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

 Online Career Management at

Georgia Association of Physician Assistants Spring Conference March 20-23, 2013 Lake Lanier Island, GA Health Care Career Fair November, :00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. AACC Building

For the competitive job market

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

MYTH: Willingness to work as a PA anywhere will make me happy. NOT TRUE!

 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

IDENTIFY YOUR Interests, Values, Skills, Characteristics, Strengths, Weaknesses, Goals, Objectives, Experiences, Expectations, Talents, Achievements

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

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

Product Place Packaging Product Promotion Positioning Price

 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!

 REVERSE CHRONOLOGICAL  FUNCTIONAL  COMBINATION THE EFFECTIVE RESUME IS THE ONE THAT GETS YOU THE RESULTS YOU DESIRE.

 Job Description  Mission and Vision  Good “FIT” DOES YOUR RESUME REFLECT WHAT THE EMPLOYER WANTS?

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

 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

 What can you do for us?  What kind of person are you?  What distinguishes you apart from other candidates?  Can we afford you?

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.

 Know salary ranges for type of employer  Private vs. Government  Community vs. Private  Hospital vs. Clinic  Large vs. Small

 Insurance: Major Medical, Maternity, Disability, Cancer  Professional Liability Insurance  Professional Development  Memberships  Recertification fees

 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

 Credential verification questions  Experience verification questions  Opinion questions  Behaviorally anchored questions  Competency questions

 Rapport Building  Information Collection  Self Protection

 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

 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

 Analysis process  Job search, application process, and strategic opportunities  Networking opportunities with employers  Mock interviews  Negotiating strategies

Betsy Johnson, Director Office of Career Management – Atlanta (678) /5/12