As part of your interview preparation, you should have several questions for your interviewer. This will not only demonstrate your interest in the position, but it’ll allow you to learn if the employer is a good fit for you. After all, the interview process goes both ways. They want to make sure you are a good fit, but you need to ensure the job duties, expectations, and culture will be a good fit for you.

Be sure to ask open-ended questions that cannot simply be answered with a “yes” or a “no”. These type of questions might spark a new conversation or give you the opportunity to respond to anything you haven’t yet addressed.

If you have specific interview-related questions, give your recruiter a call. They have great relationships with hiring managers and can direct you more specifically into an excellent interview experience.

Along with the changes outside our windows, we’ve been working on some transformations that we’re excited to tell you about!

HCI is pleased to announce our upgraded and updated laboratory staffing website, www.labcareer.com. It has a brand new look with much easier functionality, brighter colors, better images — it’s us all dressed up!

From our website you can submit a resume, connect with a recruiter, search for open clinical and anatomic lab jobs, request help staffing your laboratory, and read our latest blogs. You can even subscribe to our blogs to make sure you don’t miss anything else we’re up to!

We’ve been helping people and laboratories since 1997, yet we’re only getting started. Expect more from HCI, the industry leader in clinical and anatomic pathology recruitment for both perm and travel.

Dr. Rohde’s article concludes that medical laboratory scientists (MLS) are the unsung heroes behind patient care.

Many patients believe the doctor does the laboratory testing, as they often do on television, but the reality is that most doctors rely on the MLS’s to do it. He says, “Patient history and physical signs and symptoms are vital, but most diagnoses need confirmation that only laboratory tests can provide.”

He supports that argument with a 2008 report in the Annals of Clinical Biochemistry where the authors reported that the junior doctors they surveyed were “more confident in their knowledge of when to request tests than in their ability to interpret the results.” Narrowing it down further, “18 percent of them said they would order a lab test without knowing how to interpret the result.”

Dr. Mary Ann McLane, University of Delaware professor and past president of the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science, was quoted: “Medical laboratory scientists are on the cutting edge of determining — by evidence-based practice — the most useful, time-efficient, safest, least costly diagnostic tests to be used for your health care. They are involved in the research needed to bring the best that science and technology can offer into the realm of diagnostic reality, all for the benefit of the patients we serve.”

This one bothers me not just because it seems like the author is yelling, but also because of the hidden spelling errors all caps camouflages. Many people don’t realize that most word processing software like Microsoft Word will not catch errors written in all caps unless they’ve specifically changed the settings. This is because all caps is intended to spell out acronyms, which aren’t typically in the dictionary anyway.

Capital letters should be used sparingly because readability is reduced and slowed because the height of every letter is identical making every word a rectangular shape, forcing the reader to read letter-by-letter. So instead of changing your software’s settings, change what you have typed to sentence case. It’s not only less annoying, it’s also easier and quicker for the reader to grasp.

Continuing along the same line, use your word processing software to your advantage by correcting the underlined misspelled words. Be careful though. Homonyms and sometimes grammar issues will not be identified with the software, so it’s best to read and re-read your resume, then have someone else take a look at it.

I have written and edited numerous documents where I did not identify a single error, yet when someone else read it, they found mistakes. A simple suggestion is to read the resume aloud as if you are talking to someone. My college technical writing instructor suggested reading the resume in reverse as a way to check spelling.

Imagine if your resume comes across the desk of a Human Resources professional who is looking for someone with exactly your qualifications. They look at your contact information — drunk.booboo.baby@hotmail.com — and pause while they contemplate your level of seriousness.

If you have a fun email address, that’s great. Use it and enjoy it for personal use, but create a professional one that reflects who you are as a potential employee. Your email address should not be suggestive, silly, flirtatious, or unusual. Instead, consider an email address using your first and last name. Having a second email address might come in handy to help you separate your professional mail from your receipts, order confirmations, and family correspondence.

Your potential employer will check your references and employment history. If you wrote that you worked at a hospital for 6 years, but the Human Resources Department says you were only there for 6 months, you won’t look like the upstanding employee they were hoping to hire.

Assume your resume will be verified — including your certifications, licenses, and degrees — so write it with honesty. Simply explain your work history gaps to your recruiter; they will advise how you should proceed.

If your resume is the 20th the Human Resources representative has seen that day, you want it to stand out by looking as professional as possible. A bright pink resume using a pop art-esque font may not get considered as the exact same resume written in a sleek, uncluttered, and simple font. Consider using Times New Roman or Arial in 10-, 11-, or 12-point size in black. Be sure your name and contact information are legible using the same font.

As always, proof your resume when you finish creating or updating it. Then once you are done proofing, proof it again! Then, after getting someone else’s comments, proof it again. The goal is to submit an error-free resume that lands you the job you want.

And please remember, the abbreviation for assistant is “asst”, not “ass”. That missing “t” can really hit you in the behind.

Sure, I can find you a fantastic job in the clinical or anatomic lab, secure housing, make travel arrangements, but thank goodness YOU are the one working with human lives at stake! You understand scientific words because know your job in the laboratory.

But how well do you really know labs? And by “labs” of course I’m talking about four legged, floppy eared Labrador retrievers!

• In his confession, serial killer “Son of Sam” David Richard Berkowitz claimed that his neighbor’s black lab was possessed by an ancient demon and commanded him to kill.
• According to Guinness World Records 2015, the first dog to detect diabetic episodes was a lab named Armstrong. He was trained in 2003 to smell the chemical changes that happen during a hypoglycemic episode.
• Tiki, a black Labrador retriever in Pennsylvania, was brought to the veterinarian due to vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite. X-rays showed a mass in her stomach and a two-hour exploratory surgery revealed the cause: Tiki had ingested 62 hair bands, eight pairs of underwear, and a bandage. She recovered just fine after surgery.
• The Guinness World Record for the most bottles recycled by a dog belongs to a Labrador in the United Kingdom. Tubby was added to the category “Most bottles recycled by a dog” because on his daily walks he collected and crushed over 26,000 plastic bottles over six years.
• Casey, an elderly yellow lab, ate nearly $500 in cash then three days later — on Thanksgiving no less — pooped out $480 in full bills. Only one $20 bill was lost because the serial number had been chewed into oblivion rendering it unreadable so the bank wouldn’t accept it. How do I know all this? I was the one who returned the fully washed and digested money to the bank. (I challenge you to find me a better reminder to wash your hands after you touch money.)

So thanks for what you do in the laboratory. I’ll stay out of there and continue helping people like you to find lab jobs throughout the United States.

The idea for the day was born after the 1973 armed conflict in the Middle East between Israel and a coalition of Arab states.

To promote the first step in peace — communication and understanding — brothers Michael and Brian McCormack, both students at the time, spent all their money on postage and sent letters to as many world leaders and government officials they could find asking them support the first ever World Hello Day.

Their hope in creating World Hello Day was celebrate the importance of personal communication for peace, and that they should rely on communication, not force, to resolve conflict.

At HCI we talk to thousands of people each day — be one of them! While you’re at it, ask about our open clinical and anatomic pathology jobs!

“When I went to work on Friday morning,” said Kelli N., “I was like, ‘I don’t remember all these lights being up on that mountain’. And then I realized they were orange, and it wasn’t lights at all — it was flames.”

She said the devastating fire started very close to her laboratory eventually bringing the flames within a mile.

“Anytime anyone would go on break they would come back in and report what was going on. We’d all go out and take a picture then come back in and show everybody how close the fire was [getting].”

Despite the proximity of the fire on Friday, the immediate area where the laboratory was located was not under evacuation orders. That all changed the following day: “We couldn’t go to work Saturday because of the flames. The supervisor went to work that day to save the specimens. He said the whole mountainside was on fire.”

Kelli said she could smell the smoke at home eight miles away due to a change in direction of the Santa Ana winds, which are defined by the National Weather Service as “strong, hot, dust-bearing winds [that] descend to the Pacific Coast around Los Angeles from inland desert regions”.

“It literally smelled like a campfire. Me being here in my fifth wheel made me feel like I really was camping here in LA.” She said she could have called someone to haul it to a safer place, but if worse came to worse, “Me and the dog would have left. I’ve got insurance. I can replace everything else.”

Despite the tragic fire, Kelli really likes being in California’s San Fernando Valley. In fact, given the opportunity, she would extend her contract. She feels perfectly safe where she is, mainly because of the numerous street-side fire hydrants.

There are currently two other fires burning in California, the “Camp Fire” in Butte County, which is reported to be 35 percent contained, and the “Hill Fire” in Ventura County that is 92 percent contained. The cause of the fires is still being investigated.

The Santa Ana winds continually blow, Friday, Nov. 9, 2018 9:30 AM

The fire and the Santa Ana winds, Friday, Nov. 9, 2018 1:30 PM

Having this cold has been such a pain. I’m trying to train myself to become a mouth-open sleeper who doesn’t mind a desert-level dry mouth. Attempting to eat while breathing is my new Olympic-level activity, but I’m certainly happy I don’t have the flu — again.

Last year tests confirmed what I guessed: I had influenza. My bones ached like they were decomposing yet ever so slowly expanding at the same time. My joints felt like they had shards of glass grinding deep into the cartilage despite barely moving at all. Breathing was strained. Just existing was exhausting.

According to the CDC, “during the 2017-2018 season, the percentage of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza was at or above the epidemic threshold for 16 consecutive weeks.” In fact, already in this season people have died in influenza-related cases in Kentucky, North Carolina, and Florida.

In our 20+ years of experience staffing clinical and anatomic laboratories, we have found that most facilities require their employees and contractors to get a flu shot in the fall and winter months. Very few permit them to decline the immunization, and even fewer allow them to wear masks while working.

If you already had a flu shot this season, simply send us a copy and you’ll have one less thing to do. I know I’m happier with one less task, especially with this cold wearing me down.

Excuse me while I get another box of tissues…

When you accept a laboratory travel job with HCI, be sure to let us know you want to bring your buddy with you. With a little extra time, we will be sure to find a pet-friendly way to travel.

If you are already credentialed through American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), American Medical Technologists (AMT), or American Association of Bioanalysts (AAB), you’ve got a good start. While some facilities don’t require certification, it’s definitely good to have so you can travel to more places.

Do you prefer lying on the beach catching some rays? Are you a hiker who would like to conquer our nation’s highest peaks? Are you a skier or snowboarder who loves to check out new terrain? As a traveler, you are in charge of where you want to go.

There are currently 9 states that require licensing: California, Florida, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Tennessee, and West Virginia. The licensing process is typically the same for all states: fill out an application, provide the required documents, and pay a fee. The time it takes to get your license varies from state to state and depends how busy the licensing office is, so don’t leave your license application to the last minute.

Pay differs from one area to the next. For example, California will typically pay more than Ohio. And third shift will pay more than first. An area that is more populated will typically pay more than a remote town. Experience also plays a role. There are many factors, so be realistic in your expectations.

After you interview, get the job, and sign the contract, paperwork will need to be done and you’ll be asked to provide proof of various immunizations and health documents. The most typically required documents include: TB, MMR, hep B, varicella, Tdap, influenza, and a recent physical. You may also be asked to do a color blind test and a fit test, as well as providing herpes zoster immunization documents, or other facility-specific records. It’s a great idea to have these documents at the ready so you can start as soon as possible.

As your employer, we will run a background check as well as a drug screen. We will also verify your credentials including your degree, certification, and licensure. All of this takes time, so expect a few weeks before you can actually start your travel job.

HCI will book your flight and rental car or you are welcome to drive to your assignment. We will also take care of your hotel and/or apartment. All you have to do is pack your bags and get ready for your adventure.

Why not get started? Check out our open positions here: Job Search or give us a call at (954) 346-4475. We have what you are looking for!