4 Hiring Tips You Can Learn from the Marathon - Spark Hire

4 Hiring Tips You Can Learn from the Marathon - Spark HireThe super storm that ravaged the east coast this past week has been an ongoing source of grief, stress and anger. Sandy tore through the northeast and has left hundreds of people out of their homes and waiting for assistance. Although it is certainly one of the minor setbacks the city had to face, the New York Marathon was cancelled just two days before it was set to go on. The cancellation of one of the most popular runs in the country angered many runners that trained for months to participate. However, the marathon and its cancellation got Spark Hire thinking a lot about the similarities in training for a marathon and the hiring process many recruiters and employers must navigate.You may bedrngnis think that the two are at all comparable, but there are certain traits marathon runners must possess that correlate with the traits that hiring managers and employers must possess as well. As a result, here are four hiring tips yo u can learn from the marathon- cancelled or leid.EnduranceIts not easy running 26.2 miles at once. In fact, many people think that it is downright crazy. So its east to say that it takes great endurance to complete a marathon. You can say the same thing about the hiring process as well. It takes a lot of endurance to constantly search through resumes, contact qualified candidates and interview with them- be it through video interviews or in-person interviews. Hiring takes a lot of time and it comes with a lot of stresses as well. However, if you stick with it and pull through you will appreciate your accomplishments at the end of all of your hard work. For a hiring manager or employer, that includes seeing your new hire succeed and take off in the position you hired them for.Your endurance and failure to let unqualified or annoying job seekers bother you makes the road that much easier to follow. Plus, implementing video interviews into your hiring process will certainly make it muc h easier to endure the hardships of hiring. Since collaboration is easy with video interviews, it will certainly help you endure the hiring process.PatienceIts fairly obvious that running a marathon takes some time. It takes much discipline and even more patience. You can certainly go out and try to run a marathon on the spot, but chances are you would not succeed. Training for a marathon takes months, and marathon runners must have a lot of patience with themselves. To top it off, all of that training is just for a few hours of one day. The hiring process isnt much different from that. As hiring manager you are reviewing possibly hundreds of resumes, speaking with handfuls of candidates and meeting with a select few. This process is not only tedious, but very time-consuming as well. Much like training for a marathon, hiring a new employee takes a lot of time. If you do not have the patience to adequately ruffle through resumes and applicants, you may just lose itThis is another rea son why video interviews in the hiring process are such a great tool. When you replace phone interviews with one-way video interviews you are saving yourself loads of time and frustration. Instead of testing your patience to the max each time you have to hire new employees, utilize video interviews.Focus on GoalsThe goal of most marathon runners is to finish. Some might be looking to finish in great time, but others just want to finish. When training gets difficult, the best runners focus on their goals and keep in mind why this run is so important to them. The same can be said for the hiring process. When you are looking to hire a new employee, you always want to keep the company goals in mind. If finding someone that is a great fit for corporate culture is very important, you cannot lose sight of that goal. Even if a candidates strong qualifications and experience distract you from the end goal, you have to remember what is most important for the company or department. A marathon can get very difficult, especially around mile 17, but remembering your goals helps. Hiring can get very tough at times too, but remember what you are looking for and stay focused on your goals.Best EquipmentYou wouldnt go out and run a marathon in old, holey shoes, would you? All signs point to no. You want to be sure you have the right equipment to complete the run. The same can be said for the hiring process as well. If you want to maximize your hiring and be sure you are doing the best you can, you need to use the correct tools to attract and find the best talent. Specifically, you want to be sure you are using video interviews in your hiring. You can get by without them, but if you do not utilize the power of video then you are not using the best tools for the job. Video interviews are part of the best hiring and screening tools, so be sure to use them in your hiring process.So you see, you can learn a lot about your hiring techniques from marathon runners all over the country. Endure the long hiring process, keep your patience, focus on your goals and always use the right tools and you will be on the road to great hiring.Do you think you can take some of these marathon tips and apply them to your hiring process? Let us know what you think in the comments section belowIMAGE Courtesy of Flickr by Martineric

TRICARE Prime Versus TRICARE Select

TRICARE Prime Versus TRICARE SelectTRICARE Prime Versus TRICARE SelectHealth care for military personnel and their families isnt something that gets much coverage in the media, which means that most civilians dont know very much about it. For military families, though, its a big deal. As with almost every other aspect of the military, budget cuts threaten to change the landscape of health insurance for military-affiliated families. TRICARE has been a benefit for many families and helps keep their medical expenses within budget. TRICARE offers two main plans with 15 different plan variants, making sure to offer plan options that have exactly what you need to get the best, and most affordable, healthcare for yourself and your family. TRICARE Prime and TRICARE Select offer two different approaches to healthcare. Each plan has its pros and cons, and the following comparison can help you make the best choice for your family. TRICARE Prime Active duty military members and their depende nts need to enroll in TRICARE Prime.Active duty families pay no enrollment fee, while retirees, their families and others must pay an enrollment fee ranging from $289 to $350 for individuals, and $578 to $700 for families. With TRICARE Prime, you can keep coverage costs to a minimum, while using a managed-care system. You arent required to pay a co-pay (out of pocket fee) or deductible, unless youre using the point-of-service option. In this case, youll have a single-person deductible of $300 or a family deductible of $600. If youre active duty, you wont be able to use the point-of-service option. If you want to use the no out-of-pocket option with TRICARE Prime, youll choose from a list of approved or designated providers, similar to a civilian HMO policy, where you can see only providers who are in the plans network. If you live on or near a base, this usually means going to the local military medical facility. Youll have somewhat limited options with this plan, especially if you or a family member has special medical needs. TRICARE Prime only offers availability in designated prime service areas, and you can find out which areas qualify by using the PlanFinderon the TRICARE website. In order to use the no-copay option under Prime, youll need an official referral if you need to see a specialist or other preferred provider. So, youll have mora paperwork and processing on Prime, but the savings may very well be worth it for your family. You just have to prepare yourself for a delay in care while you wait for referrals. If you need immediate, emergency care, youll have to spend a few seconds thinking about your options before you rush out the door. For example, TRICARE separates emergency and urgent care, and the coverage requirements are different under the plan. A visit to the emergency room for a life-threatening concern only warrants a post-event call to your program contractor. Alternatively, a visit to urgent care for a non-life-threatening but aserious i ssue (such as a broken ankle) does require a referral. The TRICARE Prime plan caps your costs, called a catastrophic cap, depending on your military status. For active duty family members, youll pay a maximum of $1,000, and all others pay a maximum of $3,000 to $3,500. TRICARE Select TRICARE Selectgives you the most freedom of choice and flexibility in your options for providers, but it also involves some additional out-of-pocket expenses. You have the choice to use a network provider or out-of-network provider, and you wont need to get a referral. However, you may leise need authorization for certain services, just as you would with most other insurance plans. You must enroll in this plan, and you may need to pay for some services up front and then file a claim yourself to get reimbursed. If you choose an in-network provider, they typically file claims for you. TRICARE Selectcan be great if you live on or near a base but dont want to use the local military medical facilities, o r someone in your family has special needs. TRICARE Standards out-of-network option can also come in handy if you live more than 30 miles from a military medical facility and dont want to drive long distances to take your children to the doctor. The program is available in all areas of the United States. You will pay an annual deductible on TRICARE Select,however, the rates are still very affordable compared to civilian insurance options. For example, for an E4 and below and on active duty or in the Guard/Reserve, your deductible can be $50 per person (but no more than $100 for the whole family). E5 and above can expect $150 per individual (but no more than $300 for the whole family). You will also be responsible for a percentage or share of certain services. Many preventative services dont require an out-of-pocket fee, however, you can expect to be responsible for anywhere from $15 to $28in-network or 20 percent to 25 percent for out-of-network provider visits. This plan features t he same catastrophic cap benefit level as the TRICARE Prime plan. Making the Right Choice For Your Family Both plans offer great options for active duty military personnel and their families. Establish your priorities for health care, and consider your long-term needs to help guide your research. Like any other decision regarding medical care, be sure to communicate directly with your insurance provider to get the most up-to-date information.