pt.htm.

ATTENTION:   INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS

As independent contractors the services that you are providing are as a professional from outside the organization. Meaning, you are not considered an employee but rather as a vendor in the category of all others who provide services to the organization that are brought in when the need arises.

Therefore, for your protection we strongly recommend prior to leaving your assignment you have your time sheet signed by someone in authority from the organization.

You can possibly relate to what I am suggesting if you reflect on service providers who come to your home. Upon completion of a repair an electician will ask for your signature that the work was completed. I imagine no-one completes a home repair without leaving with a signed form.

Think of this as protection against lost wages or discrepancy in billable hours. It is very important for you to protect your investment of time and professional services.

Turn Off The Phone

I am noticing an increase in the number of days and hours that therapists are working . It seems that more time is spent on-the-job because of need for additional wages and the adoption of seven day treatment schedules within skilled nursing facilities.

There is an apparent reduction in time spent on rest and relaxation which. Mental health is at risk with potential for increased stress, frustration, and burn out. Poor performance on the job, deterioration of self confidence and loss of sleep are symptoms of an out of control situation.

It is very difficult to find a solution once in the crises arena. Personal and on- the-job relationships are at risk. If you are feeling impatient, demanding, disorganized and irritable it is time to pay attention to the personal need for healthy living and balance. Due to a shortage of time the ideal solutions may not be an option.

While cutting back on the work schedule may not be possible be observant of time that you may be able to capture to devote to peaceful reflection and down time. The first step may be to take yourself "off the rada" for a short time every day. Prior to the arrival of cell phones this was a taken for granted luxury of life.   When out of the house and away from the office people were unavailable. Without thought we were out of touch and enjoying private time and personal space that is no longer part of our normal day.

Without conscious effort we are not aware of the sacrifice we made when we accepted advance in technology. So consider taking advantage of the off feature on your phone when traveling to and from work, while having lunch or while taking a break. Block out a period of time in your day where no-one can get in touch with you - whether it is ten minute or half an hour. Use the time to think, not to think or for quiet reflection on the past when we were not in touch and available all of the time.

If you are too young to remember the days before cell phones turn off your phone and enjoy the experience.

It is kind of nice.

Independent Contracting -

Sometimes The Right Way To Go

An independent contractor can consider themselves self employed. They are responsible for paying the employer portion of Social Security tas, they do not have tax withholdings and can write off work related expenses. Independent contractors can work for whoever they want and to some extent set their own schedule. They are not protected by regulations that protect salaried employees. Independent Contracting - When Is It The Way To Go ?

Independent contracting is not ideal for a professional who needs job security. Work may not be consistent and payment for services rendered at times is delayed, Yet there are many benefits for rehabilitation professionals. Very often a therapist needs flexibility with their schedule in order to attend to other responsibilities. Some therapists supplement their staff income by contracting in the evenings and on holidays or over vacations adding substantially to their annual compensation. Therapists who independent contract often enjoy moving from place to place. After a day of work retruning home with a sense of work satisfaction while having also enjoying the experiences of working with different deparments and professionals.

This experience can be most enlightening for new graduates who may benefit from the exposure to a variety of settings. It is wonderful for returning homemakers who may want to work part time to add balance to their lives, and to those in search of permanence. Very often temporary contracting is a way to fill in wages and experience while in search of the right opportunity.

For everyone in the workforce it is a wonderful option to have at times of need or as a professional choice. Therapists are fortunate to have independent contracting as an choice. You may want to try it....

What Everyone Looking For a Job Should Know Know

Many

Many of us know alot about many things but are clueless when approaching the job market. What employers expect and how to preepare for an interview is foreign to us. A flawed presentation will eliminate you from employer consideration regardless of your credentials or fit for the job. We hope the tips below will make the process of introducing youself easier, give you more direction, confidence and ultimately success.

HAVE A RESUME

When applying for a job it is a good idea to take a resume with you on your interview even if you are meeting with someone who was sent a copy. Very often you will be asked to fill out an application. By having a copy of your resume with you the information you put on the application can be transcribed from your copy. This will insure that the information on the application matches the history previously sent to the employer. Be prepared for questions regarding salary and why you left your position(s). Your resume should be one page long. You need to include relevant positions for the job/career you are pursuing and positions that demonstrate that you are responsible, intelligent, hardworking. You need not include your three weeks at a swim club snackbar unless you have a good reason for this inclusion. Employers are looking for information that will help them determine if you are a good fit in their company. Leave off detail that will not help with this process.

You may Many applicants include a career goal at the top of their resume. We do not feel this is necessary and can even be counterproductive, particuarly for new or relatively entry level job-seekers. A goal should only be included if you want to limit your search. If you are open minded about career possibilities and would like the reader to explore ideas with you then do not include a goal. Sometimes the best way to work yourself into employment opportunities is to take advantage of what is offered and then work on developing your career.

Another detail to consider leaving off of your resume is personal information. For some this is very important to include. Only do so if you have a good reason that wil add to your presentation. Without a specific reason for including extracurricular activites and marraige status, you may be offering information that could be counterproductive.

It is perfectly legitimate to taylor your resume to specific positons or organizations. You may want two or three variations emphasizing different skills. Be honest, be accurate and make sure you do not have spelling and/or grammatical errors. This is your first opportunity to introduce yourself to your prospective employer and you do not want it to be your last.

WRITE A COVER LETTER

Your letter should be short - hopefully three and no more than four short paragraphs. Your reader will give you thirty seconds which means every word must have a purpose.

First paragraph - Introduce yourself as an applicant by stating general area of interest. Then describe the type of company you want to work for. This description should intentionally describe the company you are sending the letter to in a very complimentary fashion so that the reader says to himself "oh! that is us". Closure on this paragraph should include your interest in a long productive career within this type of organization to lead into the next paragraph.

Second paragraph - Describe yourself in a quick and concise manner reflecting word that may have been used in the company's promotional material or job description you read. Although it may feel awkward "brag about yourself". You are skilled, innovative, hardworking, dedicated, talented and determined to make a contribution to this company. Your reader does not care about what you want for yourself -they are interested in what you can do for the company.

Third paragraph - Elaboration on a point that you feel deserves this optional inclusion. Why your skills and abilities stated above are a great fit with the position you are applying for or specifis that may not be included on your resume. This paragraph has no meaning and therefore is a distraction for you being considered unless you must include it. By now the reader should be thinking "we need a person like this".

Fourth paragraph - This closure is to inform your reader of availability to interview at their convenience and to thank them for considering you. It is a humble closure letting the reader know you will be as accomodating as necessary to them and their company.

Your paragraphs should not be more than four sentences long.

Goal:

You must let the reader know their time is more important than yours and communicate respect for the reader. You as a job applicant are not important. You become important after an offer is made to work for the company.

Often applicants feel they must convey importance to the reader. "I will take time out of my busy schedule to meet with you" is a frequent mistake. Even if you have alot of responsibility in your current position and have impressive accomplishements you are not more important than the reader. You have something to offer but as an applicant and asking to be a guest in the reader's house (so to speak) communicating respect for the reader and acknowledging you are asking for something, ie, an interview, will ultimately result in the reader having the respect for you that you are looking for. This may be hard to do - especially if you know the initial interview will be with someone far less experienced and less knowledgeable than you are.

Your letter and resume are nothing more than promotional literature. Your advertisement. Be concise, to the point and let the reader put down your presentation with the thought in mind: " I want one of these!"

What Happens If You are Googled ?

Not too long ago hiring officials relied on applications, interviews and references to get to know enough about candidates to determine whether or not they would be a fit for a position in their company. Hiring officials look for education, experience, potential, and a personality match between the culture of the company and the applicant. Often chemistry is a significant factor when making a decision. Personality and style are sometimes as influential as compatible skills and experience. Therefore, prior to extending a job offer, an interviewer will seriously consider interpersonal communication and social skills that are apparent.

Now, thanks to the internet, employers are able to know more about us than we might like. No longer can we assume that we are in control of the information under review. Our employment portfolio is no longer limited to what we present or who we provide as references. Nor is our interview and controlled conversation all that a company and employees will consider when analysing our chemistry match and/or personality "fit". Because of the ability to google, facebook and myspace us employers are able to know all about our lives interests and preferences. Potential employers will be outside of the office arena when viewing us on the web. They will be in our living room, bedroom, college, community or wherever else our web pages allow them to go. The reach of the internet is such that even the web presence we may have left years ago at a different stage in oiur lives may still be viewable by a potential employer.

We must assume employers are using the internet to get to know us better. If you have put on your facebook your favorite interest is in the opposite (or same) sex, if your favorite leisure activity is nude sunbathing, if you prefer the Yankees over the Red Soxs or are obsessed with polkadots, a potential employer will have access to this information and may be influenced by what is read when deciding compatibity with the corporate culture and/or organizational fit.

How startling and potentially embarrassing this could be. That picture taken with your closest twenty friends huddled together on that single (extra long) dorm room bed may not be something you want in your applicant file. It is not possible to turn back the clock and remove revealing facts about ourselves at the time when we are ready to "get serious" about our life pursuits. We have to think about this now... be aware of what we want everyone (not only our friends and their friends) to know about us.

Think about it....

Next >

[ Back ]

Look For Jobs In:

• Occupational Therapy

• Occupational Therapy Ass't

• Physical Therapy

• Physical Therapy Ass't

• Speech Therapy

What We Do

Job Consultation
Career Exploration
Permanent Placement
Temporary Placement
Life Skills Coaching

Free consultation and job referral services are available to professionals interested in career development or change.

Disclaimer

Please Note:

GoodNews acts as a referral service. All of our per-diem therapists are independent contractors who are responsible for carrying their own liability, health, worker's compensation and/or disability insurance.