Careers
Crack the Competency Questions
It doesn’t matter how many interviews you have been to but when you are asked a scenario-based question we all stumble at one point or another. We would say for any Healthcare professional this is much harder than it seems.
Your role is not limited to a job description, there is no limitation as to what you deal with on a daily basis, this makes it much more harder when answering a question like “tell me about a situation where you felt you went over and above your job role?”
Competency based questions are essential for the employer to understand how you perform and behave under specific circumstances. However, one thing you must remember is that it’s okay to stop and think, ask for a quick moment to re-cap the situation in your mind before you start.
Below are some areas that will generally be covered in a Healthcare interview, along with some example questions.
- Teamwork
Tell me about a time you stepped into a leadership role. Describe a time when you were particularly proud of your healthcare team? What was your role in this situation?
- Patient-care
Tell me about a situation when someone was not satisfied with your patient care? What approach do you take in communicating with people who do not know medical jargon? Give an example of a time you explained medical terminology to someone who is not medically trained.
- Adaptability
Describe a time when your facility was undergoing some change. How did that impact you, and how did you adapt?
- Time management
How do you manage the stresses of the job? Talk about a time you worked in a fast-paced setting. How do you prioritise tasks while maintaining excellent patient care?
- Communication style
How would you deal with a Doctor or Nurse who was rude? Talk about a time when you had not communicated well. How did you correct the situation?
- Motivation and core values
Why did you decide on a Career as a Healthcare Assistant? What do you find rewarding about this job? What do you find most difficult about being a HCA? How do you overcome this difficulty?
Key to answering questions?
It may not always be possible, but try to train yourself to use the below model when answering these questions. It will keep your answer structured and clear.
Situation – describe the background
Task – what was it you had to do?
Action – What action did you take?
Result – summarise the outcome.
We hope this has got you thinking about some of the questions you may get asked and how best to structure your answer with a real example.
Looking for a Healthcare Assistant (HCA) training course?
Check out our range of QQI accredited distance learning Healthcare Support Courses.
Be Good to your Brain
Did you know that by making a few small changes and minding your brain can really improve your memory and also help prevent cognitive decline in later life?
Have a look at the points below and see how many things you may already be doing and what you may consider changing:
- Sleep – Are you getting enough quality sleep? Restorative sleep is one of the best things you can do for your brain. During our sleep, we repair physically during the first half of sleep and mentally during the second half. If any stage of your sleep in interrupted or you only get a few hours a night, your brain and body is not repairing properly which may increase your risk of physical or mental illness. Lack of quality sleep is also linked to Dementia in later life, so it really is worth having a look at your sleeping patterns and incorporating a good seven or eight hours quality sleep each night.While you sleep, you also process any unresolved issues which may have happened during the day. This happens in the REM (rapid eye movement) stage of sleep when you dream metaphorically. This is your brains way of trying to process the issues and clearing your head for the following day. If this is interrupted, you won’t be as fresh and again may be more susceptible to low mood and energy resulting in lack of motivation.
- Social Activities – Do you have a community? Do you get out with your friends? Do you meet up socially and have fun? We have evolved to be social beings and there are certain neurons in the brain that only connect through social activity and having fun. If you don’t have this, these neurons won’t be as active and there have been several studies which show this may contribute to cognitive decline in later life.
- Get some oxygen to those brain cells – The brain needs lots of oxygen for blood flow so the more exercise you get the better. If you are living quite the sedentary life, your brain will be a little more sluggish. There really is no excuse for this so find an exercise you enjoy and just do it.
- Give your brain the space it craves – We have thousands of thoughts every day and your brain never gets a break, only at nighttime when you go to sleep and even then, it is working to process even more information. Think of a treadmill – after running on it for a while, you start to feel tired and sore, so you press the ‘STOP’ button, take a rest, reenergize and start again. Your brain also needs this ‘STOP’ button. If you learn to meditate and be mindful, it will provide your brain with the space it needs to breath and reenergize. Even a 5-minute meditation in the morning and evening can work wonders for the brain. Memory and energy improve as your ‘thoughts’ are not taking up all the space in your brain and zapping you of your energy.
- Solitude / Privacy – One of our basic human needs is the need for privacy. The expectations of today’s society mean we are on high alert all the time and busy doing a lot of things. Privacy is needed to relax and be away from the noise in the world. Privacy provides your brain with the space it needs to flourish. Many people who devote time during the day to being on their own without distractions say that the best ideas come to them during these times as their brain has the peace it needs to think properly.
Your ‘Career’ Digital Footprint
As almost all employers will check your social media, it’s important to find out all the information about you that’s available on the internet as it will have a major impact on any employer’s decisions.
Instead of just assuming that your digital footprint is clean, put your name into Google to see what comes up. Some photo’s you thought were gone years ago may still be there or worse still, an old profile or comment you wouldn’t want your employer to see may still be there! You cannot be too careful with this so always carry out a Google check at regular intervals.
Have a think about keeping your personal accounts private or use an alternative name so that employers find it difficult to find you online.
If you have a Facebook, twitter or Instagram account(s) – create a separate professional account with your proper name. Use a nickname or alternative name for your personal account which means, when the employer searches for you – it will lead them directly to your professional account rather than your personal one.
Be mindful of any photos, comments, responses or shares … you never know who might be looking at them.
It’s important to be smart about your digital footprint when it comes to job seeking so put the effort in now, and it will most definitely pay off.
Be Careful with your Social Media!
From our Careers Manager – Mary McGlynn.
You need to be careful what you post on your social media.
From doing lots of research myself when organising interviews or work placements for students, employers have stated to me on many occasions to tell our students to be very careful what they include on their social media pages. It’s a case of ‘Think First and then Post’ not ‘Post first and think later’!
As it turns out, a lot of employers will re-consider a job offer if they check the candidate’s social media accounts and find an off-putting photograph or comment.
Almost all the employers I have spoken to said that they check candidate’s social media accounts, and this includes all of them – Twitter / Facebook / Instagram etc before calling them for an interview. Even if you have a stand out CV, your social media account may let you down, so you really need to consider the kind of message you are putting across if you are job seeking or looking for a career change.
The worst thing you can do is refer to what kind of things you get up to at the weekends or profanity – this will not impress the employer at all.
You need to also look at your spelling and grammar – as this too can be held against you. It’s not very consistent to have a perfect CV and then a messy social media page so although you may think there is nothing wrong with your social media comments, look again or have someone else look at it for you.
If you are on LinkedIn, think of this as your online CV. Each section should be well worded. Spelling and grammar should be perfect, and your photo should look professional. Any volunteer work or donations to charity seems to impress employers so add these if you can.
The kind of things employers are looking for in a candidate online are – professional experience and examples of successful projects, targets, presentations etc. They also look at mutual connections so have a look for companies you are interested in and get in contact with some of the people there and add every company you have ever worked for. LinkedIn is used by some recruitment companies for the entire recruitment process including sourcing candidates, contacting and vetting before interview so make sure your LinkedIn page looks impressive and make employers want to contact you.
No matter what the platform, don’t post anything which may put the employer off and try to maintain and keep up to date with your social media accounts.
Employers rate Further Education Courses as highly as Degree Courses!
According to a recent survey carried out by the education authority, employers seem to be very impressed with graduates who have completed Post Leaving Cert (PLC) courses. They also rate these further education courses as highly as degree courses so if you are completing a course with us or thinking of applying, you are definitely on the right track!
The survey asked more than 700 employers their overall thoughts on the quality of Higher and Further education training graduates and although the results are almost neck and neck, when broken down, further education rates slightly higher than college graduates.
Some of the skills employers were particularly impressed with where team-working skills, entrepreneurial skills, commercial awareness, verbal and written skills. Some of important personal attributes included reliability, positive attitudes and social awareness.
Companies did note that they will need more business and project managers and more marketing and sales skills in the future however, they are very impressed with the standard and competence of further education courses.
So, if you are not already enrolled on one of our courses, have a look at our extensive course list and start your journey towards your dream job! Employers will be very impressed with your qualification.
20 Ways to be more Productive at Work
Life gets hectic sometimes and you may think that you never have enough time to do everything or you just become overwhelmed. Work may suffer, and you may feel under severe pressure.
Many people have succumbed to this kind of pressure and left jobs they were more than capable of being successful in.
The following are a few tips based on a lot of research from various Universities to help you deal with the pressures of work and become more productive:
- Work from home more: Research from Stanford University found that call center workers made 13.5% more calls per week from home rather than at the office.
- Work standing up: People who work using stand up desks are 46% more productive than those with a sitting desk – this is a quite a high percentage and a lot healthier! Definitely something to consider.
- Surround yourself with natural light: If you are working in a place where there are big windows with lots of natural light, you will have better quality sleep. This ensures proper rest and productivity increases.
- Have a few plants around: Having a few plants around your desk looks good, but also increases work productivity by 15%.
- Go easy on the air conditioning: Being colder than normal impacts overall productivity – having the temperature at 22 Celsius is just right for maximum work productivity.
- Avoid noise: Workers exposed to even low levels of office noise are slightly more stressed than those in a quiet working environment resulting in not as much work being completed.
- Listen to nature sounds: Nature sounds increase ability to concentrate.
- Check emails less: Checking emails for most of the day wastes too much time and reduces productivity. Deal with the urgent emails first thing and then get on with your other duties.
- Play music if bored: If you listen to music while carrying out monotonous tasks, you will actually get more done.
- Family photo’s: If you have some positive pictures or photographs around you at your desk, your productivity could increase by over 40%.
- Take a walk: Taking a walk gets the blood flowing, which means more oxygen is delivered to each organ and the brain. This results in clearer thinking, more energy and higher productivity.
- Try not to multitask: Try go do one thing at a time and prioritize – multi tasking results in confusion which leads to low productivity.
- Get the hard tasks out of the way first: Most of us have more energy in the morning time. The afternoon brings with it the dreaded slump – energy and willpower decreases which is why you are better off completing the harder tasks in the morning.
- Afternoon nap: If you can – take a small nap in the afternoon. This refreshes the brain and productivity is increased. No more than 30 minutes will do.
- Talk and have the craic with co-workers: Workers who communicate well and go to lunch together are less stressed and are more productive as they have a laugh and talk about their problems.
- Have short regular breaks: Make sure to take short breaks regularly. Stretch your legs and get your blood flowing. You will automatically feel tired if you sit at the same place for lengthy periods which has an effect on productivity.
- Meditate: The benefits of meditation are endless – it clears your brain and helps you focus on what’s happening now. This will help with prioritizing, communication, tiredness and being more alert.
- Breath: Don’t forget to breath properly – most of us feel tense and only slightly breath in which leaves our bodies and brains deprived of oxygen. Breath in more deeply than you normally would and if you can, breath out for longer. Do this for at least 4 breaths. This triggers the parasympathetic system in your body which ensures you get enough oxygen and remain relaxed at your job. Set reminders for yourself to check your breathing throughout the day.
- Visualizing: Instead of visualizing scenarios going wrong in your head – picture them going right for a change. If you have a presentation to do at work and you are very nervous, this is because you are expecting the worst. Instead, think about the best-case scenario. Replay the presentation going really well in your head. Visualize yourself giving a confident presentation and your audience really enjoying it – you can re-train your brain to think like this if you practice it every day.
- And relax …… don’t forget to take time out every day to relax and reflect. Don’t forget to do what you enjoy doing. Catch up with friends, spend some quality time with family or just have some time alone to chill. This helps with everything in life.
Are Traditional Interviews Dated?
Several studies have shown that the traditional way of interviewing is fast becoming a thing of the past. Rather than the interviewer seeing what the person would actually be like at the job, they listen to rehearsed answers given by a candidate who is more than likely very nervous – this does not show true potential. Bias may get in the way of hiring a person who would be able to perform well over someone that the interviewers likes or clicks with. The traditional interview also fails at assessing candidates for soft skills and understanding weaknesses.
Five new interviewing techniques are starting to be used more frequently to access and engage candidates more effectively:
- Soft Skills Assessments: Companies use several tools like surveys and questionnaires to measure key soft skills. The tool creates a profile based on top performing employees against which candidates are compared. They can also rank candidate’s strengths and weaknesses which allows the company to conduct more in-depth interviews. Candidates also receive immediate and personalised feedback about their top skills which is very positive.
- Job Auditions: Companies arrange a ‘Job Audition’ day where they get potential employees to compete by solving real business problems with data. Recruiters watch them at work in terms of company processes and access everything from how they think to how they lead and cooperate with their fellow team mates. This gives the company an ideal opportunity to engage with their candidates while assessing their skills on the job.
- Meeting in Casual Settings: This is a more laid-back way of interviewing. The candidate will more than likely be less stressed and more at ease. This will in turn encourage a more open and honest conversation between interviewer and interviewee with not as much chance of ‘rehearsed’ answers and nerves. Unexpected things may happen, and employers can assess how candidates handle these situations.
- Virtual Reality Assessments: Candidates move freely within a 360-degree virtual reality world and are given tasks to perform using tracked motion controls. Companies can clearly assess strengths and weaknesses and key skills for the job using this technique instead of just asking questions.
- Video Interviews: Before even meeting candidates, some companies start using video interviews before meeting them face to face. In their own time, the candidate usually spends up to twenty minutes recording answers to various questions. They introduce themselves and answer each question accordingly. The company’s recruitment team will then watch the videos and select the most appealing candidates for the next stage of the recruitment process.
Companies may also invite you to ‘A day in the life of’ event, where candidates get to feel and see what it is like to work at the company, all the while being assessed by managers.
So, the future of interviewing is here! The above interview techniques will be on the increase whether we like it or not so it’s best to find out as much as possible about them and be prepared for any future job applications!
Skills of the Future
A new age of work requires new skills to be able to prosper and be more successful in the future. Technology has advanced and is advancing at an astounding rate. Self -driving cars will eventually change the way we commute and up to 5 million jobs will be replaced by automated machines. This is why its important to keep up to date with the most important skills we will need by 2020.
Essential skills include the following:
Creativity: The ability to create something out of ideas is an essential skill needed now and in the
future. The ability to look at different problems and come up with a creative solution is a valuable
skill to have.
People Management: Automated machines have the ability to do maths and analyse but, they can’t
replace humans when it comes to leadership and management skills.
Communication & Coordination Skills: Effective communication and coordination skills with people
will be in high demand in every industry.
Empathy: Automated machines acquire many skills but they can’t replace humans when
It comes to empathy, caring, and sensitivity skills. Demand for people with these skills will still be
high in the future as we will always need healthcare and childcare workers.
Decision Making: The ability to shorten down extensive amounts of data in order to make more
informed decisions will be much needed in the information age.
Service Orientation: Patience, attentiveness, knowledge of products, time management skills
and ability to read customers are skills that will always be in demand and cannot be replaced.
Negotiation: The ability to work productively with businesses and individuals in order to reach
A compromise that works well for all parties involved is a key skill for future businesses.
The top 5 Career Sectors:
- Caregiving
- Information Technology
- New Media and Social Intelligence
- Lifelong Learning
- Adaptability and Business Acumen
In the future, more machines will start to take over lots of different jobs but one thing they can’t replicate is human feeling. If they do master human feeling, it will take a very long time so demand for these skills will be very high. Careers in Healthcare, Childcare, Management, Teaching and Tutoring will thrive.
Half of the skills needed in the future are to do with emotional functioning, the remaining half are more to do with making connections at work. Working with others on different projects and programmes will be a must and the more you know yourself and your ability to manage your emotions will be extremely important especially in leadership and managerial positions.
If you think you need to work on any of the above skills, have a look at our QQI Distance Learning and eLearning courses – There are many to choose from and covers everything from Healthcare, Childcare, Business Management, Special Needs Assisting, Training & Development, Digital Media and many more.
Get yourself ready and prepared for the future and you will be well ahead of the competition!
Food for thought!
A new book called ‘The Psychobiotic Revolution’ reveals that our brain health and state of mind are directly linked to our gut bacteria. More oily fish and a probiotic rich diet could help aid brain function and treat conditions such as depression and anxiety.
For the past 14 years Professor John Cryan , Chair of the Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience at the University of Cork, and Ted Dinan, Professor of Psychiatry at the University have been researching how the food we eat impacts our psychological well being and how it can also influence our brains.
They discovered that the gut microbiota influences how we feel and how we think and by increasing our intake of healthy bacteria can boost brain function and memory. They encourage you to take charge of your gut to optimize your mind and your mood.
An unhealthy balance of good bacteria in the gut has proven to result in poor moods, irritable bowel syndrome and more serious physical and mental problems.
This really does prove that what we eat directly impacts how we feel and how well we perform. Have a look at your diet and try to add as many healthy probiotic rich foods as you can. This can only benefit your studies if you are completing a course with us or are considering applying for a course.
Foods high in good bacteria (Probiotics):
- Yogurt
- Soft Cheeses
- Sourdough Bread
- Miso Soup
- Milk with added Probiotics
Prebiotics feed the Probiotics and you can find these in Asparagus, bananas, oatmeal and red wine.
If you don’t like these foods, there are many supplements available, just have a chat with your pharmacist!
CV Tips for Healthcare Professionals by Match Medics
- Research the company.
It’s always good to have some knowledge of the company and position you’re applying to – even just a quick google search is sometimes enough. This way you’ll know who you’re talking to if they contact you, and
You will know if you’re applying to a position you actually want.
- Tailor your CV for them.
You’ve researched the company – you now have a better idea of what they do, what their core values are, and what kind of experience/skills they will need from you. If you fit the bill, highlight this in your CV. Pro Tip: Use specific words and phrases from the job spec or company website on your CV
- Don’t leave out important information.
Meaning: Dates (month and year), Job title, Name of employer, Main duties held in that post, are all crucial to add in your CV. The same goes for education – you should have full dates, name of qualification, name of educational institute, etc. You should also add an explanation for any gaps you may have in your CV. If a recruiter/employer proceeds with your application they are going to ask you about these things anyway, so there is no point in leaving anything out. Your chances of them contacting you are much higher to begin with anyway, if you already have all of these things included.
- Avoid spelling mistakes.
Between spellcheck and google, there should be no spelling mistakes in your CV. If you’re unsure of the spelling of a word, a quick google search will get you your answer. Never rush your CV, and always get someone to proof- read it!
- Use an easy to read font.
Using a fancy font may make it look pretty, but that’s not much use if it’s impossible to read. Keep it professional and clear.
- Most relevant first.
Your most recent education/experience will also be the most relevant to the employer/recruiter, and so this is the first thing they should see. One way to make them skip your CV, and jump right on to the next is by starting it with the first job you had in 1997.
- Sum yourself up.
Meaning, add a profile. Just a few short sentences about how many years of experience you have, key achievements in previous jobs, in which field you are most experienced and what you will add to their organisation is enough.
- Keep it clear and concise.
Did you know that recruiters spend on average 6 seconds reading through a CV? That means you have 6 seconds to catch their attention. List the main duties you were responsible for in each job, but don’t turn it into a novel. It shouldn’t take a paragraph to explain something that can be explained in one short sentence. Less is more!
- Make sure it looks good.
You don’t need to be a professional designer or an expert in Word to make your CV look good. Just make sure it’s neat, and that it’s easy to read. Things like using bullet points, and being consistent with the font sizes you use can greatly improve the look of it.
- Don’t Lie.
Just don’t do it. We all want to make ourselves sound good to prospective future employers, but lies and over-exaggerations are always found out. Always be careful that the information in your CV is correct, such as dates etc., as mistakes can cost you an offer if it looks like you haven’t been truthful. No one wants to hire an employee they can’t trust.