Happy Thanksgiving from the Allen School Blog

Even with a top-notch medical office assistants degree like the one you’ll get at Allen School, it is more difficult to succeed in a career (and life in general) if you’re unhappy all the time.  Think about it, we’ve all known that perennially dour person.  You know the one.  He or she is always wearing a scowl, has nothing positive to say about anyone or anything, always ready to talk trash or say things to deflate the achievements of others.  Real Debbie or Donnie Downers. As it turns out, those sad sacks fall into their depressing behavior – whether they realize it or not – by practicing a set of 7 habits that all chronically unhappy people seem to have in common.  Life coach, speaker and writer, Tamara Star published a piece on the Huffington Post recently called The 7 Habits of Chronically Unhappy People, listing these 7 deadly (to your happiness) habits.  Here is the list of seven habits that may make you an unhappy person:

1. Your default belief is that life is hard.
2. You believe most people can’t be trusted.
3. You concentrate on what’s wrong in this world versus what’s right.
4. You compare yourself to others and harbor jealousy
5. You strive to control your life.
6. You consider your future with worry and fear.
7. You fill your conversations with gossip and complaints.

Nobody wants to work with or otherwise be near to people who are chronically sad, spiteful, bitter or generally unhappy.  Certainly, no sick patient wants to be attended to by medical office assistants who are obviously unhappy.  Understanding how our habits may unconsciously drive our behavior is key to moderating feelings of unhappiness.  Since you’re considering a career in care giving, it may pay to read this article and guard against habits that may impact your ability to be effective in your chosen field.  

Typically, I encounter posts written at job seekers’ sites talking about how best to answer certain common job interview questions.  Things like, “Where do you see yourself in five years” or “What do you consider your greatest strengths and weaknesses” are typical and have been discussed ad nauseum.

Today, however, I came across a piece at Monster.com that listed the following Top 5 Things to Say During your Job Interview.  This was a refreshing take on the threadbare discussion topic because it provides simple statements (and a couple of questions) you can inject into the conversation with your interviewer.  These five things all work to put you forward in the best possible light and provide you with the opportunity to segue into the kinds of discussions an interviewer’s (often hackneyed) questions are designed to elicit. “Let me tell you about a time that I solved that problem.” This statement, followed by a story about how you achieved in a past capacity, demonstrates that you’re results-oriented, not just a sum of your list of capabilities.

“Can you clarify? Asking for clarification demonstrates that you’re thoughtful and careful and wish to have all the information you may need to answer a challenge before you get started.

“I read about that project on your website.” This statement clearly and proactively demonstrates that you’re an inquisitive self-starter.  These lists always admonish readers to do some research on the hiring organization before going to the interview.  This simple sentence makes clear you did your due diligence.

“What made you decide to work here?” When asked if you have any questions for the interviewer, it is always a best practice to have some thoughtful questions ready to ask.  Asking the interviewer what drove their decision to work for this company turns the tables.  However, it is a fair question and one that may yield some insight you wouldn’t have come away with otherwise.

“I’d love the chance to join this team!”

There is no ‘I’ in the team says the old axiom.  Making this statement demonstrates that you bring a team-working ethic to the job and shows you’re ready to jump in and work together with others.

I loved reading this list and I am confident these tips will come in handy at your next job interview.