An Employer of Choice

Part of Tanner Health System’s mission includes establishing itself as the region’s healthcare provider of choice. However, Tanner already has made significant steps in cementing its reputation as an employer of choice in the metro Atlanta area, earning regional, state and national accolades from a number of industry-focused publication, including the Atlanta Business Chronicle, Modern Healthcare and Georgia Trend.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Test? Did you say Test?!

A pencil and single sheet of paper.
Do you remember those dreadful words from high school that have often served as an infamous reminder of the dangers of procrastination:

"Class, clear yours desks and take out a pencil and one sheet of notebook paper - we are going to have a pop quiz"

Do you remember the universal groan that could be heard across the student body?  Pulses raced,  eyes widened and palms became sweaty as pupils prepared to face the music.

Testing is seldom fun.
That's the same emotion many people feel when they learn that their job-seeking experience will not only lead them through a grueling interview, but also through pre-employment testing.

At Tanner Health System, excellence is one of our service standards and that means that we set high expectations for ourselves.  We also set high standards for those that would like to join our ranks.  We want our patients and visitors to enjoy the best of care.  So our selection process will often require skills testing, sometimes a credit check, and always a criminal background check and a physical examination including drug and alcohol screening.  All aimed at helping us select the best person for the job.

This post will hopefully offer some insights into our testing process and alleviate some of that test anxiety.

Criminal Background
Criminal background checks are a staple in the health care industry, so if you apply for a position, you can expect one.  Various agencies are utilized to determine if a candidate has been convicted of any crimes. Honesty is the best policy where criminal background checks are concerned.  While an incident of criminal history will not necessarily get you declined - falsifying your information will.

Credit History Investigation
If you've applied for a position that requires the handling of money, you can expect a credit check.  The reason for this is based -  in great part - on our obligation to protect the organization's finances by evaluating potential risks.  Credit investigations are just another step toward finding the individual candidate best suited for the position.  Individuals with a shaky credit history may want to apply for positions that do not require a good credit report until theirs is stabilized.
If a good credit history is part of the job qualifications, the following message will accompany the job posting:

*Credit Report is required for this position*


Skills Testing
Typing test, Microsoft Word and Excel testing, and 10-Key calculator tests are all part of our battery of skills tests.  If any of these are required, the job posting will either indicate that a test is required or the job skill will be listed specifically (i.e. "must be able to type 35 words-per-minute").  These skill tests are usually administered in the Human Resources office at the time of the first interview.

It is always a good idea to review a position's requirements before completing an application and only apply if you are certain that you possess the required skills.

Physical Examinations
Physical exams are administered once an individual has accepted an offer of employment, these exams include a drug and alcohol screen and a Tuberculosis skin tests.

The road to a career with Tanner Health System may seem to be a little -well- testing ... but that is only because we strive to always hire the person that best fits the available position.  The desired result is that we will not only be a great place to work - but we'll also continue to have great people doing the work!

Share/Bookmark

No comments: