What Managers Want in Applicants
For most of its 65+ year history, the respiratory care profession was plagued with a perpetual shortage of qualified practitioners. New grads often had their choice of four or five different jobs. More seasoned therapists found opportunities for advancement easy to come by. Department managers struggled to fill their open positions.
While the demand for therapists remains strong in some areas of the country, in others those days are long gone. How do RT managers handle the multiple applications they’re now getting for every open slot, and what advice do they have for those seeking those hard to come by positions? Three AARC members share their perspectives.
Careful consideration for all
Tina Dean-Everett, RRT, cardiopulmonary care director at Highlands Medical Center in Scottsboro, AL, probably falls near the lower end of the tightened job market, with as many as ten applications for one open spot over the past couple of years. “I look at every one of them, no matter how many I get, because I don’t want to overlook the right one,” she says. Topping her list of must-haves are signs of ambition to go above and beyond for the department, additional education, and worthwhile outside interests.
The employment record is important too. “I always look for any lapse in employment; that is always a bad sign for me. Never go without a job,” says the manager. “I’m looking for signs of contentment and loyalty. I hate turnovers.” Ill-prepared resumes are a big turn off as well, particularly if they are riddled with misspelled words.
Since September John Campbell, MA, MBA, RRT-NPS, RPFT, FACHE, director of respiratory care at St. Mary Medical Center in Langhorne, PA, has gotten 16, 18, and 19 applications, respectively, for three open pool positions. “Plus I have had individuals call with inquiries and drop by the department without an appointment,” he says. ”A good number of these individuals are new graduates, or at least fairly new in the field, and are trying to get a foothold, hoping for an eventual part time or full time position.”
Campbell concentrates on the applicant’s experience, education, credentials, resume, gaps in employment, and application omissions. Those with a BA/BS, RRT, and relevant work experience move to the top of his list. Pet peeves include leaving out important details, such as RT credentials, along with gaps in employment and grammatical errors.
Jack Fried, MA, RRT, director of respiratory care and neurodiagnostic services at St. Mark’s Hospital in Salt Lake City, UT, is in one of the tightest markets in the country, so much so that he isn’t even sure how many applications he’s received for one open position lately. “I stopped counting after the first 100,” says the manager. With so many to consider, he’s enlisted his staff to cull through the possibilities and help him come up with a short list to interview.
“I turn to my staff for advice, and it has worked very well,” says Fried. For student applicants, he asks staff to determine which ones best meet the department’s needs clinically and in terms of work ethic. He will seek advice from RTs at other hospitals as well, for experienced applicants.
Expert advice
These managers offer this advice to therapists applying for RT positions in tight job markets like theirs —
Jack Fried: My advice to students is to treat each clinical rotation and each encounter with practicing therapists as a job interview. Most of the students I’ve called for interviews were hired before they walked in the door, even though they didn’t know it. The same applies to applicants recommended by other staff members, and that includes a few recommended by nurses and physicians. Credible references trump my impression in an interview. Reputation is everything.
John Campbell: Less experienced individuals should include employment pre-graduation. Many times applicants have customer relations experience from jobs before or during school that may be of benefit to a health care employer. A current resume can make an applicant stand out because a number of applicants do not take the time to make a resume, and also a resume allows one to insert information into the process that may not be picked up with an application alone. When all else fails, job applicants need to consider moving to areas with openings; this does not fit everyone’s situation but it can be a way for individuals entering the field to get experience and be more marketable for the future.
Tina Dean-Everett: I know that we, as employers, need some leaders and some followers, so a lot depends on what I am looking for. Right now I focus on experience and motivation, so anything that will indicate some drive will help. I notice a lot of change in outlook in the younger generation. Their work ethic is not the same as mine. They expect more than they are willing to give. I want to see someone that likes taking care of patients, and is not just about getting paid. Even an applicant that has just graduated can hopefully find some things they can put on a resume that shows some initiative to better themselves for the sake of helping others. Volunteer work of some sort will help.
