Secrets of a CRA Recruiter

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Welcome to the CRA Resource Show! craresources is a unique Recruitment Agency with a single focus of providing CRA Staffing for Clinical Studies across North America. read less
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Episodes

CRAs: Tips to Foster Successful Relationships
3d ago
CRAs: Tips to Foster Successful Relationships
Several years ago I worked with someone who absolutely drove me crazy. She was extremely smart and quite effective at her job, but getting along with her was a challenge. I spoke with my mentor about it and he said something that completely changed my thought process: No matter how difficult, your goal should always be to build successful relationships. Ultimately, your responsibility is to carry out the mission of your project, not to be homecoming queen. And as a side note, you never know who you are going to end up working for…what if she became your boss at some point? Eek. But doesn’t this ring true? Coordinators move into CRA roles and then into Management positions. Folks in senior leadership step back into CRA roles. Others decide to start sites or build CROs. The industry is dynamic and the ability to build successful relationships is crucially important for many reasons.And as a CRA, your ability to foster effective site relationships will not only make or break the study results but will also likely make or break your career. One of our favorite long-term CRAs, Tuypeakus McKay, joined us to discuss his approach. Want to know how personal he gets with his sites? How does he establish an effective communication method? What does he do to earn the site’s trust? And when it comes to escalating, how does he do it in a way that resolves the issue without breaking his relationship? His advice is gold and available in today’s podcast.craresources
How to Ask Someone to be a Reference
Nov 21 2024
How to Ask Someone to be a Reference
Many candidates find it extremely difficult to ask someone to be a reference. I find one of the primary reasons is that the candidate doesn’t want to bother past supervisors. After all, providing a reference can be time-consuming. As a supervisor myself, I can honestly say it would never be a burden for me to serve as a reference for one of my top performers. So is the worry of bothering a past supervisor a valid concern? There are many other reasons candidates are anxious when it comes to asking someone to serve as a reference. Perhaps they haven’t kept up with their past supervisors, and therefore aren’t sure how to find their contact information. Additionally, in many cases, candidates may be worried the reference would simply decline, not being willing to speak on their behalf. And the biggest fear…what will they say?I recently presented a webinar where one of the attendees asked if it was appropriate to include her references on her resume. No. No, it isn’t. And what about those candidates who provide references without first asking their permission? Eek…that isn’t a smart approach either. So what is the best practice when it comes to asking someone to serve as your reference? This week’s roundtable provides advice on how to nurture your network so you always have references available. We also give tips on how to ask someone to be a reference, as well as how to prepare your reference in a way that makes you feel confident in what they will say about you. craresources
How to Use Humor in a Job Interview
Nov 5 2024
How to Use Humor in a Job Interview
Does the job interview always have to be serious? Yes…and no. Of course, there are components of every job interview that should be serious. However, I feel that being too serious in an interview is a flawed approach and a missed opportunity. Why? Research shows that when used properly, the use of humor facilitates personal attachment and builds connections. Sophie Scott presented an awesome TED talk on why we laugh and how the overall purpose of laughter is to create social bonding. And the real reason for every interview is to build a connection. Candidates who build an effective rapport with their interviewer stand out. And this is important because our statistics show that for candidates, likability is more important than competence.  Many organizations such as Forbes, LinkedIn, Harvard Business Review, and GovLoop agree.  Likewise, interviewers will find they are more effective during the interview when they put their candidates at ease. Humor, when appropriately used, can go a long way in enabling an interviewer to effectively bond with a candidate. And this means the hiring manager has a better idea of whether the candidate will fit the company’s culture. However, interview participants on both sides will seriously flunk if they inappropriately use humor. So how do you use humor in a way that makes you stand out as a top candidate (or employer) without putting yourself at risk of appearing not serious enough? Or worse yet, make you appear unprofessional, immature…or worse? Join us in this week’s roundtable as we provide guidelines on the appropriate way to use humor in a job interview. craresources
The Art of Overcoming a Career Setback
Oct 14 2024
The Art of Overcoming a Career Setback
The job search can be a challenge. How do you, as a jobseeker overcome a career setback in a way that makes you stronger? Our special guest John Nocero would state it is time to ‘Becky Up’. Becky Lynch (John’s Shero) has been quoted as saying: You can be going through hardships sometimes, and you’re struggling, and then you’re wondering if you’re ever gonna make it. My mentor would call this struggle the ‘dark of the night’ where you wonder if you will ever obtain your goals. And get this, all of us have experienced a career setback.  Seriously – all of us. But have you considered if your current career trajectory…your current career goals are right for you? Becky was also quoted as stating: It’s so important just to be true to yourself and to own your character and take responsibility for it, and speak up and say: This isn’t right; this isn’t me. It is a great lesson, not just in wrestling but in life. If you’re not feeling something that’s true to your heart… everybody’s gotta be true. Listen in to this week’s podcast where we provide advice on two key points that every jobseeker should be focused on during their challenges: First, why fighting for your career goals and ambitions is critical for anyone who wants to progress personally and professionally. And second, why being true to yourself is the key component to the recipe for success. I will leave you with one more quote by Dan Gable, two-time NCAA National Wrestling Champion: Gold medals aren’t really made of gold. They’re made of sweat, determination, and a hard-to-find alloy called guts.craresources