Mike Magee

It seems that this is the “Summer of Flame and Blame” when it comes to our economy. Bickering has replaced governance; S&P downgrades America’s AAA rating but felt Lehman’s A rating was fine and dandy the day before it fell off the map; and the market is crashing today with the possibility we’re entering into a back-to-back recession. No wonder Gov. Rick Perry decided to hole up in that stadium Saturday and pray. Times are tough.

But – on the bright side – health care is hiring. In July, we exceeded the 36 month average for health sector hiring, creating 31,300 new jobs which included 14,000 hospital jobs. In addition, doctor’s offices added 6300 employees and home health-care services added 3100. The residential skilled care area grew by 3200. (1,2)

Since the recession hit in 2007, health care has been a relatively bright star. In the past 12 months, health care has increased jobs by 2% or 298,800 jobs. But it’s not all roses. Nursing homes lost 500 jobs in July, and that is likely to get worse. (1,2) The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services said Medicare is cutting nursing home reimbursements by 11%, or almost $4 billion. In response, nursing-home company shares headed south. (3,4)

As the Nursing Home segment illustrates, even though the sector is hiring, the climate is tumultuous. Inside and out, health care is rapidly evolving. And new hires require both skill and character. Human Resource experts caution that skills alone may get you hired, but lack of character is what often gets you fired. And with those charater breaches comes liability for the hiring organization.

No surprise then that organizations are attempting to front load their hiring process with questions that reveal your character. What are some of the character traits health care employers value? They include: honesty, compassion, empathy, dependability, discretion, endurance, joyfulness, sensitivity, punctuality, personal initiative, loyality, honor, flexibility, leadership, patience, thoroughness, orderliness, enthusiasm, determination and tolerance.

How do interviewers assess the presence or absense of these traits in candidates. Mostly by sharing a list of charater traits and asking open ended questions like:

Putting yourself in my position, hiring for this job, which character traits would you want an employee in this position to have?

How well do you personally exhibit those traits?

If I were to ask your last employers how well you exhibited those traits, what would they say?

Can you give me an example of when you practiced one of these traits and it made a positive difference in someone’s life.

Can you give me an example of when you didn’t practice one of these traits and learned from your mistake?

In your last job, did charater make a difference? How?

Unchartered territory – that’s where we’re heading. Change is inescapable. So if we have to make this journey – with time uncertain, with obstacles yet to be identified, and hardships a given – surround me with skillful people (yes, of course), but (as important – no, more important) fortify me with people of character.

For Health Commentary, I’m Mike Magee

References:

1. Hobson K. Employment report show Health Care added 31,300 jobs. WSJ. August 5, 2011. http://on.wsj.com/n3y4kW

2. Carlson J. Health care posts above average job gains in July. Modern Healthcare. http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20110805/NEWS/308059986/#

3. Moeller P. Nursing homes squeezed by Medicare cuts. August 8, 2011. US News & World Report. http://bit.ly/qoznK4

4. Korn M. Skilled Nursing stocks plunge on Medicare rate change. WSJ. http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20110801-710571.html

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