Raleigh, N.C. – Local Eye Site (LES), the premier online employment community for professionals in the eye care industry, today welcomed Steven Squires as the newest member of the Local Eye Site team.  Mr. Squires joins LES as a Marketing and Sales Support Analyst.

Mr. Squires joins Local Eye Site with three years of experience in Online Marketing, Recruitment, and Project Management from his prior roles in advertising and university recruitment.  He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing from the Poole College of Management at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC.

Mr. Squires will be responsible for the creation and management of Local Eye Site’s strategic marketing plan, and will focus on working with the company’s media partners to further develop the LES brand, create online awareness, and promote the company’s services through a nationwide network of media outlets.

“Local Eye Site is an extraordinary company with a rapidly expanding customer base,” said Squires. “What LES offers to the eye care industry is something to brag about.  As a marketer, you can’t find a better opportunity to do just that.”

“We’re thrilled to have someone as creative and driven as Steven on board at Local Eye Site,” said Brad McCorkle, President and Founder of LES. “As LES expands the number of media partners, and verticals we operate in, it is imperative that a talented and energetic person manage our marketing internally.  Steven is a great fit, and we’re thankful to have him.”

Local Eye Site is the premier online recruiting community for all eye care professionals. Local Eye Site is more than a destination recruiting site; LES is the engine that powers online recruiting for the entire eye care industry.

In follow up to that, I recently received an email from Linked-In that graphically depicted the number of my “connected” associates that have in fact changed jobs in the last 12 months….134 of them! Now, I’m connected to nearly 600 professionals on Linked-In, but still, that’s about 25% of my connections have recently changed jobs, and that doesn’t include those that did so and didn’t bother to update their profile.  Hmmm…according to Linked-In, “2011 was a year of change.”  What will 2012 be like?

Included in Jobson’s Optical Business Barometer was reporting about broader economic indicators: “The National Federation of Independent Businesses Index increased in December by 1.8 points to 93.8. This is the 4th consecutive month of increase after 6 consecutive months of decline.  The Consumer Confidence Index increased from a revised 55.2 in November to 64.5 in December. It seems worthy of note that the Consumer Confidence Index stood at 40.5 in October. The final 2 months of 2011 showed quite unusual increases as confidence among consumers buoyed.”

These trends will certainly have impact on the labor demand and supply in our industry.  Is your business properly staffed and equipped to take advantage of the changing business environment?

“At LES, the overwhelming majority of customer and prospect contacts that we deal with on a day-to-day basis happen to be women,” said Brad McCorkle, president and founder of LES. “So, a relationship with OWL is very important to our company. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to power the OWL Career Center and empower the women we serve everyday at LES.”

“The OWL Career Center offers members a unique way to reach qualified applicants in ophthalmology, research consultants in our field, brush up on professional skills, or look for new opportunities themselves,” said Jan Beiting, president and co-founder of OWL. “We are excited to partner with LES, a leader in online ophthalmic recruiting, to ensure that our members can take advantage of a highly targeted database of job seekers and job postings in ophthalmology.”

The OWL Career Center powered by LES is now live on the OWL website. All positions posted via the OWL Career Center are distributed and/or promoted across the vast “LES Power Network,” that includes localeyesite.com, and the websites of Review of Ophthalmology Magazine, Vision Monday, 20/20 Magazine, Review of Optometry, SightNation, Review of Optometric Business, the ATPO Career Center, the ASORN Career Center and more.

See published story on Vision Monday

A contributing factor in differentiating between the mediocre and good candidates is to consider whether or not this person really wants to work for your company, or are they just looking for a job?  A great opening question is “what can you tell me about our company?” or “why do you want to work for our practice?”  Sit back and listen.  I’ve interviewed MBA students with no clue why our company exists or what services we provide.  The silence can be very awkward, but telling.  Conversely, I’ve interviewed candidates that have personally used our site in the past to find work, and later to recruit, and that experience shaped their desire to work for our company.  I believe those kinds of connections, although not always possible, can create a foundation that increases the odds of a long-term fit.

Another great question is “what have you done to prepare for this interview?”  Interview preparedness is also very important to me because I believe it’s a marker of the types of candidates willing to go the extra mile, and sometimes points to those passionate about what you do.  A very prepared candidate can represent a great recruiting opportunity.  Most experts agree that the cost of turnover represents at least 100% of annual salary.  That’s an expense we’d all like to avoid, and one way to decrease the likelihood of turnover is to hire people that are passionate about ophthalmology, and more specifically want to work for your practice.  If your candidate can’t tell you much about how they’ve prepared, or at least a well thought-through reason why they want to work for you, perhaps it’s a sign they are not the right fit, so I would encourage you to proceed with caution.

A great sign of preparedness is when the candidate asks insightful questions.  Good questions from the interviewee can be markers of several things:

1. He or she spent time researching the position.  It’s likely that if you’ve prepared, then a question or two has come to mind.
2. An active mind.  Active minds often have good ideas that can help your business down the road.
3. A candidate with options.  You would expect the best candidates to be sought by more than one practice, and if they have options, they will probably come with questions geared to help them make the right choice.

Cover letters are an old staple that seems to have lost favor, but assuming they are well written specifically for my position, I still like when candidates provide them.  I received one recently that began with “I am writing to express my interest in the Marketing and Sales Support Professional position listed on the LES website.”  The letter went on to succinctly explain how the applicant’s background and experiences translated into an ability to excel in this position.  Call me old fashioned, but this tells me that this is a candidate that actually wants to work for MY company (as opposed to just wants A job), and is probably the type of person that is willing to go the extra mile to do a great job.

I’m also a fan of transparency.  What I mean is that I prefer when people are open about gaps in their resume, or situations they wish had gone differently in their careers.  Let’s face it, most of us have had a professional situation in our past that we’d rather not discuss.  Those struggles don’t have to be a strike against the candidate however because they may contribute to the maturation of the candidate, and how the candidates handles the discussion may help you separate a person’s willingness to be open about their mistakes from those that are more liberal with the truth.

Lastly, give yourself more time to recruit, more experience with the candidate, and when possible, recruit pro-actively.  It’s difficult to find the a great fit for your job, and your company’s culture.  It’s not likely that you can consistently make great hiring decisions when recruiting in a rush.  How many times have you met with your candidate, and have you met with them in different environments?  Have you solicited help from others in your organization with regards to making a decision about this candidate?  Do you have a pipeline of candidates for the future?  Perhaps you could even have a few candidates complete a project for you prior to making the employment decision so that you get a feel for their style.  The more robust your experience with the candidates, the more likely you’ll make the right hiring decision.

The tables have been turned a bit here at Local Eye Site. Typically, we’re facilitating hiring for our customers, but now we are the hiring party. Over the last few months, we have been interviewing quite a few candidates for a Marketing and Sales Support position we plan to fill in early 2012. We’ve seen a lot, good and bad. Here’s a list of “to-do’s” and “to-don’ts” that every job-seeker should consider.

1. For goodness sake, educate yourself about the company you are interviewing with. If you don’t have a clue what they do, then you might as well go home. Nothing says, “I didn’t prepare for this interview” more than watching a candidate squirm in their seat trying to guess at why your company exists (this is #1 on the list for a reason).
2. Prepare examples of work you’ve done in the past that demonstrate your ability to do this job. If that doesn’t quite do it…
3. Offer to complete a project for the employer at no charge that will prove your ability to exceed their needs. Trust me, that will give the employer a warm fuzzy, and you a leg up on the competition.
4. I want YOU to want MY job. Being prepared, and knowledgeable about a specific opportunity and company is a good sign. Put yourself in the employer’s shoes. Would you rather hire someone that is looking for just any old job, or would you rather hire someone that is actually excited about your company and your opportunity.
5. First impressions are a big deal. Remember, the employer is meeting lots of people, and has to make a tough decision based on limited exposure. Do what your Mama told you…sit up straight, make eye contact, be attentive, be knowledgeable, be excited and give a firm handshake.
6. Write a cover letter specifically to the employer that explains why you are the right person for the job. The cover letter is an old staple, but you would be surprised what a small percentage of job-seekers take the time. If you’re looking for a competitive advantage, here’s an easy one.
7. Come prepared with great questions. It’s hard to believe that you really want this job, but you don’t have a single question about it? I’ve answered every single curiosity or concern…really?
8. Smile. I know you’re nervous, but wouldn’t you rather work with energetic, happy people. I would.
9. Transparency. Maybe I’m not like everyone else, but I want the truth, and I can handle it. We all have something in our professional background that we wish had gone differently. It’s okay. What I can’t deal with is wondering if I can trust someone to tell me the truth.
10. Follow up. Your Mama probably told you to write thank you notes too. Listen to your Mama-she knows what she’s talking about.

About five(5) Years ago, the Bonita Springs, FL Lions Club elected to commit its substantial resources to the creation of an independent eye clinic for the medically indigent.  The clinic provides comprehensive eye care examinations and therapeutic care for adults and children who have no public or private health insurance and meet the Federal measure with income of <200% of the poverty level guideline.  The clinical and administrative staff is composed of experienced professionals, one of which is Local Eye Site friend, Michelle P. Herrin, COMT, CO.

Michelle approached the LES booth at ATPOs ACE meeting in Orlando this past October to tell us about the Lions Clinic.  The clinic is in need of technical support, like the kind that Michelle provides 2-3 hours at a time.  The clinic is expanding from two rooms to four, so is in need of help from Ophthalmologists, Optometrists and Technicians, as well as a need for more equipment.  They currently treat pterygia, but hope to expand to cataract surgery in the future.

We salute Michelle, and the other volunteers at the Bonita Springs Lions Eye Clinic for their healing work, and ask for your support on their behalf.  Is it any coincidence that the Gospels mention Jesus work healing the blind?  In one story, Jesus heals a man that was blind since birth.  The disciples asked why this man had been born this way, and Jesus responded, “so that the work of God may be displayed in him.”  It’s clear that the volunteers at the Lions Eye Clinic are providing more than just vision care.

Healing Work

Care to volunteer at the Lions Clinic, or donate equipment?  Let us know by emailing info@localeyesite.com and put “Lions Clinic” in the subject line.  Thanks!

It takes a lot of work just to develop, manage, and maintain a practice. So considering what to do when you want to take your practice to the next level can be overwhelming. We (VisionWeb) work with eye care practices every day to help them find and implement solutions that improve their business, so we have been able to pinpoint a few areas of focus that can have a big impact on long-term success. We’ve also been researching and learning about trends and issues, both in the industry and outside it, that are relevant to your practice and can play a role in your success.

1. Have I Embraced Online Claim Filing or Just Accepted It? By now, you get it, filing claims online is efficient and it’s the way of the future. And it’s the way payers want you to submit claims, so you have to do it, right? Well, yes but if that’s you’re feeling about online claim filing, you’re really missing out! The shift to online claim filing has ushered in a new set of tools that you can really use to get to know your practice. That’s what we want you to think about! Don’t just look at online claim filing as a mandated burden; make it really work to your advantage.

Insider Tip: Switching between several sites can be confusing for multiple users, and you miss out on a lot of information this way. Using a single source for claims submission, reports, and remits makes online claim filing work for you and not just payers.

2. Could I Be Getting More Out of My Practice Management Investment? Whether you already have a system, or if you’re thinking about purchasing one, you need to get the most of it! Think of your practice management system as the brain of your practice. Is everyone using it? Are you putting all of the features to good use? Does everyone know how to use it?

Insider Tip: Many systems offer a library of training materials for your staff, which can be invaluable. Find out what’s available so that everyone is trained. These resources may even be free, and that will pay off!

3. Am I Buying the Frames My Patients Can and Will Buy? How often do you re-evaluate your frame strategy? How do you go about selecting frames that your patients will buy? Are you doing anything to make sure that they can buy the frames you carry? Since trends change so often, this is an important area of focus.

Insider Tip: Review of Optometric Business is a great resource for this aspect of your practice. Use their benchmarking data to set goals and evaluate your practice.

4. How Can I Take My Patient Relations From Good to Great? You may be wondering why we would include patient relations in a discussion about practice success, but interactions between your practice and your patients have a direct impact on your bottom line, so you want to make sure those interactions are great, right? After all, happy patients come back year-after-year, and they send their friends and colleagues to you. That’s important when you consider that 36% of consumers report that they found their eye doctor through a referral from a friend or coworker! Relationship building is more important in business today than ever.

Insider Tip: When your staff is happy, your patients will be able to feel it. Fostering a positive environment behind the desk works wonders for customer satisfaction.

5. What Does Social Media Mean to Me and My Patients? Do you know what people are saying about your practice? With the rise of social media, consumers are turning to the internet more than ever to voice their opinions about their experiences with businesses. Having a strong internet presence, and knowing what people are saying about your business, is vital to success. Let them talk about you on Yelp, use 4Square to become a destination, let them get to know you on Facebook, and use Twitter to interact and make lots of new connections.

Insider Tip: Treat social media like an extension of your practice. It’s all about interacting and engaging. You create meaningful relationships when you truly incorporate social media rather than thinking of it as a short-term fad.

It may seem obvious, but it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day tasks, and before you know it a quarter or even a year has flown by. Making a conscious effort to consider your practice and the things your practice needs, on a regular and frequent basis, will work wonders for your practice!

iPad2 winner Jennifer Freeman and LES' Bill Valdespino

We had the pleasure of being a sponsor of the JCAHPO and ATPO Annual CE program in Orlando this week during Academy.  I was blown away by the professionalism and enthusiasm of this group despite the fact that it was a weekend, and the 2,500 or so COAs, COTs and COMTs were in a classroom virtually all day.  We spoke directly to hundreds, if not thousands of these pros and the message was similar across the board - they take pride in their skills and in their work ethic.

Medical writer and editor, Barbara Boughton has reported in EyeNet Magazine that “for more than a decade, there has been a shortage of ophthalmic technicians in most cities in the United States. Indeed, it is estimated that there’s a need for an additional 6,000 ophthalmic medical personnel, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmic Executives.”

So, given the state of the economy and high unemployment rates, one would think that this shortage would be easing. Unfortunately, that’s not the case.  In many of the conversations we had with the techs attending the ACE meetings, we repeatedly heard that they are having all sorts of difficulty finding strong technician candidates. The tone of these conversations is difficult to explain; it was one of pride and accountability. These folks have standards and a work ethic that they expect newcomers to the industry to embrace. They expect their peers to take their skills and certification seriously while representing the profession honorably.

Jennifer Freeman, an Ophthalmic Technician serving at Dover Air Force Base summed it up beautifully as we celebrated her winning the Blackout Bingo Grand Prize. Smith said of her tech career, “I do it because I love it.”