Other peoples’ opinions can be dangerous

Other people's opinions

Other people's opinions

Other people’s opinions can be dangerous – always check it out before making a decision based on them.

We have had 2 recent episodes where our job seekers had been told by other people negative things about the Company they were applying to for a job and nearly pulled out as a result.

This is where word of mouth can be dangerous.

Check out the facts yourself first before making such a critical decision regarding your career and life balance.

Both cases were unfounded and it transpired that these were ex Medical Sales Reps who had left both Companies on a bad note and were both spreading negative feedback about these Companies down the Medical Sales Grapevine.

If you are a job seeker, you need to be very thorough in your methods and your research.

It is okay to hear negative things about the Company you are considering, but check it out – try to get a balanced non biaised opinion.

We are very thorough as Recruitment Consultants within the Medical Industry and will know whether rumours or word of mouth is true or not as we know our Client Companies very well and can therefore advise.

However, it is still imperative you seek out both sides of story and DO NOT let one person’s opinion dictate your career path.

Disability Nursing Anyone?

Nurses at Work!

Nurses at Work!

Everyday at Jackie Brown Medical we get different jobs in ranging from Nurses to Medical Sales Rep to Medical Device Engineering.

Today’s hot job is in Nursing – Disability Nursing anyone?

We are looking for Senior Staff Nurses for a Care Centre in the Co. Galway region.

Nurses must have experience in Disabilities, Care of the Elderly and some Neurology would be great.

This is a state of the art complex in the heart of the Galway community.

Take a look on the jobs page for some further information, and if that has tweaked your interest then send us your up to date CV and we will take it from there!

Enjoy the sunshine…..while it lasts!

Be Prepared

Stop and Take Note!

Stop and Take Note!

Be Prepared! The single most fatal error when going to an interview is lack of preparation.

When attending an interview you must always prepare for all eventualities. For example, if you are a Medical Sales Rep and going for a Medical Sales job interview and you are required to do a presentation, then please cover all options!

  • Do the presentation early, have it perfect so you have at least 4/5 days to practice delivering it, and practice the timing – 10 minutes with 5 minutes for questions
  • Handouts – bring a minimum of 3 handouts of the presentation. Your interviewers may not want a copy, but it is best you have it to hand for their future reference
  • Have it saved and ready to go on your laptop!
  • Save it to a memory stick and bring the memory stick with you! They may wish to view it on their own facilities.

Do not get caught out without duplicates of your work, the last thing you need is an IT error just as you are about to go “on stage” and you have no back up. It is unprofessional and shows a lack of preparation on your part.

Remember that doing a presentation in an interview informs your interviewer of your speaking, selling and presenting skills for their company and their products.

Imagine they are your clients and they have allocated you 15 minutes of their time to hear you speak about the products you are selling. Your own laptop crashes before you even open the presentation and you haven’t got it backed up on a memory stick?

Always be prepared!

Your Best Foot Forward

Be the Best

Be the Best

When reviewing or re-doing your CV, stop and rethink it. You need to think of your CV as your representative on first look! Put your best foot forward with your CV.

  • Do not tweek your CV to the job, rather include the relevant details in each position you have held and that should speak for itself.
  • Pur your jobs in chronological order and not in terms of relevancy to the job you are applying for. i.e. in date order not your Nursing jobs first then your Medical Sales jobs.

It is easier to read a CV when put in chronological order. If your CV has all the relevant duties worked per job, then it will speak for itself and your best foot will be put forward to potential employers.

So rethink when revising your CV – simply make sure all the details are up to date and it will speak for itself!

New Nursing Rules

New Rules

New Rules

This week, the Board of An Bord Altranais have discussed new nurses rules to be drafted, to ascertain the accreditation of

  • advance nurse practitioners  and
  • advanced midwife practitioners positions.

These new rules will accommodate the registration of individuals in these new sectors of An Bord Altranais’ Register.

This will be renamed as the advanced nurse practitioner division and the advanced midwife.

These new rules, which are to replace those of 2007, must be approved by the Board of An Bord Altranais and signed into effect by Health Minister Mary Harney.

Among the best in the World

Irish Surgery

Irish Surgery

“Irish Surgeons are among the best in the world, Professor Traynor of the RCSI says.

Due to a lack of adequate surgical training posts, it seems Irish trainee doctors have been pushed to greener pastures in a search for sufficient experience elsewhere. This has helped them to join the best in the world in surgery.

Prof Oscar Traynor, Director of the RCSI National Surgical Training Centre recently said that Irish surgeons owe a huge part of their excellence to training abroad.

“I think in general, Irish surgeons are among the best in the world, for a number of reasons. The main reason is that most Irish surgeons do take time to go abroad and do some training and bring back ideas, a new way of looking at things, and new techniques”

He goes on  to say that it is tradition with Irish surgeons to broaden their experience range, where in countries like UK and North America it would be highly unusual to go to this extent.

It seems, for the medical world in any case, the benefits of surgical training abroad has had a phenomenal effect on the Medical industry of Ireland.

And long may it go on!

The shape of things to come

Medical Device Diversity- Irelands New Growth IndustryThe shape of things to come for 2010 may be higher unemployment and lower economic activity for some sectors of the economy. But as far as medical and science sectors are concerned, we are still seeing considerable opportunities for growth; in particular the medical devices manufacturing sector which has recently seen major investment in R&D with such diverse companies as Teleflex, Baxter Healthcare, KCI Medical and Merit Medical.

All have seen further expansion this year and have increased growth in the development of their production and manufacturing facilities and directed extensive FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) in new product developments which will see Ireland placed at the fore front of global Medical Device R&D.

So what opportunities do exist for  those looking to retrain or re-skill? Considerable and varied opportunities exist for those with Research and Product Development, Regulatory, Quality,  Technical and supporting skills in Sales and customer support-particularly those candidates with European and Asian language skills.

Jackie Brown is keen to talk with those seeking career moves or those with existing medical device manufacturing industry experience as we move into another year of anticpated high growth in recruitment within the medical and life science industries.

In the mean time, to all those looking for a career move or seeking new opportunities we wish you a Happy and prosperous New Year in 2010.

Remember to STAR in your interview

Frame your answers by keeping STAR in mind at all times.

Frame your answers by keeping STAR in mind at all times.

Remember to STAR in your interview if you want to get the next job you are interviewed for. What does STAR mean I hear you say?  Well STAR means:-

Situation:- being able to give a sense of perspective or background to the job you were in.

 Task:- Detail the tasks you were required to undertake.

Action:- Account for what you did personally- what was your impact and contribution to the job required.

Result:- Fairly evident this, what was the result or outcome of your personal contribution/ actions.

I’ve always found that candidates who keep this in mind at interviews and can provide a structured frame around their answers, by providing specific answers much more illuminating as to their abilities. Specific responses also tend to give a clearer indication as to whether candidates are knowledgable about the subject the interviewer requires answers to. They also give a clearer indication of the candidates confidence in being able to undertake the job duties required.

Evasive or vague answers to questions create at best a blurred image of the capabilities of the candidate and a perception that they are much less knowledgeable than they may actually be.

The STAR approach provides candidates with a very helpful frame to present their abilities in a much more constructive and positive format. In the current highly competitive Irish recruitment market you have to set yourself apart from the opposition and to be seen to be the best candidate at the interview-don’t limit yourself at an interview be a STAR!