Category Archives: Candidates

Late nights are a ticking time bomb for Health

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Late nights bad for our healthAccording to Irishhealth.com,  people who are often deprived of sleep or have disrupted sleep patterns may be at an increased risk of suffering serious health problems, including heart attacks and stroke, new evidence suggests.

Today’s economy has significant stress, loss of jobs, financial difficulty and this will have an effect on our sleep.

In a new job or in current times, people want to prove themselves and this can lead to working long hours.

Stress and worry for our job searchers can also reduce sleep drastically and leave our job seekers feeling exhausted which can be reflected at interview.

UK researchers looked at studies involving 470,000 people in eight countries, including the UK, Sweden and the US. They found that poor sleep can have serious, long-term health implications.

“If you sleep less than six hours per night and have disturbed sleep, you stand a 48% greater chance of developing or dying from heart disease and a 15% greater chance of developing or dying of a stroke,” explained lead researcher, Prof Francesco Cappuccio, of the University of Warwick.

He said that the current trend for late nights and early mornings ‘is actually a ticking time bomb for our health’ and advised people to ‘act now to reduce the risk of developing these life-threatening conditions’.

“There is an expectation in today’s society to fit more into our lives. The whole work/life balance struggle is causing too many of us to trade in precious sleeping time to ensure we complete all the jobs we believe are expected of us.

“But in doing so, we are significantly increasing the risk of suffering a stroke or developing cardiovascular disease resulting in, for example, heart attacks.”

The study pointed out that chronic short sleep produces hormones and chemicals in the body, which increase the risk of developing heart disease and strokes, as well as other conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes.

However, Prof Cappuccio did warn of the implications of going too far the other way, as sleeping overly long – more than nine hours at a stretch – may also be an indicator of illness, including cardiovascular disease.

“By ensuring you have about seven hours sleep a night, you are protecting your future health and reducing the risk of developing chronic illnesses. The link is clear from our research – get the sleep you need to stay healthy and live longer,” he said.

Details of these findings are published in the European Heart Journal

Our Student Nurses – easy targets for the Government?

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Student Nurses to strike

Student Nurses to strike

Student nurses are threatening to take industrial action in protest at Government moves to cut their pay.

The student nurses’ pay is to be cut and eventually phased out. Students currently get 80% of the minimum rate staff nurse salary during a nine-month placement in hospitals.

Under the pay cut plan, student nurses would see their pay fall cumulatively by 65% up to 2014 and be paid no salary at all from 2015, according to their union, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO)

The INMO said 6,000 student midwives and nurses in training will hold a lunchtime protest in 13 hospitals across the country on February 9.

This will be followed by a march and rally in Dublin on February 16.

The five main political parties are to be lobbied for their views on the planned student pay cuts. Nursing students are also to be balloted on industrial action up to and including strike action.

The INMO said it viewed the pay cut plan as an imposition of ‘slave labour.’

To look beautiful – go to sleep!

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Sleep is the key to beauty!

Sleep is the key to beauty!

To look beautiful – go to sleep!

If you want to look attractive and healthy, the best thing you can do is get a good night’s sleep, the results of a new study indicate.

According to Swedish researchers, their findings mean that for the first time, there is scientific backing for the concept of beauty sleep.

They investigated the relationship between sleep and perceptions of attractiveness and health. They insisted that such research is important in today’s 24-hour society, particularly as the number of people suffering from sleep disorders and disturbed sleep is on the rise.

The study involved 23 people aged between 18 and 31. Each person was photographed between 2pm and 3pm on two occasions, once after normal sleep and once after being deprived of sleep.

Smokers were excluded from the research and no alcohol was allowed for two days prior to the experiment.

The photographs were taken in a well lit room and the distance to the camera was fixed. During both photography sessions, participants wore no make-up, had their hair loose (combed back if they had long hair) and underwent similar cleaning or shaving procedures.

They were asked to have a relaxed, neutral facial expression for both photos.

Sixty-five observers, who were blinded to the sleep status of the participants, rated the photographs for attractiveness and whether the individuals looked healthy/unhealthy or tired/not tired.

According to the researchers from the Karolinska Institute, the observers judged the faces of sleep deprived participants as less healthy, less attractive and more tired.

The team concluded that the facial signals of sleep deprived people affect facial appearance and judgments of attractiveness, health and tiredness.

Details of these findings are published in the British Medical Journal

In summary – who needs to go to the expense of face lifts, Botox or facial Therapy when all you have to do is go to sleep?!

This is also important information for all those Job Seekers out there who are attending interviews – it has been noted the difference between a job seeker turning up for an interview tired and those who get a good nights sleep before their interview.

The history of the Vibrator – A Medical Device?

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The Vibrator - a Medical Device?

The Vibrator - a Medical Device?

The history of the Vibrator is indeed a very old and interesting one!

There is a section in the London Science Museum especially dedicated which shows over 40 types of vibrators from the late 1800′s to the early 1900′s!

The Vibrator has also recently been brought to stage Productions of – ‘In the next room’ by Darah Ruhl on Broadway and ‘Hysteria’ – a film based on the story of Dr Joseph Mortimer Granville who was said to have invented the first electro mechanical vibrator in 1880

Vibrators were used in these earlier times for treatment of female hysteria – although, nowadays – it tends to be the cause of it!

Symptoms of Female Hysteria at that time were anxiety, insomnia, irritability and fluid retention and were thought at that time to be caused by a ‘wayward womb’ – a pelvic massage was often the prescription of choice performed by the Midwife.

In the late 1800′s, this treatment was then taken to the next level and mechanical vibrators were initially invented as medical devices to be used by Doctors to rid these female patients of their ‘neurosis’

According to Vanessa Thorpe, writing in the Observer, vibrators were available before the iron or vacuum cleaner!

‘Good Housekeeping’ in 1909 was enlightened enough to run a feature discussing the pros and cons of various types of home vibrators.

One of the manufacturers in this time even produced a home motor to which a vibrator could be attached!This model was a multi tasking appliance, for when not being used to power the vibrator, it could be used to run a sewing machine or drive a churn!

I wonder what our hysterical female audience think of this – dare to comment?!!!!………….

Our National Recruitment Federation

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National Recruitment Federation Logo

National Recruitment Federation Logo

It has come to our attention in recent times that not enough Candidates (Job seekers) or Clients (Companies recruiting) are aware of the National Recruitment Federation (NRF) in Ireland

The NRF is our only governing body for Recruitment in Ireland.

They are there purely to assist in all matters concerning Recruitment.

Many of our Recruitment Agencies are aware or indeed members of the NRF, but they are also there to support and guide Candidates and Clients recruiting.

If you are a Candidate looking for a new job or a Company hiring, make sure your Recruitment Agency of choice is a member of the NRF as this will automatically give you reassurance they are of a high standard

Check on their website for the above Logo.

They provide support and guidance to everyone in Ireland or abroad wishing to come to Ireland who are seeking a job or Companies wishing to recruit.

They are also the only Recruitment body who reward the Recruitment Industry with an Awards ceremony – ensuring standards are being maintained and encouraging them to be examined and improved annually.

They now run a course for Recruitment Consultants which is a breath of fresh air as there has never been a Recruitment course or qualification before in Ireland

 

They guide the Recruitment Agencies with a Code of Conduct.

The Employment Agency Act, 1971 provides that any person carrying on the business of an employment agency must obtain a licence to do so from the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

Persons seeking employment through an employment agency should ensure that they deal only with licensed agencies

No fee may be charged by an agency to a job seeker solely for agreeing to seek employment for them.

All NRF Members are required to be licensed as a condition of membership.

All too often we have heard of Candidates being bullied (pressured in to jobs)or CV’s being submitted directly to Companies without the expressed informed consent of the Candidate prior to this.

This is where the NRF come in to play – anyone who has fallen victim to this may make a complaint with the NRF who will then investigate on the Candidates behalf.

Client Companies again, any pressure, efforts to charge without prior agreement etc can be taken to the NRF who will guide and investigate

If you are hiring or looking for a job, know your rights and become familiar with our NRF -

www.nrf.ie

It only exists for our benefit to ensure the highest standards within Recruitment in Ireland are being met

Do you really want to put your career and future in to the hands on anyone less then the best?

Assertive Job Seekers get pay off!

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Be assertive in your job applications

Be assertive in your job applications

For any job seekers out there, we have some recent evidence of persistence paying off!

Assertive job seekers are getting their pay off.

Job seekers are a vulnerable group as it is a worrying time for anyone, either you have recently lost a job or are not happy in your current job.

In today’s ‘Redundancy’ market, you are less likely to be choosy or assertive.

Do not drop your standards or self worth -

If you feel you match the criteria for a job and have all the Employer is looking for – stand your ground.

Twice this week we have seen evidence of amounts of job applications reflecting the lack of care and attention to individual CV’s or applications.

We had 2 rejections on behalf of our Candidates from Employers who did not think the Candidate – job seeker matched their criteria

When pushed and all relevant experience highlighted, both Employers reversed their decisions and agreed to invite the Candidate for interview.

One was offered the job today!

In this market, where numbers of applications are increasing and pressure is on Employers and Recruiters alike to get through the sheer volume of applications, mistakes can happen and people can be ‘missed out’

Do not always take rejection lightly – if you believe you have read and meet the job essential criteria – question why your CV has been rejected - you may be lucky and  get a second glance.

Persistence pays off – if you believe you are the right Candidate – you have every right to question why you have not progressed to interview stage.

In today’s market – with increased pressure, imminent budget and Redundancies  – there is no excuse for a drop in standards and carelessness due to high volume of job applications.

Be sure to stand your ground and at the very least find out why your application has not been successful – those who accept it with no question will not find out why or get a possible second glance – what have you got to lose?

Choose Wisely with your Sales Career!

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Stay on the right Career Path

Stay on the right Career Path

Choose wisely when it comes to applying for jobs in these times.

With dole queues out the door and numbers of unemployment rising, it is understandable that getting back to work is the ultimate goal. But be careful what you send your CV forward for as it may prove fruitless.

Choose wisely and do not be hasty in applying for every “Sales” job you see on the internet if you are in Sales.

As aware as you are of the lack of employment in the country, rest assured that potential employers know this all too well, which makes them even more picky in the CVs that they wish to see.

Tips for applying for jobs:

  1. Job Title:  if the title fits then read on!
  2. Job Description: Read through the job description, the responsibilites and especially the area/ industry this job is in. e.g. if you have worked in Medical Sales and the job spec is for IT Sales then tread carefully. You may have all the skills for selling Medical products, OTC products or medical devices but no experience in selling Computer Software, JAVA programmes or PCs then this may not be the job for you.
  3. Qualifications Required:  These days employers really like their Sales employees to be relevantly qualified, i.e. Nurses selling Wound Care/ Dressings, Science qualifications for medical device, and Nutritionists/ Dieticians selling Nutritional products. Take special heed to the qualification requirements.
  4. The Location: This job may be based in Cork and you are based in Dublin. This could be another deciding factor, as confident as you are that you can cover the Southern territory with your home life in Dublin, the higher the chances are of “burn out”.

The fact is that if you are an experienced Medical Sales Rep then you have the advantage of -

  • Product Knowledge – no need for month long training sessions!
  • Client base – which means you have the existing client relationships and are on a business relationship with key opinion leaders in  hospitals, GPs or pharmacies. This, to potential employers, is like gold to them and is an essential part of what they are looking for when taking another Medical Sales Rep on their books.

I know there are bills and mortgages to pay, but best advice? -  Stick to what you know and choose wisely.

Play the waiting game as your working experience will stand to you once the right job comes up.

Instead of applying for every Sales job that comes in, choose only ones relevant to your experience.

Medical Sales pre interview tips

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Medical Sales interviewWe have a flurry of activity currently within our Medical Sales division and alot of coaching and Medical Sales pre interview tips and preparation being done.

There are a few essential tips to remember when attending for a Medical Sales interview -

Don’t tell me – show me

This is where you give evidence and examples of all you are saying -

Instead of saying my strengths are -

Loyal, hardworking, dedicated and passionate.

You need to say – ‘I am passionate about my work and this has been demonstrated by my last job, where I …………. etc

Giving a list does not make the interviewer remember what you are saying, but backing up what you are saying with examples gives them a picture and is better remembered and more effective

 

You have 2 ears and 1 mouth, use accordingly –

This is essential in Sales and interviews.

You always need to listen twice as much as you speak.

A stunning 65% of interviewees do not answer the question that was asked which is frustrating for the interviewer.

No matter, how nervous or excited you are at your interview – take your time and listen to the question being asked before you answer.

So, to recap, just remember 2 things before your Sales pitch or Medical sales interview -

Dont tell me – show me

You have 2 ears and 1 mouth – use accordingly