The Journal of Science and Business Research

Know Yourself and Your Marketability…

A Networking Primer

Arthur R Smith, FHIMSS

Introduction

So is it time to brush off your resume and polish it off “just in case”? Companies keep merging and hospitals are changing owners or affiliations. In today’s fast paced world, RHIOs are being developed, EHR and Operability are hot topics, and CMS is pushing a national healthcare IT initiative. So is there such a thing as loyalty from your company or hospital? Probably not, as employers are continually changing and YOU CAN BE REPLACED, often with a less costly option. As a result, you need to keep job skills up to date and know your marketability. Test the waters within your comfort zone and always remember job requirements can surpass your technological skills, or philosophy changes within your organization, can make you past history!

The Need for Networking

Organizations are constantly changing and will continue to change, whether we recognize, resist or adapt to those changes. Again, keeping in touch with your peers, knowing what other organizations are doing, understanding your technical as well as leadership abilities, all can help you set goals for your career and potential job searches.

One goal should be “NETWORKING”. Networking is defined as “staying in touch by communicating with others”. So do you periodically talk with peers and maintain a group of people who you routinely stay in touch with professionally? That’s what networking is all about. Having a number of people to solicit and give advice, finding out what’s happening in the industry as well as being connected is not only wise but can also be fulfilling.

Networking takes time and should be scheduled in your weekly routine. It can be a quick call to a friend just to chat, a time to find out or verify information or simply relief from a stressful day. More importantly, keeping in touch makes connections easier when a favor is needed or insider knowledge of a situation could be helpful. Peers can share ideas and seek advice in a non-threatening way.

Peers can help you learn if your skill set and background are preparing you for future role. In today’s environment most people don’t plan their career, but float from one job to another.

As a recruiter I see it all the time and sad, but true, many folks just take a job to get away from one they dislike or have “seen the handwriting on the wall”. So who are your potential networking Friends? They aren’t just peers, but recruiters, multi-hospital organizations, community leaders, politicians and other people with influence as well as hospital association executives, trade association members, key vendors and other executives. At the senior level a statistic that keeps floating around is 70-80% of the good jobs aren’t advertised. Some of these are being filled by recruiters, but many are filled by who are known by the hiring individual or organization. People like to hire “known entities” and a recommendation from a peer who has direct knowledge of one’s abilities is powerful. There are numerous situations where a position is filled without ever being advertised except through a network of close associates. Being connected can give you that enormous edge in being that one person contacted! And finally…

Don’t forget the recruitment firms. Of course, jobs that are filled through search firms can include key recruiters outside the likes of Witt, Tyler, Heidrick Struggles, Korn Ferry etc (known along with some others as “the big boys”) who typically perform only retained searches. What about competent “contingency” recruiters. Many of those are small firms with 1-10 recruiters, who have their share of the good job searches.

A group of peers can be helpful in identifying key search firm contacts. These contacts referred from your circle of professional colleagues can be developed over time, but relationships offer other advantages. One such benefit is the ability to share openly and seek advice, including confidentially when needed. People feel important when they can provide insights and advice. Regardless, let’s review some insight into recruiters and why they can be your friends and an asset or perhaps, your worse nightmare.

First respect recruiters and always treat them kindly. Memories are long on rudeness, arrogance, cockiness or other negatives, and at some point, that particular recruiter may be the key to the perfect job, that is their job order to fill.

Second, trying to better position yourself by going around a recruiter directly to a potential employer not only is wrong, but can backfire. I have seen multi-hospital systems reject candidates, yet if they were correctly presented by a recruiter, that person at least gets reasonable review. On a retained search this can be even more so, as going around the recruiter can be deadly.

Thirdly, recruiters vary in style and support. Many will take time and listen, develop a rapport and treat you with respect. On the other extreme, there are those that just “throw resumes at the wall” (submitted without appropriate screening and knowledge). Not only are your chances slim, but you can harm your previous excellent job history, by letting just anybody represent you. Be careful when sending out resumes and remember senior level positions are not typically found on Monster.com, Careerbuilder.com etc!!

Finally, respect all people…superiors, subordinates, peers and others of influence as you never know who your next boss will be! Several times I have seen a subordinate later in their career, become a superior. Remember, taking time to help someone develop in their career is an investment in both their future as well as yours. However, networking is an ongoing process and takes concerted effort. Over time, lifelong bonds can be cultivated, but always leave room to add others to your network.

Conclusion

In conclusion, remember NETWORKING takes time, but returns tremendous dividends. Schedule time weekly with a goal of at least FIVE networking calls, and if you only accomplish 1-2, you will be staying in touch. You never know who might have that key information and you just might find yourself being a resource to others…knowledge is power!

References and Glossary

RHIO - Regional Health Information Organization. Many integrated healthcare markets now process data and maintain medical records on a multi-facility basis.

EHR - Electronic Health Record. Essentially, a computerized medical record, as opposed to a record that is paper-based. It is expected that healthcare, especially in the United States will move to EHR’s as a requirement, over the next decade or so.

CMS - Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The federal health care regulation agency in the United States of America.

Witt - http://www.wittkieffer.com/

Tyler - http://www.tylerandco.com/

Hedrick - http://www.heidrick.com/

Korn Ferry- http://www.kornferry.com/

About the Author

Arthur R Smith, FHIMSS is a former hospital CEO who now runs an executive search firm, HEMACS, Inc. based in the Kansas City area. He can be reached at 913 599-1326, hemacs@yahoo.com or www.hemacs.com. Arthur provides specific networking tips on a regular basis to health care executives in transition.

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