Should You Include Social Media Contact Info in Your Resume?

by Alex A. Kecskes

You’ve been out of work for a while and you’re applying for that dream job in healthcare. The job has cushy perks, a big salary and a rep for treating its employees like heroes. Trouble is, yours won’t be the only resume on the HR manager’s desk. Chances are, it will be covered with candidate's resumes, possibly more qualified that you.

The good news is you meet the job requirements and you’ve been busy building a social media presence. You’ve kept in touch with peers and healthcare industry organizations and you’re wondering if it might help to include contact info about your social media exploits. After all, who isn’t on Facebook, twitter and the dozens of semi-professional social media sites out there these days? There’s also your personal website. Should you steer a prospective employer to it in hopes of gaining a leg up?

It depends. If, for example, the position deals with patients in an educational format, you might want to include professional Facebook and Twitter pages on your resume. The average person spends a considerable amount of time “connecting and learning” on social media; so showing that you’re social media savvy might help.

On the other hand, if your Facebook and Twitter pages are loaded with personal vacation photos and more intimate information, you might want to include only professional networking pages like LinkedIn. Many employers nowadays will “Google” applicants to see if their personality is a good fit. So before you send out your resume, edit your social media and web pages to make sure they are “presentable.”

For an added perspective, check out this video:

If you have any thoughts or suggestions about using social media on resumes, feel free to share them in the comments section.

Alex A. Kecskes has written hundreds of published articles on health/fitness, "green" issues, TV/film entertainment, restaurant reviews and many other topics. As a former Andy/Belding/One Show ad agency copywriter, he also writes web content, ads, brochures, sales letters, mailers and scripts for national B2B and B2C clients. Please see more of his blogs and view additional job postings on Beyond.com.

Is college worth it?

Once we have passed a certain point in our lives, a little reflection on the past becomes natural. When the sailing becomes rough, the tendency to ask What if...? becomes strong as well.

So it shouldn't have surprised me when a friend half my age asked me as we headed back to our Northeast Philly homes late one night, "If you could do college over again, would you?"

Actually, my friend had a good reason for asking that question, for he was about to do just that.

My friend is a late twentysomething who got into a top-drawer university after graduating high school. He never completed his studies because he found his major did not sync with his interests and because he found work that paid handsomely without a bachelor's degree.

Some years later, he decided to leave the corporate life in order to pursue his art. His talent is immense, and his poetry alternately profound and witty, but it hasn't put much bread on the table. So now that economic reality has bit, he is reassessing what he can do going forward to cease being broke all the time.

Finishing that degree is one of the options he is weighing, hence the question.

I told him, "Absolutely! But I would do some things differently this time around."

While I think that we value brainwork too much and manual work not enough, there is no denying that getting a college degree is the best thing one can do for one's career, and getting an advanced degree is even better. Bachelor's degree holders earn on average nearly double what high school graduates earn, and advanced degree holders earn three times as much.

Moreover, thanks to the spread of continuing education programs, it is now never too late to start college, or even start over. For instance, my friend will likely pursue a different major than the one he chose the first time around once he returns to school. Many colleges and universities offer programs that working adults, or adults looking for work, can take on their own schedules, and distance learning programs let them pursue their degrees from the comfort of home, while on the road, or wherever they may be.

What I would do differently were I to do college over is pay much closer attention to the college-career link. Forging that link involves more than choice of major: at the undergraduate level, it also involves things like participating in certain extracurricular activities. Adult learners can mirror that behavior by tending diligently to professional networking opportunities with both fellow students and contacts "off campus."

Going back to school, or going for the first time, can also help keep job seekers focused and disciplined, which helps with staying on the path of the seeker. So maybe that What if...? question might not be just idle speculation - it could be the jumping off point for a successful second act in one's life. If you are thinking about starting over with a new career, you might want to start by exploring the educational options on PhillyJobs.com.

By Sandy Smith

Sandy Smith is a veteran freelance writer, editor and public relations professional who lives in Philadelphia. Besides blogging for PhillyJobs.com, he has written for numerous publications and websites, would be happy to do your resume, and is himself actively seeking career opportunities on Beyond.com. Check out his LinkedIn profile and read his other posts on PhillyJobsBlog.com.

The 4 Most Common Personal Branding Mistakes

Are you making any of these personal branding mistakes?

The term personal brand is one that has been used almost everywhere. Especially if you have been looking for a job, I'm sure that you have seen it before (maybe even on this site). The problem is that many people still aren't sure what exactly it is and how to use it to make yourself more attractive to employers. Since this is every job seekers goal, if you haven't given much thought to your personal brand, maybe it's time to look into it.

So, what is a personal brand anyway?

In our highly connected world, people can find out all sorts of information about you simply by doing a web search. Because it's so easy, employers will often Google a candidate prior to the interview. They want to get a general idea about who the person is and what they are all about. If you haven't shaped your brand, it's very likely that the employer will only get bits and pieces of information about you and may draw a wrong or incomplete conclusion about who you are. Since you can be certain that they will look, you can make sure that instead of seeing random information about you, they find a well thought out picture of you at your best. This is where a personal brand comes in. Your brand is the image that you present. It includes your online presence, your resume, cover letter and you as an employee. In a nutshell, it is your professional image across many platforms.

What are the most common mistake people make when branding themselves?

Branding yourself isn't difficult, but there are still a few mistakes that I see people making every day. Whether you already have a brand or are just creating yours, make sure that you aren't making any of these:

• Decide what you want and stick with it - If your brand keeps changing focus, it can present the wrong image entirely. You can't brand yourself as an excellent Healthcare administrator on one site and as a motivated sales person on another. When you have two different images, no one believes either of them. If both things are true, then maybe your brand should be that you are a professional who strives for success in every area of your life. This way, you are still presenting a clear, consistent image while still persuing the types of jobs you want.

• Have a focus - If you think about it hard enough, you can find what your area of expertise is. Everyone has one. Think about the areas of your job that you are best at, the ones that you are most passionate about and the things that make you different from everyone else in your position. There are thousands of medical assistants in the world, so instead, you could be a pediatric medical assistant who cares about making even the youngest patients feel at ease, or a medical assistant that is committed to treating senior patients with respect. Whatever it is, narrow down your focus to what makes you unique.

• Show your benefit - When you are creating a brand, it's important to focus on what you can offer an employer. Look at some of the most successful brands today and pay attention to what they do that works for them. Nike, for example, doesn't run advertisement telling you how great thier shoes are and their slogan isn't "Our shoes are the best". Instead, they show how you can live a lifestyle by wearing their shoes. Most of the time, the ads for the shoes just show someone participating in a sport and their slogan is "Just Do It". People respond to the image because they instantly understand that the shoes can help you be someone who plays sports and lives that lifestyle. That is what people are buying. They could get running shoes anywhere.

• Be original - When you get started creating your brand, you want to stand out. In order to do so, you have to think about what makes you different. Add parts of your personailty, your hobbies or anything that makes you stand out. Remember that your brand represents you as a person just as much as it does you as a professional. Make it original.

Developing a personal brand takes some time and a whole lot of thought. The payoff, however, is worth it and it's the best things you can do to make yourself stand out from the other applicants.

Do you have a personal brand? What do you think are the most important points of branding? Please share your thoughts and suggestions in the comments.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for HealthcareJobsiteBlog. Along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.

Related articles

• 5 Surefire Ways To Lose Your Job (healthcarejobsiteblog.com)
• HIV and the Workplace - Do You Have To Tell? (healthcarejobsiteblog.com)

Public Libraries Are Still Vital For Millions of Job Seekers

Image via Wikipedia

Have you used the resources at your local Public Library?

Do you support your local public library? For the luckiest of job seekers, having a computer and internet access at home is taken for granted and used as a vital tool for the job search. Others, however, don't have those luxuries. Expecially people who have been out of work for a long time and found it impossible to keep paying monthly for these services.

For people who have lost their homes or apartments and are staying with friends and family, being able to get online and look for work is much more of a challenge. For them, the public libraries are a valuable resource. Across the country, most public libraries offer Wi-Fi access and computers that anyone with a library card can use. Although they may only be able to use a computer for an hour or two at a time, just being able to connect to the internet and look for a job can be a lifeline to improving their situation.

I've heard people joking around on many occasions about how the only people who use libraries anymore are just the homeless and seniors who have nothing better to do. This isn't true at all. There was a time in life, a couple of years ago, when I was out of work and had just moved to a new area. My laptop had been stolen and I was living with friends while I found a job. I was willing to take any job I could find, but when I went to local resturants to apply, I was told that I had to submit my application online. Without a computer, there wasn't really any way to accomplish that seemingly simple task.

Enter my local public library. They let me use a computer and internet access. I was plesantly surprised to discover that not only did they have those resources to lend, they also had tons of books about resume writing, networking, cover letters and more. After I was done using the computers, I could borrow a couple of books to take home to keep refining my job search skills. In addition, they had CDs and plently of movies and TV shows on DVD available for loan as well.

Not only did they provide the services I needed to find a new job, they helped keep me sane during the tough time I was going through. Sitting in the house, looking at the classifieds in the newspaper and growing steadily more depressed wasn't getting me anywhere. Instead, I was able to go somewhere each day and I started to feel a semblance of normalacy in having a routine.

These days, public libraries are being used more than ever. Some people use them as a way to check out movies without having to pay for rentals or streaming video services. Others use them to borrow e-books rather than buying them. Many parents with young children take advantage of the childrens' programs and activities in order to spend time with their families without having to spend a lot of money.

According to a recent report from Fast Company, 88% of libraries offer internet access and 75% of them have staff available to help people fill out job applications. Many of them have access to the most current government job listings and they partner with other governement agencies to help provide other services as well.

It's clear that the public library system is still relevant in today's world. This is a notion that local and federal governments seem to have forgotten. In fact, 60% of libraries are reporting budget decreases. Many libraries are being forced to close branches and slash their operating hours. As the unemployment rates continue to be high, what will job seekers do when they aren't able to find a place that offers these resources for free?

If you are out of work and struggling to find resources, and even if you are one of the lucky ones who has access to all of the tools you need, consider supporting your local library with your patronage. As a bonus, there are probably many volunteer opportunities that can give you something to do while you are looking for a job.

If you haven't been to a library in years, make it a point to stop in for a visit.

Do you use the library on a regular basis? If not, why? If so, what do you think the library offers that is the most helpful to you? Let me know in the comments.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for PhillyJobsBlog, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.

HIV and the Workplace - Do You Have To Tell?

Should you keep information about HIV a secret from your boss?

Preventing the spread of deadly diseases is always a huge concern for any employer, but in the healthcare industry, it is doubly so.

One of the biggest infectious diseases today is HIV. It is a concern for all medical professionals, but for those who are HIV positive themselves, it can be an even larger dilemma.

With appropriate medical care, people who are diagnosed with HIV can live a full life and still be very productive members of society and the workforce. Because of the many medical breakthroughs, it is more common for people infected with the disease to continue to work at their jobs without much disruption.

When the epidemic was still new, most people who found out that they were infected didn't receive the diagnosis until the disease was already in the late stages and they had begun developing symptoms. Because early testing and medication weren't available, they typically weren't able to return to work and those who were, weren't able to hide their condition due to their frequent struggles with complications as the disease progressed.

Luckily, early detection and medication can manage the disease and keep symptoms to a minimium. In addition, the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS released a report that states that the majority of people living with HIV are between the ages of 15 and 49. These are the prime working years of their lives.

People who have been diagnosed with HIV are not required to inform their employer. Although there are times when sharing the information is valuable, for example, when they need time off to deal with their illness or they need their boss to make certain accommodations.

If they choose to reveal their illness at work, they run the risk of being stigmatized and discriminated against. Although they are given protection under the Amercians With Disabilities Act, this only gives them legal protection against being fired for having the disease. It doesn't do anything to combat the prejudices that they may face from their co-workers and others.

Even though HIV and AIDS awareness have made great strides in educating people about the disease and fighting the ostracizing of people living with the illness, there are still people who would be uncomfortable working with someone they know is infected. This is especially true in a medical setting.

All employees should support a healthy and open work environment for everyone. There are still many companies that don't educate their managers on how to prevent discrimination and how to cope with it when they become aware of it.

The prejudices against people with HIV still persist and even those who work in Human Resources think that they ought to be able to share this type of information out of the concern for the health of all of their employees. Still, the truth is that HIV isn't spread through casual contact and unless the sharing of bodily fluids is a normal part of a workday, there isn't much risk of infecting others.

The choice to disclose this information is a deeply personal one, and most HIV activists recommend that if someone is considering making their diagnosis public, that they contact a legal advocate first. Knowing your rights and getting the necessary information in order to prevent discriminator behavior is important.

If you, or someone you know, is living with HIV and concerned about the effects of their diagnosis becoming public, please visit The Well Project for guidance and support.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for HealthcareJobsiteBlog. Along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.

Are employers headed back to the city too?

For those of you who aren't Census junkies or who are dyed-in-the-wool Negadelphians - locals who just cannot find anything nice to say about the City of Brotherly Love - it might come as a surprise to you to hear that Center City Philadelphia is on a roll.

The total population of the city rose modestly from 2000 to 2010, ending a five-decade-long slide and bringing some joy to the hearts of local boosters. But the source of that modest gain was far more localized: the gain was the result of immigrants from abroad settling mainly in the Northeast and twenty- and thirtysomethings* flocking mainly to Center City and areas immediately adjacent. Similar migrations have either rejeuvenated or strengthened residential downtowns in other large cities across the country.

Now comes news from some of those other large cities that the employers may be following in their wake.

A recent report from Chicago on "NPR's Marketplace Morning Report" noted that a number of large companies were abandoning their suburban headquarters for in-city digs. The report specifically mentioned three firms: United Airlines, which will move from the O'Hare Airport area into the Loop; UBS, the Swiss global bank that plans to abandon its corporate campus in Stamford, Conn., reportedly for the bright lights of the Big Apple, and Sears Holdings, which, if the State of Michigan gets its way, will leave the Chicago suburb of Hoffman Estates for the gritty Motor City.

One of the big reasons given for these back-to-the-city moves: They will help the companies in question attract promising younger talent, who seem to be increasingly drawn to the excitment and energy of the urban core.

Given that, it would seem to be only a matter of time before news breaks that a major Philadelphia-area company will move hundreds of local jobs, or more, from some bosky suburb to somewhere within spitting distance of Broad and Market. There is certainly at least one local developer who would love to lure a Vanguard Group, or a McNeil-PPC, or better still, an employer based outside the region, into the city so he can give the Comcast Center a bigger neighbor. There are certainly lots more younger workers now who would be glad to work for such a firm. Some of them may even be reverse commuting to their workplaces now and would gladly trade their train rides or Schuylkill traffic jams for a walk.

Does this describe you? And if you are currently seeking employment in the Philadelphia region, would you prefer to work in the city or the suburbs if you had your druthers, and why? Share your thoughts in the comments - and, if you feel like it, let me know whether you are one of those twenty- and thirtysomethings or someone past that point - say, a Boomer like me.

*Readers of a certain age might remember the late 1980s TV series that introduced the term "thirtysomething" into the language. You might say the series, which was set in Philadelphia, was ahead of the curve in portraying the city as hip, cool, and appealing to young adults.

By Sandy Smith

Sandy Smith is a veteran freelance writer, editor and public relations professional who lives in Philadelphia. Besides blogging for PhillyJobs.com, he has written for numerous publications and websites, would be happy to do your resume, and is himself actively seeking career opportunities on Beyond.com. Check out his LinkedIn profile and read his other posts on PhillyJobsBlog.com.

Job Tips for Out-of-Work Healthcare Workers

by Alex A. Kecskes

If you’ve been laid off and are actively looking for a job in the healthcare field, take heart. According to a report by the PwC Health Research Institute, healthcare is poised to become 20 percent of the nation's Gross Domestic Product by 2019. What’s more, over three-fourths of Fortune 50 Companies are actively in healthcare or have a healthcare division.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the healthcare industry added 13,500 jobs in June. These were mostly in ambulatory care; but over 5,000 new jobs were added for healthcare workers in physicians' offices. A total of 5,300 new jobs opened up in home healthcare. In total, ambulatory care added about 16,500 jobs.

Another thing to keep in mind is that while the nation's unemployment rate was stubbornly stuck at 9.2 percent at the end of June, the unemployment rate in healthcare was just 5.8 percent.

So as discouraged as you may be in trying to find a job week after week, there is hope. You simply have to be persistent in your job search efforts. And you have to be willing to continually learn what the industry wants, for the industry is constantly changing. New procedures, best practices and technology are always being evaluated and upgraded.

If you’ve been out of work for some time, you should consider taking classes to brush up on your skills, as well as the latest procedures and technology. You can also learn by volunteering part time at a hospital or healthcare facility. Doing this will bring you “up to speed” on the latest procedures and practices in the healthcare industry. And you'll make valuable contacts that could lead to full-time employment.

For an added perspective, check out this video:

If you have any thoughts or suggestions on helping out-of-work healthcare workers, feel free to share them in the comments section.

Alex A. Kecskes has written hundreds of published articles on health/fitness, "green" issues, TV/film entertainment, restaurant reviews and many other topics. As a former Andy/Belding/One Show ad agency copywriter, he also writes web content, ads, brochures, sales letters, mailers and scripts for national B2B and B2C clients. Please see more of his blogs and view additional job postings on Beyond.com.

When Your College Degree Isn't Helping You Get The Job You Want

What to do when your degree isn't related to the career you want.

It happens to the best of us. When you graduate from high school and head off to college, you may not be really sure what you want to be when you grow up. Academic advisers are great, but they often neglect to mention that a degree in Philosophy or History might not offer a great deal of career options. While there are many exceptions to this, it's very possible that once you start looking for a career, you'll find that you are interested in careers that are completely unrelated to your degree.

So how can you make the transition?

The truth is, having a degree is probably more important than what your major was. Most college students have to take the same mandatory classes, so it isn't an insurmountable problem. During the course of your college years, you have probably learned the most important skills that employers look for. Knowing how to manage your time, how to get along with others and work in a team, for example, will serve you well in any career field.

If you want to make the transition from a degree in English to a career in Business, here are some things that can make you more attractive to employers and make the switch easier:

• Your degree isn't as important as you think – If your degree is in an unrelated field, there are other ways to get some hands on experience. Internships and classes are both great options for learning more about a career field you are interested in. Most of the time, employers are willing to trade experience for enthusiasm. The main thing is to get a little bit of experience and share your reasons for wanting to change careers and your passion for an industry with a prospective employer.
  
  
• Network with people who are working in your desired field – Just getting to know people who are working in the job you want can give you a great starting point for finding out how to make the switch. You might find that what you think you need and what you actually need to do are completely different things. These people can give you advice on what to do to achieve your goal and can even help open a few doors.
  
  
• Look for volunteer opportunities – When you are considering a new career field, there may be volunteer opportunities where you can get some real world experience. The bonus here is that you can find out first hand if this is the type of work you really want to do.
  
  
• Don't abandon your hobbies – The problem with being too focused on your degree is that you can lose sight of the things that you really enjoy. Maybe you have a degree in History but have a passion for gardening. Work on your hobby and learn as much as you can, and it will feel natural to make the transition to a career in horticulture.
  
  
• Consider creating a blog – If there is a certain industry that you are passionate about, create a blog about it. This will give you the chance to learn more and get more involved with the industry and it can set you apart from other applicants as well. Industry specific blogs are a great way to become an expert in a particular field, plus there are many ways to get a free blog.

Transitioning to a new career field might take a lot of work and some time, but it isn't as impossible as you might think. Many people have found themselves with a degree that doesn't help them get the job they want. If you look for creative solutions and are passionate about your desired career field, your degree doesn't have to hold you back.

Have you ever transitioned to a new career? What advice or tips do you have? I would love to hear your suggestions in the comments.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for PhillyJobsBlog, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.

5 Surefire Ways To Lose Your Job

Want to get fired? Here are 5 ways to do it.

So, you want to get fired? Maybe the job is too hard, it's boring or do you just feel like your job is sucking out your soul? Perhaps you want to cash in on those lucrative unemployment benefits? If so, you've found the right article.

The truth is, no one really wants to lose their jobs, especially in this tough job market. Many people who are out of work have been discovering that finding a new one isn't as quick or as easy as they had thought. If you are having trouble at work and find any of these things to be true about your performance, you might want to take some steps to correct them in order to not find yourself out of work.

Here are 5 Surefire Ways to Lose Your Job:

1. Calling in sick too often – Everyone gets sick from time to time and when that happens, you need to take a day or two to get better and prevent spreading your illness around the office. However, if you are calling in too often or always on Fridays and Mondays, you might end up without a job faster than you think. Employers need to have people they can depend on to do the work. If you have an attendance problem, you should try to find solutions so that you can be at work when you are needed.
   
   
2. Neglect personal hygiene – No one likes to work with people who are unkempt or just plain smell bad. If you come to work rumpled up and reeking of booze or just don't like to shower, you will probably have a tough time keeping a job. Especially in careers in the healthcare industry where you have to work with patients, being sloppy or having unappealing odors will cause your clients to run for the door.
   
   
3. Be a wallflower – If you don't interact with others or let your boss see your accomplishments, no one will know what you do or how you contribute to the office. Networking is important in any field, and it is important to adapt to the corporate culture and get involved with the team. People who don't like to be team players frequently find themselves looking for new jobs.
   
   
4. Be a complainer, a gossip or just hang out with them – Even if you aren't a gossip yourself, spending all of your time with the office gossip or the complainers will have you marked as such. Which is all good, if you are looking to be replaced. However, if you are trying to succeed at your job, you should try to network with co-workers who are achievers. Although you can be marked guilty by association with negative people, the opposite is true. If you spend your time with over achievers, you will be considered one too.
   
   
5. Never take responsibility – Always make an excuse as to why something went wrong and how a mistake happened. Admitting your mistake, learning from it and moving on is what people do when they actually want to keep their jobs. If you are looking for a way out, just blame everyone else in the office when things go wrong.

What other things can you do to lose your job? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for HealthcareJobsiteBlog. Along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.

A healthy commitment to diversity

We have noted in past posts on this blog how companies that commit themselves to building and supporting diversity in their workforce reap real rewards in the competitive marketplace. Such companies also often rate highly as great places to work, for along with a commitment to diversity comes a commitment to support every employee as a distinct individual with unique needs and concerns.

So maybe it should come as no surprise that six of the companies on DiversityInc's first-ever Top 10 Regional Companies list are health insurers, including Philadelphia-based Independence Blue Cross and Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.

Why no surprise? Because health care is a business that calls for understanding the needs and concerns of individuals from all walks of life. While health insurers are often a target for popular ire, they must deal with people with a wide variety of conditions, health issues, and care requirements, including diseases like sickle cell anemia that strike specific populations. For a well run health insurer, having a diverse workforce that is familiar with those various issues is a business necessity.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in particular take great pains to involve themselves deeply in their communities because of their heritage as not-for-profit alliances of hospitals and doctors formed to give patients low-cost protection in case of illness or hospitalization. While some have become for-profit companies, many, including Independence Blue Cross, remain non-profit organizations committed to their social missions. Both of the regional Blues on this list offer special plans for low-income families and partner with government and charitable organizations to extend coverage to the poor and uninsured. (All six of the health insurers on the DiversityInc list are Blue Cross Blue Shield Association members.)

The value these organizations showcase is the importance of community. There was a time when even large companies had roots in a particular place and invested themselves in their communities success. That is less the case today, but when it comes to the local Blues, that spirit lives on in workforces, programs and partnerships that reflect the makeup of the communities they serve.

Are you part of the Blue? Let me know in the comments.

By Sandy Smith

Sandy Smith is a veteran freelance writer, editor and public relations professional who lives in Philadelphia. Besides blogging for PhillyJobs.com, he has written for numerous publications and websites, would be happy to do your resume, and is himself actively seeking career opportunities on Beyond.com. Check out his LinkedIn profile and read his other posts on PhillyJobsBlog.com.

Medical Assistant Field Becoming Increasingly Crowded

by Alex A. Kecskes

If you’re thinking of switching careers to what many regard as an up-and-coming field--healthcare administration--be prepared for a lot of hard studying and lots of competition. For example, if you’re planning on becoming a medical assistant, you’ll need to finish at least two years of schooling. Then the real work begins.

Yes, the healthcare field is growing, but as you may find when you start taking classes in medical insurance, billing and transcription, the field is fast becoming very crowded with former engineers, airline employees, even job recruiters and other out-of-work professionals.

Of late, many of these people have decided they want to get into the administrative side of healthcare. In particular, medical coding, which is a system used to bill insurance companies. The reason so many are going into coding is higher salaries—something they’re used to. Using the right codes means the doctor or hospital will get paid enough to cover their services. Doctors, clinics, hospitals all know that a proficient medical coder can boost revenue for their office.

Another thing that may surprise you is that in today’s youth-obsessed job market, the medical profession is one of the few fields that actually prefer older people. Even so, the competition is fierce. One former professional who recently applied for a job as an admin assistant in a small medical office got a rejection letter and later discovered that more than 75 people had responded to the doctor's ad--in the first 48 hours. The bottom line: after spending two years retraining for a new career in healthcare, you’ll have to pull out all the stops to set yourself apart from the pack.

Alex A. Kecskes has written hundreds of published articles on health/fitness, "green" issues, TV/film entertainment, restaurant reviews and many other topics. As a former Andy/Belding/One Show ad agency copywriter, he also writes web content, ads, brochures, sales letters, mailers and scripts for national B2B and B2C clients. Please see more of his blogs and view additional job postings on Beyond.com.

4 Myths About Men And Women In The Workplace

As the workplace is changing, take a look at myths that still exist.

The face of the traditional workplace is changing and with it comes a new breed of employees who are telecommuting, using flex time, working from home or working freelance. As the stereotype of the average employee continues to change, there are still many myths about who these workers are that are alive and well.

Along with the changing needs of businesses and employees alike, the traditional gender roles of men and women are also being challenged. In the face of these changes, employers are having to rise to the challenge and change their ideas about what their employees need.

Here are 4 myths about both male and female employees that just aren't true:

1. Men are more work-oriented and success driven – The old belief was that male employees are more driven to succeed while women put their careers on the back burner and keep their primary focus on family. This may have been true decades ago, but many women are as career driven as their male counterparts. It is becoming more common for women to be the primary breadwinners for their family and more and more men are opting to work part time or be stay at home dads.
   
   
2. Women struggle the most with managing family needs – These days both men and women are struggling to find work-life balance. Most families aren't able to have one parent be responsible for the majority of the family needs. While women tend to be more concerned with dealing with illness and appointments, men are also struggling to attend little league games and parent-teacher conferences.
   
   
3. Single employees are more focused on their careers – This is a myth that never seems to go away. The idea is that employees without family obligations are more dedicated to their careers than those who are married or have families. This couldn't be further from the truth. Even single people struggle to meet their personal commitments. In addition, they don't have obligations that keep them in jobs that aren't rewarding. The major problems that cause employees to lose focus have more to do with not feeling challenged, motivated or rewarded than family obligations.
   
   
4. Management is committed to helping employees meet their family commitments – Just because a company offers flex time or other options to help employees find a good work-life balance doesn't mean that management supports these programs. Often it seems that employees who use these options become stigmatized or begin to be left out of the loop. When companies offer these programs, they need to get the support of management at all levels.

The workplace is changing and so is the role of men and women, both at home and at the office. In order to maintain high performing employees, companies need to take a look at the assumptions they are making about what their employees need. When companies can work with their staff in order to help them find the balance they need in order to do their best work, everyone wins.

What does your company do or not do to help employees with work-life balance? Let me know in the comments.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for PhillyJobsBlog, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.

How To Cope When Bad Things Happen

How to be productive, even when bad things happen.

Even for the most productive of the over-achievers, there will be times when bad things happen and you feel as though you just aren't able to accomplish even the simplest of tasks. It can be something as big as losing a job and mounting a long job search and the self-esteem hit that goes along with it, or it can be something as small as an argument with a co-worker.

Whatever is causing you to feel overwhelmed and less productive doesn't actually matter. What matters is how you cope with the feelings. Once you are in the dumps, each thing that slows you down or isn't just right piles on top of the mountain of frustration. When the pile reaches crucial mass, you can have a meltdown, lash out at others or just slip into a negative mindset. If you don't do anything to solve the problem, it can build and build until it becomes next to impossible to regain your sense of effectiveness and productivity.

When you are dealing with problems at home or other struggles that add to your pressures, here are some things you can do to stay productive while you work through it:

• Accept that you are having a hard time and be easy on yourself – When you are coping with tough times, accept that even though you normally get tons of tasks accomplished before noon, right now you are having trouble. By acknowledging the problem, you can stop beating yourself up and instead, use the energy to think of ways to get through this period.
  
  
• Concentrate on the main tasks and eliminate things that aren't crucial – Instead of making long lists of things you “should do”, concentrate on the things you “have to”. Often, the over-achievers are the ones who have a hard time putting things on hold in order to deal with other problems.
  
  
  For example, if your child or spouse was just diagnosed with a serious medical issue, it's ok to drop some of your normal activities in order to deal with this situation. It's like the guy at the circus that spins plates; if you are trying to keep all of the plates in the air while dealing with it, you'll probably end up with a whole bunch of broken dinnerware. Instead, spin fewer plates.
  
  
• Get plenty of rest and eat healthy – This sounds like a given, but it's easy to forget when you are going through a rough time. When a crisis arises, it's normal to forget to take care of ourselves first. It's like the emergency instructions on planes – Adults are instructed to put the oxygen mask on themselves first, and then assist their children. Even though the natural instinct is to protect the weakest and get their mask on first, you won't be much of a help to them if you can't breathe.
  
  
  If you don't eat enough or get enough rest, you can make a bad situation get even worse. Even if you don't end up sick from this type of neglect, you'll certainly find that you'll have a shorter temper and be more prone to emotional outbursts and mood swings. Lashing out at others because you haven't really slept in a week isn't going to make your situation any better.
  
  
• Ask others for help – It seems so obvious, but still, it can be really hard. Asking for help means admitting that you are struggling. Sometimes asking for help can feel like a weakness, but everyone needs help sometimes. The people who care about you want to help you though this, and many of them may not know how. Asking for their assistance with specific tasks will give them a way to help and feel useful. So, rather than thinking of it as burdening someone with your problems, think of asking for help as a kindness.
  
  
• Be grateful for the positives – When you are struggling with negative emotions, it's so easy to forget to be grateful for the other things in your life. If you think that you are being swallowed by negativity, ask someone close to you to give you a pep talk. Even if it seems silly, their morale booster can really help.
  
  
• Start over – Sometimes the reason for the situation isn't easy to put your finger on. Everyone struggles with work/life balance at some point in their lives. Once you have an idea of what is causing the problem, think about ways to make it better. In order to do this, you have to stop, and start over fresh. For example, if you made a mistake at work that caused a lot of problems, instead of letting it pull you down, think about why it happened and what you can do going forward to keep it from happening again.
  
  
• Be grateful – Especially after the crisis is over, be sure to thank the people who helped you out and stood by you during this time. It may sound cliché, but doing little things like sending a personal thank you note, baking them cookies or some other tangible expression of gratitude will make them feel truly appreciated.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for HealthcareJobsiteBlog. Along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.

A free resource for the job seeker

As you peruse PhillyJobs.com, you will notice that the site offers much more than Philadelphia area job listings. There are discussion forums where you can share your questions and experiences with fellow job seekers. There are links to educational opportunities that can help you update your career skills or even switch careers. You can take a personality test to determine whether you are indeed in the career that best suits you, you can get professional help in crafting your resume, and much more on top of that.

The best thing about the services offered through PhillyJobs.com is that many of them are free. But not all of them. And if you have been in the job market for a while now without some work to help you get by, it may well be the case that you have gone through your savings and must carefully consider every penny you spend, even if it is on something as valuable as your own future.

If you are a Pennsylvania resident, the Commonwealth may be able to help you obtain some of those services at low or no cost through Pennsylvania CareerLink, part of the Commonwealth Workforce Development System. Through a network of CareerLink offices statewide and the CareerLink website, job seekers can obtain counseling, resume writing assistance, training resources, and other services, including help in applying for public assistance if things have come to that pass.

And contrary to what some might think, CareerLink works with job seekers at every level of the job hierarchy, every level of experience, and every field of employment. Its database of job openings may not rival Beyond.com's, but it is sufficiently broad and diverse to be of value to any job seeker in the Keystone State.

The first step in utilizing CareerLink is to either visit an office in person or create a user profile on the CareerLink website. These days, it pays to leave no stone unturned in finding ways to advance your job search.

By Sandy Smith

Sandy Smith is a veteran freelance writer, editor and public relations professional who lives in Philadelphia. Besides blogging for PhillyJobs.com, he has written for numerous publications and websites, would be happy to do your resume, and is himself actively seeking career opportunities on Beyond.com. Check out his LinkedIn profile and read his other posts on PhillyJobsBlog.com.

New "Skin Gun" Sprays Skin Cells to Quickly Heal Burns

by Alex A. Kecskes

Finally, a healthcare technological breakthrough for victims who have suffered severe skin injuries. It's called a "skin cell gun," or skin gun for short, and it literally sprays new skin onto burn areas with almost miraculous results.

Developed by Jorg C. Gerlach of the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, the skin gun works by harvesting healthy skin cells from uninjured areas of a victim's body, isolating the stem cells and placing then in an aqueous solution. The solution is then simply sprayed onto the burn wound. The whole process from skin sample to spraying new skin cells onto the wound takes just 90 minutes. And healing times are no less impressive—from 2nd degree burn to skin that's completely healed in days, instead of weeks or months.

Current methods of treating burns usually involve painful, time consuming skin grafts. With this method, skin sections are taken from uninjured areas of a burn victim's body, or more recently, growing sheets of skin artificially, then grafting them over the burn. The grafts often take weeks and sometimes months to heal. While recovering, patients can develop serious infections, since the body's first line of defense (the skin) has been seriously compromised.

While scientists have been able to regenerate human skin for some time now, it typically takes two to three weeks to produce fragile sheets of skin. When the new skin is grafted on, secretions from underneath often create blisters that can damage the new skin.

The new life-saving skin gun promises to revolutionize the treatment of severe burns, easing the suffering of thousands every year.

Alex A. Kecskes has written hundreds of published articles on health/fitness, "green" issues, TV/film entertainment, restaurant reviews and many other topics. As a former Andy/Belding/One Show ad agency copywriter, he also writes web content, ads, brochures, sales letters, mailers and scripts for national B2B and B2C clients. Please see more of his blogs and view additional job postings on Beyond.com.