers

Sheila Rogers is Founder and CEO of HIT Consulting Jobs, and can be reached at 214-929-8959, or via email at sheila@hitconsultingjobs.com.

The Affordable Care Act is making prescription drug costs more affordable for those individuals with Medicare. A recent news release from HHS.gov reported that, within three years, more than 6.3 million people with Medicare saved over $6.1 billion on prescription drugs due to the new health care law.

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said, “By making prescription drugs more affordable, the Affordable Care Act is improving and promoting the best care for people with Medicare.”

The Affordable Care Act makes prescription drug costs more affordable by providing individuals with discounts at pharmacies and when ordering by mail. In 2010, the new law granted a $250 check to those who reached their point in coverage where they were required to pay out-of-pocket. The law will continue to provide savings until 2020 when the gap, referred to as the “donut hole,” will be closed.

This year, the discounts and savings increased to 52.5 percent of brand name prescriptions and 21 percent of generic drugs. As a result of the new law, seniors have saved over $6 billion on prescriptions drugs thus far.

Read more on HHS.gov.

<Ken Moore of The Resume Bridge wrote this great article for our blog.  Thanks, Ken! – Sheila>

Resume key words are the phrases in a resume that HR “screeners”, recruiters, hiring managers, and Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) look for, relative to a specific job opening.

If the resume does not have the right combination of key words, then it may never be seen by human eyes! This is the technology behind submitting your resume online.

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)
The ATS is a software system and a database holding resume information. It operates behind the commercial and corporate job boards to capture and store submitted resumes.

When a resume is submitted through a job board, the content is separated and placed into the ATS. The resume loses all of its formatting and becomes plain text within the database. This is why it’s best to use a plain text (ASCII) version of the resume when submitting through job boards, so it’s easier for the ATS to work with.

The employer signs-on to the ATS and performs key word searches. For the resume to reach human eyes, it must contain key words matching the search criteria. When there’s a decent match, the employer can choose to view the entire resume.

Why the Resume may be Ignored
Most ATS users are savvy enough to perform Boolean searches, meaning combining key words. If the employer wants someone with project management, technology, and quality assurance skills, it could use a search like this:

” ‘project management’ AND technology AND ‘quality assurance’ “

Only resumes that have all three exact search terms would be returned.

Using Resume Key Words
ATS systems are very smart. When doing a search, the resume key words must be used in the proper context or the ATS might ignore the resume. You must use key words throughout the resume, especially with a technical resume.

This is where creative writing, journalism style story structuring, and career history intersect to make a spectacular resume. Not only does the resume need to satisfy the ATS for key word searching, it also needs to satisfy the hiring manager when reading it for the actual career history and accomplishments.

The ATS process, which nearly every employer requires you to follow, is why I recommend also mailing a hard copy directly to the employer – and there are ways to make that process much easier.

Ken Moore is an internationally Certified IT Resume Specialist (CRS-IT) and Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) specializing in technical resume writing. He is a former technical recruiter and is nationally published. Visit his website, TheResumeBridge.com.

Renee Brannan

Whether you are new to the healthcare information technology industry or a seasoned consultant, use these sixteen steps for presenting your resume to healthcare IT recruiters to stand out in the crowd.

1. First and foremost, have your resume updated and prepared to submit to the recruiter. The competition
is fierce out there, so time is of the essence.

2. Include every aspect of your job duties including all vendor systems. This is not the time to be vague. Consider using bullet points. They’re clean, simple and direct. I seriously doubt the VP of applications at a major health system has time to search for information in your resume. Chances are, he or she has a great relationship with the consulting firm and trusts they are being presented with the right candidate. Make it easy for them to make that decision.

3. Outline your core strengths. Cater your resume towards the specific role for which you are applying.

4. Use key action words such as Built, Tested, Implemented, Supported, Led, etc. Include the specific vendor systems for these roles as well.

5. Be sure to include the month/year for each project/position. Not presenting this information makes you appear less credible.

6. Keep everything uniform – the basics of resume writing. Your resume style should be consistent.

7. Stick with the facts. It’s easier to explain why you don’t know the answer than why you misrepresented your expertise. Ask the recruiter to assist you.

8. Highlight any certifications and education. On the other hand, there is no need to send a soft copy of your certification to the recruiter. They will most likely verify this information via the internet or through a contact with the actual vendor.

9. Include your extended background IF it pertains to the industry. Two to three pages is great if this is necessary to highlight your experience. However, be careful not to go beyond this.

10. Remove any references on your resume, but have them prepared to send separately once there is a confirmed interest from both parties.

11. Prepare one to two letters of reference in soft copy format. Have these ready to send as well.

12. Proofread, Proofread, Proofread, then have someone else Proofread your resume. Let the resume showcase your skills not your grammatical errors. Oh, and please do not refer to yourself in third person.

13. Remember that the recruiter is not an HIT Consultant. Therefore, their technical skills are sometimes limited to searching for key words or specific details within a resume. Do not get offended when you are asked to expand on your experience or provide more detail. The recruiter may be searching for that key piece of information for which the client is seeking.

14. Be willing to reveal the other clients to which you have been submitted. Details are not necessary. This is to protect you from being submitted twice to the same client.

15. Keep track of where your resume has been submitted especially if you are working with multiple consulting firms.

16. Lastly, insist that the recruiter must have your verbal or written permission to submit your resume to clients.

-Renee Brannan
(written in collaboration with Romona Rivere, Sr. Healthcare IT Recruiter)

Renee is a Business Development Manager for HIT Consulting Jobs and can be reached at 214-412-8871 or renee@hitconsultingjobs.com.

Renee Brannan

If you’ve ever been to a HIMSS conference, you know that it’s an amazing opportunity gain to knowledge and insight into the Health IT Marketplace and network with other HIT professionals. Next week, HIMSS13 promises not to disappoint. The conference kicks off on Sunday, March 3, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. Keynote speakers will cover topics, such as Meaningful Use, Clinical and Business Intelligence, Mobile Health, Health Reform and many others. Most notably, President Bill Clinton and Eric J. Topol will speak on March 6^th and 5^th.

New offerings this year include the Meaningful Use Experience, which is an area on the exhibit floor to view and compare EHR solutions side-by-side. HIMSS13 Online will broadcast live 12 e-sessions, 10 simulcast sessions, interviews with top speakers and President Bill Clinton live. Also, The Patient Experience through HIT Forum will provide three new sessions focused on enhancing the patient experience.

If you’re looking to network, don’t miss the Opening Reception, among others, which is free to all registered conference attendees. HIMSS13 is your opportunity to gain perceptive from your peers and share some valuable knowledge. Also, if you like to stay connected online, you can follow the conference on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.   

For the complete brochure on HIMSS13, click here

Sheila Rogers, Founder and CEO

I was talking with a recruiter friend of mine the other day, someone I have worked closely with in the past, and he shared his “recruiting secret” with me.

With the hectic pace of technology change in healthcare, consultants and candidates are busier than ever.  Connecting on the phone is a challenge for some; time zones may be different, work schedules may be erratic, and bosses may be difficult.  The secret weapon used by recruiters and hiring managers today is the text message.

Text messages work because they are immediate and conversational.  If the recruiter or hiring manager has a specific question about your skillset, he or she can simply text message you with the question.  If you are available, you can answer immediately.  If you’re not, you answer when you can.

Also, text messages are proprietary to your phone – no one else will know you are conversing with a recruiter/hiring manager, so you can feel secure with your communications.

I think text messages are a great way to find your next assignment.  My recruiter friend thinks so also.

-Sheila Rogers

Sheila Rogers is Founder and CEO of HIT Perm Jobs.  You can reach her at 214-929-8959, or via email at sheila@hitpremjobs.com.

We all know that healthcare is a unique marketplace.  With many large provider and payer institutions tied to religious or government entities, and the absolute need for security and privacy in HIT, one of the ways Human Resource professionals and Hiring Managers are weeding out candidates is Google.

Everything you do online, from LinkedIn to Facebook to Twitter, to blogging and comments is Google history.  This can easily be accessed by typing your name into Google’s search engine.  Hit “enter” and see how others see you. (Sometimes this may require a location or other variable if you have a common name.)

Hopefully, when you Google yourself, you like what you see.  But, you may find edgier tidbits of online content: that blog comment you were brave enough to attach your name and email to; the letter to the editor you wrote in the local newspaper; or, maybe that tipsy tweet you sent last weekend!

Face your ego and take the time to Google yourself.  Decide then if your online brand reflects what you want it to, or reflects the image of the person you would hire if in that position.  Just as it is your responsibility to maintain your LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter image, it is also your responsibility to consider your Google image.

If you are satisfied with how you are being portrayed, congratulations, the Internet is working for you and your job search.

If not, fix it.  We can help.

-Sheila Rogers

Sheila Rogers is Founder and CEO.  She can be reached at 214-929-8959.

Sheila Rogers, Founder and CEO

We are very proud to have the network we have in HIT.  In the past year and a half, we have grown faster than I ever imagined; I am humbled by the confidence the HIT market has shown in us, and can’t thank you all enough.

Over 20,000 HIT professionals follow us, like us, and read our weekly newsletter.  If you haven’t yet, you can get to know us by:

Commenting on our blogs

Connecting with us on LinkedIn

Following us on Twitter

Liking us on Facebook

Watching us on YouTube

And, of course, posting your resume/profile on our website.

I hope you will take the time to do so…I promise you we will continue to work hard for you.

Thank you for helping us be the best we can be!

-Sheila Rogers

Sheila is Founder and CEO of HIT Perm Jobs.  She can be reached at 214-929-8959, or via email at Sheila@hitpermjobs.com.