One Day, One Job » health care

Doximity

Willy Franzen — Mon, 21 May 2012 16:25:06 +0000

If you haven’t heard something about the Facebook IPO in the past few days, you must have had a really good weekend. What annoys me about successful startups is all the knockoff attempts. A lot of people think that a good idea is enough to build a business on, so they copy the successes and usually fail miserably despite having a “good idea.” A much better approach is to take inspiration from the big successes and apply what you learn to a more focused niche. Doximity has done exactly that–they’re a social network for doctors and healthcare professionals. The San Mateo, CA based company has picked a great market in that a big part of being a doctor is communicating with other doctors. It’s also a market with amazing monetization possibilities.

Increase Your Proximity to Doximity

Let’s be honest, most of the things that most of us do on social networks is pretty frivolous. Doximity avoids this problem by focusing on specific things that are important to healthcare professionals. They offer the typically features to allow people to connect socially and professionally, but they also make it easy to find contact information for other doctors’ offices, provide a free digital fax line, and offer opportunities for doctors to earn more money through “research, 2nd opinions, and medico legal consulting.” While you won’t be able to sign up for Doximity since you’re not a healthcare professional, you can tour their product. If you’re excited by what you see, then go take a look at Doximity’s Jobs page. Right now they’re hiring a Marketing Coordinator, an Automation Test Engineer – Quality Assurance, a Ruby on Rails Engineer, and User Experience Designer. Check these awesome jobs out.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Doximity?

GiveForward

Willy Franzen — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:26:25 +0000

Nearly 500,000 teaching jobs will be added in the next decade. If you’re considering a career in education, take a look at our guide to entry level teaching jobs.

At some point you’ve probably participated in a fundraiser to help pay for someone’s medical costs. You may have organized a car wash, bought a candy bar, run in a race, or just made a simple donation. It’s one way that we take care of people in our communities when they’re in need. The problem with fundraisers is that they can be an organizational nightmare. GiveForward is a Chicago, IL based company that solves this problem by offering people online fundraising pages. I met Ethan Austin, one of the company’s founders, about three years ago, and since then I’ve watched GiveForward help people raise more than $13 million and grow as a company at the same time. Every time I see him again, it seems like there’s a new success.

Moving Forward

When I initially heard about GiveForward, I assumed it was a non-profit. It just made sense, but GiveForward is a real business with a real revenue model. They take a 7% cut of all donations that come through their platform. That may sound a little steep, but when you look at how much value they provide to users (and realize how expensive credit card payment fees are), it makes a lot of sense. If you’re still not sure how GiveForward works, just take a look here or watch this video:

With such a simple product, it’s no surprise that GiveFoward has compiled a list of impressive success stories. I love it when companies can make money and provide tremendous social value at the same time. If you want to be part of the GiveForward team, check out their Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for a Front End Developer, a UI Graphic Designer, a Lead User Interface Designer, and a UI Developer. They don’t have any non-technical positions posted right now, but if you want an idea of what might be available in the future take a look at their team page or their internship postings.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you ever raised money for medical expenses?

Everyday Health

Willy Franzen — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 15:39:06 +0000

Guys. If you’re going to land a job, you need pants. And shoes. And shirts. And maybe even a jacket and tie. Looking good is important, which is why you should outfit yourself in Bonobos like I do. Here’s $25 off your first order. My gift to you.

I have no idea where people went to ask embarrassing health questions before the Internet. I guess you could have gone to a doctor, but it’s really nice to pre-educate yourself before you ask a professional. That’s why there’s ridiculous demand for health-related information online. Everyday Health is a company that has been reacting to this demand since they started in 2002. They are a New York, NY based company that provides “consumers, healthcare professionals, and brands with content and advertising-based services across a broad portfolio of over 25 websites that span the health spectrum.” If you ask Google and embarrassing health question, there’s a really good chance that you’ll end up on one of their sites. In 2010 they were averaging 26.5 million monthly unique visitor, which is just a massive amount of traffic–especially in a niche as valuable as health related information.

Everyday Jobs

While Everyday Health calls their sites “partners,” I think it would be more accurate to call them properties. Some are generic like Prostate.net and TopDentists.com, while others are based on partnerships with recognizable brands like MayoClinic.com, DeniseAustin.com, and JoyBauer.com. Each site is obviously targeted at a very specific niche and monetized accordingly through advertising. If you’re interested in online publishing and health/medicine, then you need to take a look at Everyday Health’s Jobs page. Right now they have some great opportunities for new or recent grads including:

These look like great opportunities, so don’t pass them up.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you use the Internet to ask embarrassing health related questions?

Drchrono

Willy Franzen — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 16:26:37 +0000

Reasoning Mind is an education focused non-profit that uses the web to teach kids math, and they’re hiring 30 new grads as Program Coordinators. Learn more about these amazing entry level opportunities.

The health care situation in the United States is a mess. It’s hard to disagree with that, but it’s easy to disagree about how we can fix it. I think that technology is a big part of the answer. I don’t mean medical technology (though that will certainly help)–I’m talking about administrative technology. I know it’s not nearly as exciting, but if doctors can run their practices more efficiently, they’ll be able to deliver better care at a lower costs. That’s a big deal. Drchrono is a Mountain View, CA based company that is using the power of the iPad to change how medical practices are run. They’ve developed a software-based patient care platform that does everything from patient check-in to managing electronic health records to billing. It may not sound like it’s going to turn around the health care situation, but it’s a start.

What’s App Doc?

While I have to guess that most people use their iPads for Angry Birds and not much else, it’s really cool to see how this device is enabling industry changing software to be built. The problem used to be finding a way to deliver the software. Apple solved it. Now it’s just about making the software work in the context of how most medical practices operate. That’s exactly what Drchrono is doing. You can read about the platform here, and you read about its benefits here. Another key to Drchrono’s success is that it helps physicians qualify for the HITECH Act, which offers “$44,000 or more in economic stimulus incentives for adopting a Certified EHR.” That’s a big incentive. If you’re excited about what Drchrono is doing, then take a look at their Jobs page. Right now they have quite a few opportunities posted including:

There are lots of cool jobs available, so take a look at the job descriptions and consider applying.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you think of Drchrono?

HealthTap

Willy Franzen — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:23:46 +0000

Admit it! You’ve used the Internet to self-diagnose a medical problem, and you probably used WebMD. For some of you it was to convince yourself that you’re not going to die tomorrow, and for some of you it was probably the opposite. It’s great having access to so much information, but it’s kind of dangerous when you a) can’t verify its accuracy and b) have no idea how to use it properly. Running to the doctor for every little issue is ridiculous, so there needs to be a better way to get medical information online. Luckily my little sister (who is awesome because she went to art school and then decided she wanted to go to med school, so she’s doing a postbac now) let me know about HealthTap. They’re a Palo Alto, CA based company that provides “free online and mobile answers from thousands of the best physicians in the U.S.” It’s kind of like Yahoo! Answers for medicine, but the people responding to your questions aren’t complete morons.

Get Tapped

There’s no doubt that there’s a demand for free medical advice online. But would doctors actually be willing to answer questions for free? HealthTap has proven that the answer is a resounding yes. Humans want to share their knowledge–just look at the endless reviews on sites like Yelp and Amazon–but professionals are usually more hesitant to give away their expertise for free. That’s why HealthTap sweetens the deal for docs. Their software helps “physicians better serve existing patients, find new ones, and build their reputation by demonstrating their expertise online.” If you were looking for a dermatologist, wouldn’t you consider the one who gave you great answers to your questions about a rash on HealthTap? I would (if I had a rash). Beyond helping doctors reach new people, HealthTap also provides a platform for doctors to provide something like a FAQ. That means that they spend less time answering the same simple questions over and over.

If you’re interested in the intersection of health care and technology, then a job at HealthTap would be an awesome fit. Here’s their video on why you should work for them:

The available positions most suitable for new or recent grads at HealthTap are pretty technical right now as they include Frontend Software Engineer, Backend Software Engineer, Mobile App Developer, and IT and Operations Engineer. The Interactive Writer / Copy Writer / Editor position looks pretty cool, but it seems like they want pretty significant experience. If you’re not a techie, you may want to try reaching out to jobs@healthtap.com to see if there’s any way you could fit in.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Would you use HealthTap?

Health Leads

Willy Franzen — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 18:36:48 +0000

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying “When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” This often seems to be the case in medicine. Doctors are the only people who can prescribe drugs, so that’s exactly what they do. Sometimes it works, but for many (most?) health problems, medication isn’t the most effective answer–especially for low income patients who have trouble paying for basic needs. What if doctors could prescribe “food, housing, health insurance, job training, fuel assistance, or other critical resources just as they do medication?” They can if they’re working in a facility affiliated with Health Leads, which is a Boston, MA based non-profit organization that currently operates in Baltimore, MD; Boston, MA; Chicago, IL; New York, NY; Providence, RI; and Washington, DC.

Be a Health Leader

Health Leads relies on college student volunteers to be their “pharmacists.” These people work in the clinic’s waiting room and “fill the prescriptions” by helping patients access available community services. What I find really impressive is that Health Leads is already doing this on a large scale. They’ve had more than 1,000 volunteers work with more than 9,000 patients (that patient to volunteer ratio seems kind of low to me). Half of the patients got a prescription that solved at least one critical need within 90 days, which is pretty amazing (that’s more effective than a lot of drug prescriptions). If Health Leads sounds like an organization that you’d want to get involved with, you have two options. You can volunteer or you can consider a job with Health Leads. While their current postings aren’t ideal for new grads because they require a decent amount of previous experience, I still think it’s worth checking out their Data Analyst (Boston, MA) and Program Manager (Chicago, IL; Washington, DC, and Providence, RI) positions.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Health Leads?

Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund

Willy Franzen — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 14:49:51 +0000

Today’s the big game! By the end of tonight there will probably be a new football hero for many fans. Unfortunately, even being the star of one of the world’s biggest sporting events doesn’t guarantee a carefree future. Football is a brutal sport that takes a terrible toll on the body. This is doubly bad for players. First, it causes all kinds of long-term health problems, and, second, it shortens careers significantly. This becomes a major problem for retired players who no longer have a source of income and are dealing with the physical aftermath of a career in football. Nobody wants to see their heroes down and out, which is why Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund was started. They’re based in Northbrook, IL, and they “provide financial assistance and coordinate social services to dire need retired NFL players who are pioneers of the game and have greatly contributed to the NFL’s status as the most popular sport in America.”

A Great Organization

I know that it’s hard to empathize with someone who played a game for a living, but even today’s players with their salaries that are often millions annually have a tough road ahead of them. Imagine if you made all the money that you’d make in your life in your first three years after college. It’d be pretty hard to be responsibly manage the money–especially knowing that there will likely be long-term medical problems. Fortunately, the NFL has realized the problems that life after football can present, and they’ve gotten much better about taking care of players after retirement; however, that still leaves many retired greats without help. Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund, which is chaired by Mike Ditka, is helping to take care of these players by “treating them with dignity, and addressing the post-football related issues in their lives.” While Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund doesn’t have a jobs page, you can contact them here. They’ve offered internships in the pat, so it many not be unreasonable to inquire about a job. It’s at least worth trying if you’re a big football fan. You may also want to check out our past posts on the National Football Foundation, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, USA Football, and, of course, the NFL and its teams.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Who do you think will win the Super Bowl?

Internet Brands

Willy Franzen — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:07:03 +0000

In case you missed our e-mail from last week, Kembrel loved the response from our post about them so they’re offering a free VIP card (usually 20 bucks) to all ODOJ readers and $5 in store credit. Sign up here.

On Monday we took a look at Vertive, a company that builds internet properties to help people save money. Today we’re going to look at a company with a similar model of building and buying websites, but a much broader approach. Internet Brands is based in El Segundo, CA and started as CarsDirect.com in 1998. It was a successful brand for them, but in 2005 they realized that the platform they had built could be applied to other verticals. Now Internet Brands operates more than 100 websites that reach over a billion visitors every year. Amazingly, they’ve been able to generate almost all of this traffic organically (without buying advertising). This is all because of the platform that they’ve developed and the ability to share resources across brands. Internet Brands is a case study of how economies of scale can work on the web.

Get Branded

The best way to get a better feel for Internet Brands is to explore their… brands. There are a lot of them, but they typically fit into one of nine verticals: Automotive, Careers, Health, Home, Legal, Licensing, Money, Shopping, and Travel. Chances are that most of the brands will be new to you, but I found a few that I was familiar with. Unlike Vertive, Internet Brands doesn’t shed much light on how they operate. Even the Internet Brands Careers page is filled with mostly generic stuff like “Do you have energy, drive and ambition?” and “Do you have a strong sense of where you are going and how to get there?” Would any job seeker answer no to those rhetorical questions? At least Internet Brands makes up for it with a ton of job postings. Here are the ones that look well suited for an entry level job seeker:

That’s a lot of jobs. Hopefully a few of them will catch your interest.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Internet Brands?

HDIS

Willy Franzen — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:40:52 +0000

I last wet my pants in 2nd grade. I knew I had to go, and I was waiting outside the bathroom with my legs squeezed together. I didn’t want to break the rules and use the bathroom down the hall, so I waited… and waited… and waited. Eventually I couldn’t hold it any longer, and I went. I told my teacher, and she did a great job of keeping it discrete so none of the kids in my class found out. But it was still terribly humiliating. Looking back I can laugh about it–and I often do (I love bathroom humor!), but I know there are plenty of people for whom things like this aren’t funny anymore. Incontinence is an extremely common problem, yet it’s not one that many people talk about openly. That’s why HDIS has been able to build such a successful business. The Olivette, MO based company’s full name is Home Delivery Incontinence Supplies, and they’ve “specialized
in providing quality care to those who experience loss of bladder control” since 1986. You’ve probably seen their commercials on tv–especially if you watch shows geared towards an older audience.

At Your Discretion

At first it seemed odd to me that a company like HDIS would exist when you can buy the products that they sell from a retail store or even Amazon.com, but then I realized just how specialized they are. They put a huge emphasis on personalized care, while also ensuring that they are always discreet. When you combine this level of service with exceptional branding and targeted advertising, they’ve become the nation’s largest direct supplier of incontinent supplies. It also helps that their pricing seems to be quite competitive (I checked it against Amazon on a few products, which I though was going to haunt my Recently Viewed Items, but Amazon seems to know better). HDIS may not be a trendy startup or a huge brand name, but they’ve built a business on serving a group of people who have a very specific need. If you’d like to be a part of what HDIS is doing, check out their Careers page. Right now they have a few jobs that you may want to consider including Marketing Specialist, Telesales Representative, Medicare Billing Supervisor, Customer Care Representative, and Outreach Representative.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about HDIS?

IMMCO Diagnostics

Willy Franzen — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 13:43:16 +0000

Yesterday, I was watching a tv news segment on holiday etiquette, and a viewer e-mailed in a question about how to deal with throwing a party when nearly every guest has submitted “dietary restrictions.” The “expert” responded that the host should just serve what she wants to serve considering that none of her friends are likely at risk for starvation. My guess is that a lot of the guests don’t really have dietary restrictions but dietary preferences; however, there seems to be an increasing number of people whose health is significantly affected by eating certain things. A lot of these reactions are caused by autoimmune diseases, which are caused by “an overactive immune response of the body against substances and tissues normally present in the body.” I’m not sure if autoimmune diseases are becoming more prevalent or if they’re just getting more attention, but IMMCO Diagnostics based in Buffalo, NY has built its business on battling autoimmune diseases. They incorporate “innovative medical devices, diagnostic laboratory testing expertise and pioneering research for a comprehensive solution to autoimmune disease diagnostics.”

A Diagnosis for Your Job Search

One might think that IMMCO Diagnostics would be a relatively new company as the awareness surrounding autoimmune diseases has exploded, but they’ve actually been working in the field since 1971. I wish I could really dig into what they do, but autoimmune diagnostics comes with a lot of big words that I don’t understand. If your medical/scientific vocabulary is a bit bigger than mine, you may want to look over IMMCO Diagnostics’ Products to get a better feel for what they’re working on. If you want to work to help people overcome autoimmune diseases, check out IMMCO Diagnostics’ Jobs page. Right now they have two positions that may interest you: Research Associate/Technician and Marketing Assistant. Check them both out and see if they’re worth applying for.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about IMMCO Diagnostics?

Public Health Solutions

Willy Franzen — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 17:03:54 +0000

For most people health is a deeply personal issue that is only to be talked about with close friends, family, and medical professionals, yet “public health” is a term that you hear used more and more. It’s because health isn’t an independent outcome–it’s closely tied to the health of others in your community. You’re better off if your peers are healthy, which is why governments and non-profits direct so many resources to improving public health. One of the organizations that does this work in New York, NY is Public Health Solutions. They are an “organization that develops, implements and advocates dynamic solutions to prevent disease and improve community health.” They were founded in 1957, and since then they’ve been building upon a “foundation of rigorous scientific research to link research and practice in dynamic ways to improve the health of communities.”

What’s Your Solution?

Public Health Solutions’ programs focus on addressing “critical public health needs such as maternal and child health, nutrition, access to health insurance, HIV prevention and care, and smoking cessation.” You can read up on their current programs here. All together the programs serve more than 200,000 low-income New Yorkers every year. Remember that everything that Public Health Solutions does is based on rigorous research, so you may want to read over some of their their publications to get a better feel for their work. If you find yourself lost in the research, then you may want to consider a job with Public Health Solutions. Their Jobs page has some positions posted, but I think you’ll find the jobs they have posted on Idealist more interesting–the most suitable position for a new or recent grad is Data Coordinator. Check that one out as well as Public Health Solutions’ other positions, and see what works for you.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Public Health Solutions?

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Willy Franzen — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 14:22:36 +0000

Although I may not be a big fan of NPR, I guess it’s pretty useful for learning about new companies and organizations to profile. Yesterday one of the sponsors that was mentioned while I was listening was the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. They’re a Princeton, NJ based non-profit that is “devoted to improving health policy and practice.” It’s one of the wealthiest charitable foundations in the world, and it was founded after the death of Robert Wood Johnson II, the founder of Johnson & Johnson. During the 90s one of the Robert Wood Johnson’s main goals was to curb tobacco use in the United States. They spent nearly half a billion dollars on it, and they were quite successful. Now they’re using what they learned in that battle to fight childhood obesity.

A Solid Foundation

While Childhood Obesity seems to be the main focus of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, they do have a number of other Program Areas that focus on a variety of health related issues. It’s all about working “with a diverse group of dedicated people and organizations to address problems at their roots and to help make a difference on the widest scale—particularly for the most vulnerable among us.” If you want to be part of that mission, you should keep reading up on the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation by checking out their Publications and Research and Health Policy. If you like what you see, then you can head ofer to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for a Program Administrative Assistant, which looks to be well suited to the entry level. They also accept general application inquiries at resume@rwjf.org.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation?

New England Healthcare Institute

Willy Franzen — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 13:50:47 +0000

Now that our country has a shiny new AA+ credit rating (that’s a downgrade from AAA in case you were wondering), we’re going to have to get far more serious about cutting our government’s deficit spending. Considering that 23% of Federal spending is on health care and that health care costs are consistently growing faster than GDP, we’re going to have to find a way to spend less on health care. Oddly enough, there seem to be a lot of people who strongly believe that cutting costs and improving health care can go hand in hand. Some of those people run the New England Healthcare Institute, a Cambridge, MA based non-profit organization that is “dedicated to transforming health care for the benefit of patients and their families.” They realize how broken our system is, and they’re taking an evidence-based approach towards fixing it.

Transforming Health Care

NEHI calls itself “the largest, most diverse, multi-stakeholder health care organization in the nation.” While many would consider them a think tank, NEHI prefers the term “think-and-do tank.” If you take a look at NEHI’s Programs and Initiatives, you’ll see that their main focus areas are Health Reform, Health and the Economy, Health Information and Technology, Medical Innovation, Waste and Inefficiency in Health Care, and Prevention and Wellness. It’s really interesting to dig into what they’re doing, because it’s an approach that makes sense, even if it’s not talked about much. Our country needs to take a new perspective on health care and start thinking about keeping people healthy instead of treating them when they get sick. That’s a big part of what NEHI is trying to do. If you’re interested in public health, you should really dig into their website and read up on them. If you like what you see, check out NEHI’s Jobs page. Right now they have two positions that could be suitable for new grads: Administrative and Database Coordinator and Health Policy Associate. Give them both a look.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about NEHI?

Schwartz Communications

Willy Franzen — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 16:43:42 +0000

When you land a job, let me know by e-mailing me at willy@onedayonejob.com. If you found it through our daily e-mails or site, we want to add you to our success stories. If you didn’t, we may want to feature your new employer and let the rest of our readers know about them. If they hired you, there’s a good chance that they’ll be hiring other recent grads in the future. A reader e-mail is how I found out about Schwartz Communications, a Waltham, MA based public relations firm that “has been helping technology and healthcare companies articulate compelling stories” for over 20 years. It’s all about taking a development that may sound super scientific and turning it into something that appeals to a wide audience.

Is Your Story Compelling?

There’s no better way to get a feel for a PR firm than to check out their client list and read through their case studies. Obviously big names are nice to see, but only firms that serve certain industries are going to have clients with familiar names. In tech and healthcare, big names aren’t necessarily familiar names. However, some Schwartz Communications clients that I recognize include Simply Hired, RetailMeNot, and Versant. Luckily, Schwartz Communications has a ton of case studies posted, so you can really dig into learning about the kind of work that they do. You can also check out their client coverage to take a look at the kinds of results that they deliver. If you like what you see, then head over to Schwartz Communications’ Jobs page. While the only current opening that they have for a recent grad is an Account Executive position in Twickenham, United Kingdom, don’t let that stop you from reaching out to them about positions in their Waltham and San Francisco offices

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Schwartz Communications?

Arthritis Foundation

Willy Franzen — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 15:02:30 +0000

While I was fishing yesterday (in a winter hat during the month of June I might add), I was tying knots, casting, wading through the river, and catching and releasing lots of fish. Though I wouldn’t by any means call it a strenuous workout, I was certainly putting all of my joints to use–from my fingers to my ankles. Most young people take for granted that their bodies work like they were built to, but it’s not so easy for some people. We often associate arthritis with aging, and it’s definitely linked to that, but it’s a group of disorders that can affect people of all ages (2/3 of people with arthritis are under the age of 65 according to the CDC). There are more than 100 types of arthritis and related conditions, which is why theArthritis Foundation was founded in 1948. They’re an Atlanta, GA based non-profit organization that “helps people take control of arthritis by providing public health education; pursuing public policy and legislation; and conducting evidence-based programs to improve the quality of life for those living with arthritis.” Considering how debilitating arthritis can be for the more than 50 million people who suffer from it, it’s a good thing that the Arthritis Foundation is doing what they do.

Joint Their Team

In just over 60 years of existence, the Arthritis Foundation has invested more than $400 million through grants to researchers which has resulted “in major treatment advances for most arthritis diseases.” They continue to fund research at an extremely high level, and they’ll keep doing it as long as arthritis is a problem. In addition to the research, the Arthritis Foundation offers community-based services like self-help courses, water and land-based exercise classes, instructional videotapes, and more, while also advocating “to local and national governments on behalf of the 46 million Americans with arthritis and chronic joint symptoms.” They seem to be doing great work that really helps to make the lives of millions of people better. If you’d like to be a part of what the Arthritis Foundation is doing, check out their Jobs page. At their National Office they’re looking for a Community Outreach Coordinator, a Consumer Health Marketing Coordinator, and a Web Marketing Specialist. They also have positions with local chapter available like Special Events Coordinator (Cedar Rapids, IA). Take a look and see what appeals to you.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you have arthritis?

Weight Watchers

Willy Franzen — Wed, 11 May 2011 14:53:50 +0000

A little known fact about me is that I earned “The Speed Limit” as a nickname during my Senior year of high school. It wasn’t because I drove slowly; it was because I somehow managed to lose 55 pounds between the end of Junior year and the beginning of Senior year. I still don’t know how it happened–I wasn’t even trying to lose weight–but it did (I’ve since gained much of it back, but part of that is because I don’t have the body of a scrawny 17-year old anymore). Apparently, there’s some mysterious weight loss secret out there that I used, but don’t know about. Unfortunately, weight loss isn’t usually that easy, and for most people it’s a huge struggle. I’m a big proponent of “the slow-carb diet” and other methods from Tim Ferriss’ The 4-Hour Body, but it’s all about finding what works for you. For many it’s Weight Watchers. The New York, NY based company was started in Queens during the early 1960s by Jean Nidetch who “began inviting friends into her Queens home once a week to discuss how best to lose weight.” Now more than a million people across the world go to Weight Watchers meetings every week.

Jobs to Watch Out For

The Weight Watchers business is based on providing “information, knowledge, tools and motivation to help you make the decisions that are right for you about nutrition and exercise.” Everybody knows that the science of weight loss is easy. If you’re burning more calories that you take in (or at least absorb), you will lose weight. Putting that scientific fact to work is what’s so difficult. Weight Watchers is really about overcoming the psychological obstacles that prevent people from losing weight. The meetings are one way that they help people achieve this, and their Points systems is another. By simplifying healthy eating into an almost game-like system, Weight Watchers makes it easier for people to make the right decisions. In a way, weight loss is a lot like the job search in that you almost have to trick people into doing the right things because they’ll rarely do what you tell them to do. Anyway, the weight loss industry is about as competitive as it gets, but Weight Watchers seems to continue to do well. They’re expanding their online presence, and they also seem to be hiring some new people. You can learn more on their Jobs page, where you’ll see positions like Administrative Assistant (Jericho, NY), CHAMP Reconciliation Specialist (Jericho, NY), Part-Time Collections Clerk, Corporate Sales Operations Coordinator, Field Coordinator, Program Innovation Developer, and Tally Clerk.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you ever tried Weight Watchers?

Child Mind Institute

Willy Franzen — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 15:05:40 +0000

Children are by definition immature. They can be confusing, frustrating, and annoying for adults, but nobody should ever be surprised when children act like… children. But when is it something more? Psychiatric and learning disorder issues can be particularly hard to diagnose in kids. Yet identifying and treating such issues as early as possible is essential to ensuring that a child can live a full and happy life. The Child Mind Institute is a New York, NY based non-profit that “is devoted to transforming mental health care for the world’s children to enable them to reach their full potential.” By focusing on finding new ways to identify and treat childhood psychiatric and learning disorders, the Child Mind Institute is helping those who are least equipped to help themselves.

A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Waste

According to the Child Mind Institute’s website, there are more than 15 million in children in the United States with psychiatric disorders, and less than half of them will ever receive help. The Child Mind Institute is a relatively young organization, but they’re working tirelessly to change this. The key idea behind the Child Mind Institute is “turning science into solutions for the world’s children.” Their commitment to science includes conducting research, making information and resources based on this research available to parents, offering “evidence-based clinical care for children and their families,” and advocating “to destigmatize childhood psychiatric disorders and bring effective care to families around the globe.” If this sounds like a mission that you want to be part of, then you should check out the Child Mind Institute’s Careers page along with their Idealist page. Right now they have a few openings that seem appropriate for new or recent grads including Intake Coordinator, Receptionist, and Data Manager. It looks like a great organization, so maybe you can help them “build a global institution that will be a leader in turning science into solutions for the world’s children.”

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about the Child Mind Institute?

Caring for Carcinoid Foundation

Willy Franzen — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 16:08:01 +0000

Cancer sucks. We’ve all dealt with the pain it causes at some point. But things are getting better. We’re constantly making progress towards more effective cancer treatments, and a big reason for this is that we’re starting to treat different types of cancer as individual diseases. This means that organizations focused on specific cancers are becoming increasingly important. Take for example the Caring for Carcinoid Foundation based in Boston, MA. They’re a non-profit that aims “to discover a cure for carcinoid and related neuroendocrine tumors” while also working “to eliminate the suffering of patients, families, and caregivers affected by neuroendocrine tumors.” The Caring for Carcinoid Foundation is extremely research focused, which is why they direct “100% of all individual donations to fund breakthrough scientific research of carcinoid and related neuroendocrine tumors.” They’ve already awarded more than $6 million in research grants, and that number is going to keep on growing.

Show How Much You Care

The Founder of the Caring for Carcinoid Foundation is named Nancy Lindholm. She’s currently living with Carcinoid cancer, which unfortunately has no cure. Here’s a part of her story:

A few days before my first wedding anniversary, at age 29, I collapsed on the subway in Boston. I was taken to the emergency room at Massachusetts General Hospital. There, I was diagnosed with extensive liver tumors that displace the majority of my liver, as well as with innumerable bony tumors. The doctors were grim and gave me a few months to live.

For years, I had experienced tremendous fatigue and abdominal pain and, eventually, intense flushing. My doctors always told me these symptoms resulted from the stress of working long hours as a tax attorney. In fact, these symptoms were caused by carcinoid cancer and its metastatic effects known as Carcinoid Syndrome. My diagnosis was confirmed several weeks later by a liver biopsy.

I founded the Caring for Carcinoid Foundation to support leading scientists whose research will lead to a cure for carcinoid. I know the lonely feeling of fighting an incurable cancer that receives little governmental research funding and little pharmaceutical company interest. I also know that greater insight into carcinoid cancer will result in greater insight into other cancers such as neuroendocrine, endocrine, gastrointestinal, and prostate.

If you’re moved by Nancy’s story, then you should check out the Caring for Carcinoid Foundation’s jobs on Idealist. Right now they’re looking for an Entry Level Executive Assistant / Communications Coordinator. It looks like a great opportunity to work with a great organization, so check it out.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Had you heard of Carcinoid cancer before?

Voxiva

Willy Franzen — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 17:14:52 +0000

Looking for an entry level job in Boston, MA? MATCH might have just what you’re looking for.

If you’ve been a reader for a while, you probably know that I love using magazine lists to find interesting companies. I just found out that Fast Company released their list of Most Innovative Companies. It’s led by names like Apple, Twitter, and Facebook, but there are also some unfamiliar names on there–and that’s what we’re looking for. One of the names on the list that caught my eye was Voxiva. They’re a Washington, DC based company that delivers “interactive mobile health services.” They’ve been around since 2001, and they offer patient engagement services that “combine multiple technologies – SMS text messaging, interactive voice, email, mobile apps, devices, and the web – to support prevention and wellness, disease management, adherence, and more.”

Text4Jobs

When most people think about health care, they think about complex things like insurance, surgeries, and pharmaceuticals. These are all very important pieces of the overall health care picture, but the truth is that simple behavioral changes often offer far more benefits than most medical interventions. The trouble is that changing behavior isn’t easy; however, mobile technology is making it easier. While they do offer custom solutions, Voxiva has three core products: Text4Baby (Maternal Health), Text2Quit (Smoking Cessation), and Care4Life (Diabetes). Each of these services delivers customized messages and reminders to help individuals better address specific health issues. There’s much more to what Voxiva does, but these three services should give you a clear idea of how powerful mobile technology can be in health care. If you’re excited by Voxiva’s innovation, you should check out their Careers page. The current postings require some prior experience, but I know that they’ve had entry level jobs like Project Associate in the past.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you think of Voxiva?

The Partnership at Drugfree.org

Willy Franzen — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 14:29:24 +0000

I don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t do drugs, and have never have (I also avoid caffeine and can’t remember the last time that I took an aspirin). This makes me a bit unusual among my peers, so I often have people ask me why I am the way I am. I don’t have a good explanation. It’s not really a religious thing or a family thing—it’s more that I want to be healthy and be able to focus 100% on the things that I like to do. Or maybe D.A.R.E. worked really well on me. Regardless, I’m sure the folks at The Partnership at Drugfree.org would love to figure me out so that they can replicate it. They are a New York, NY based non-profit organization “that helps parents prevent, intervene in and find treatment for drug and alcohol use by their children.” While many people are skeptical of the anti-drug movement in general, there’s no doubt that substance abuse continues to be a major public health problem in our country.

Drugfree Is the Way to Be

I’ve seen friends lose parents to alcoholism, parents lose kids to drugs, and friends lose control of their lives because of addiction. And these were all people who had access to the best resources available for treating their problems. The truth is that the best way to fight substance abuse is to keep people from ever using in the first place (and if they do start, to stop them while they’re still young). That’s why The Partnership at Drugfree.org began in the mid-80s when “a small group of advertising professionals discussed how to best use their talents to address the nation’s drug problem” and thought “if advertising could be used to sell products, couldn’t it be used to unsell them as well?” Over the years The Partnership’s mission has evolved, and now they devote significant resources to giving “hope and help to the parents of the 11 million teens and young adults who need help with drugs and alcohol.” They’ve identified parents as the “key leverage point,” and now much of what they do is focused on working with parents. If drugfree has a special meaning to you, then you should consider Careers at The Partnership at Drugfree.org. However, for job postings you’ll want to check the organization’s Idealist page. Right now they’re looking for a Special Event and Major Gift Manager and Parent Support Specialists. Neither job is explicitly entry level, but they’re still both worth checking out.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you think of The Partnership at Drugfree.org’s ads?

Volunteers of America

Willy Franzen — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 15:22:13 +0000

When you’re job searching, volunteering is a great way to both put your skills to use and develop new skills. There are countless non-profit organization that put volunteers to work in situations where they can really make a difference. One of our country’s largest volunteer organizations is Volunteers of America, which is a faith-based non-profit headquartered in Alexandria, VA. With their staff of 16,000 paid employees and 70,000 volunteers, they’re able to help “more than 2 million people in over 400 communities in 48 states.” Since the organization was founded in 1896, they “have supported and empowered America’s most vulnerable groups, including at-risk youth, the frail elderly, men and women returning from prison, homeless individuals and families, people with disabilities, and those recovering from addictions.” An organization that has been around as long as Volunteers of America has must adapt to changes over the years. While they continue to remain focused on providing neighborly aid to all people, it looks like Volunteers of America is putting more emphasis on helping the growing population of aging Americans.

Volunteer for a Job

Volunteers of America has a nice video on their About page that goes more in-depth in describing how they work and what they do. I’ve embedded it below (e-mail readers need to click through).

Volunteers of America also has this Overview sheet that provides some really specific information about the organization’s work. If you’re moved by their mission, then you’ll want to check out Volunteers of America’s job opportunities. They separate these into three groups: National Office, Nationwide, and Health Services. The Nationwide section actually has over 200 positions posted, along with 25 entry level opportunities, so it probably makes the most sense to check out. They have a wide range of opportunities, and they’re in a variety of locations, so you should be able to find something that piques your interest.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Volunteers of America?

Precision Therapeutics

Willy Franzen — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 14:00:42 +0000

In just the past year and a half, I’ve lost two important people in my life to cancer. Chances are that you’ve been similarly affected by the disease considering that 1 in 4 deaths in this country are caused by cancer and that there were more than 1.5 million new cancer cases last year. The numbers sound grim, but every year we’re getting better and better at treating cancer. One of the major trends that I keep hearing about is that doctors are starting to see cancers as individual diseases instead of as one disease that affects many areas of the body. Precision Therapeutics is a Pittsburgh, PA based company that is taking this idea once step further. They believe that cancer should be treated at an individual level. In other words, they see every single case of cancer as potentially unique, and they want to help doctors and patients find the best way to treat it.

You Need Precision in Your Job Search

Precision Therapeutics was founded in 1995, and since then most of their focus has been devoted to a single product. It’s called the ChemoFx® Drug Response Marker, and it is “a test that quantifies an individual cancer patient’s probable tumor response to various chemotherapeutic and biologic agents—providing both sensitivity and resistance information.” It works by testing a range of different chemotherapies on a patient’s cancer cells. It then determines which of the different therapies are most likely to be effective and ineffective, so that doctors have a better chance of taking the right course of action. Obviously I’m not qualified to give you the full overview since my last Biology class was in 9th grade, but what I’ve told you should be enough to pique your interest. If it has, then you will want to take a look at Precision Therapeutics’ Careers page. Right now they’re looking for a Data Analyst, a Java Software Developer, and a Medical Records Coordinator. All three positions look suitable for a new or recent grad, so check them out.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Precision Therapeutics?

Sabin Vaccine Institute

Willy Franzen — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 17:39:27 +0000

In the history of human existence, there are few technological advances that have had as much of a positive effect on our species as the development of vaccines. The truly amazing thing about vaccines is how cost effective they are when it comes to improving the human condition. A single intervention can give an individual lifelong immunity from or resistance to a variety of diseases, and the marginal cost of a vaccine dose after development is often ridiculously low. One of the great vaccine triumphs in human history was Dr. Albert B. Sabin’s development of the oral live virus polio vaccine. He was a scientist who “dedicated his entire professional career to the elimination of human suffering though his groundbreaking medical advances” and “waged a tireless campaign against poverty and ignorance throughout his lifetime.” In 1993 he passed away, and the Sabin Vaccine Institute was founded in his honor. It is a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that is “dedicated to reducing needless human suffering from vaccine preventable and neglected tropical diseases through prevention and treatment.”

Job Search Immunity

Sabin Vaccine Institute does its work through three key programs: Sabin Vaccine Development, Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases, and Vaccine Advocacy and Education. These programs are complementary in that they all have the shared goal of “developing preventative measures for diseases that place burdens on the world’s poorest countries.” Those preventative measures may be in the form of new vaccines, or they may be in the form of education programs that promote vaccine use. Sabin Vaccine Institute’s mission may seem simple, and in many ways it is. Unfortunately, vaccination isn’t as simple as just poking people in the arm over and over again. If you’d like to join Sabin Vaccine Institute in their mission to end suffering across the world, then you should check out their Jobs page. Right now they have two jobs posted, and both seem suitable for new or recent grads: Resource Development Coordinator and International Vaccine Advocacy Program Coordinator. Both jobs look great.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Sabin Vaccine Institute?

Golin Harris

Willy Franzen — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 16:51:38 +0000

It’s been a while since we took a look at a full-fledge PR firm (we’ve covered a ton in the past, check our public relations and communications tags). It’s not that they don’t offer great entry level opportunities, it’s just that they’re kind of boring to write about. As an outsider it’s hard for me to tell what makes one PR firm better than the other—I usually focus on clients lists, but even that’s not enough. You really need to dig deep and do some serious research to get a read on a PR firm. You’re probably wondering what about Chicago, IL (with offices across the world) based Golin Harris made them stand out to me. Well, someone I follow tweeted about the company’s jobs, and then I saw that they were named 2010 “Large PR Agency of the Year” by PRWeek. They were also a 2009 Holmes Report “Best Agency to Work For,” and that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to honors and awards.

Golin or Go Home

Oddly enough, Golin Harris doesn’t seem to list their clients on their website; however, the company’s Wikipedia page mentions that they do work for Bristol-Myers Squibb, McDonald’s, Nintendo of America, Dow Chemical, Orange, Texas Instruments, and Toyota. Those are monster names, which makes sense for a company that was recently named Large PR Agency of the Year. The Golin Harris website is a bit lacking when it comes to providing information that can really give you a feel for a company, but their Capabilities section does give some insight into the kind of work they do and how they go about it. If you’re impressed with what you see at Golin Harris, then you’ll want to check out their Careers page. They have a number of entry level opportunities including Assistant Account Executive – Interactive Entertainment (Los Angeles, CA), Staff Writer – Interactive Entertainment (Los Angeles, CA), Assistant Account Executive – Healthcare (Chicago, IL), and Assistant Account Executive (Dallas, TX). Golin Harris’ locations U.S offices in Atlanta, GA; Baltimore, MD; Miami, FL; New York, NY; Orange County, CA; Richmond, VA; San Francisco, CA; San Juan, PR; and Washington, DC; along with plenty of international offices. So you may want to look out for opportunities in those offices too.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Golin Harris?

Visions in Action

Willy Franzen — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 17:33:28 +0000

It’s amazing what a single person can do to change the world. These days it’s as easy as ever. Whether you build a website that millions of people use or do volunteer work in a small town in Africa, you can have an amazing impact all on your own. And even better, you can find tons of people and organizations whom you can work with to magnify your impact. One of those organizations is Visions in Action. They are a Washington, DC based non-profit international development organization that “is committed to achieving social and economic justice in the developing world through grassroots programs and communities of self-reliant volunteers.” They work in Mexico, Liberia, Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa, and even in the United States.

Share Your Visions

Visions in Action was founded in 1989 as Africa Development Corps, but as they expanded they changed their name to be more inclusive. They now work in four key program areas: Food Security, Education, Health, and International Exchange. They do this with a grassroots approach and a strong focus on volunteerism. The goal is participate in projects where volunteers can go to work in a community and get a project to the point where the community can be self-reliant. Here’s an example of a Visions in Action success story. If you like what Visions in Action is doing, then you should check out their Jobs page. Right now they’re hiring Part-Time International Youth Exchange Coordinators in Washington, DC; Long Island, NY; Philadelphia, PA; Austin, TX; and Minneapolis, MN. These positions look perfectly suited for new or recent grads, and if you really want to dig in you should check out their Supported Volunteer Positions.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Visions in Action?

Cord Blood Registry

Willy Franzen — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 17:09:40 +0000

You can sell anything to new parents. They want to create a perfect world for their new baby, so they often tend to go overboard on things like strollers, cribs, mobiles, and clothes. Recently, an expensive new option for parents-to-be has come to market. It seems a little out there at first, but it has the potential to be the most valuable purchase/investment that a parent could make. It’s having your child’s stem cells banked at birth by freezing the blood from the umbilical cord. The mention of stem cells often creates a lot of controversy, but that’s almost always directed at embryonic stem cell research. There are plenty of other ways to procure stem cells—and umbilical cord blood is one of the best, especially for individual medical use. Stem cell therapies are still pretty uncommon, but the hope is that future therapies will be available to those who have had their stem cells banked—and there’s already a long list of diseases that have been treated with stem cells from cord blood. Cord Blood Registry in San Bruno, CA is the world’s “largest and most experience cord blood bank” having “already saved cord blood for more than 325,000 newborns.” Banking cord blood may not be all that common yet, but if you’re going to do it, it looks like Cord Blood Registry is the place to go.

Banking on the Future

Now, there are some people who criticize cord blood banks for taking advantage of naive parents and selling them an expensive product/service that isn’t really necessary. There may be some truth to that, but I’m sure the parents of children who were treated with stem cells from their cord blood are pretty happy with their investment. Now, there’s no way that I could explain the whole process of cord blood banking, but the Cord Blood Registry website does a great job of that. They have sections on Why You Should Bank Stem Cells, Why You Should Choose Cord Blood Registry, and a great database of Frequently Asked Questions. The site is extremely informative, even if it is focused on selling parents on the idea of cord blood banking. If you’re fascinated by what Cord Blood Registry is doing, then you’ll want to head over to their Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for a Client Support Representative, a Human Resources Coordinator, and an Associate Manager/Content Scientist. I wonder if employees get free cord blood banking for their kids?

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Would bank your child’s cord blood?

Association of State and Territorial Health Officials

Willy Franzen — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 16:40:13 +0000

If you watch the news enough, there’s a good chance that you’ll never want to leave the house. The world is a dangerous place, and things like terrorist attacks, Black Friday stampedes, and infectious diseases are out there waiting for us. Obviously most of these dangers are overhyped—but who knows what to believe and what not to believe? Hopefully our public health agencies and their employees. They’re the ones that we need to be well informed and well connected, which is why the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials exists. It’s a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that is “dedicated to formulating and influencing sound public health policy and to assuring excellence in state-based public health practice.” They do this by bringing public health officials together and keeping them connected.

Join the Association

The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials has a vision of “healthy people thriving in a nation free of preventable illness and injury” and a mission “to transform public health within states and territories to help members dramatically improve health and wellness.” These are things that everybody can get behind. The ASTHO’s About page actually gives a great overview of the organization, so I recommend that you give it a look and browse its links. You’ll start to better understand what the organization does and how they work. Once you’ve done that, you’ll want to check out the Associate of State and Territorial Health Officials’ job postings on Idealist. Right now they’re looking for an Immunization and Infectious Disease Policy Analyst and a Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Program Coordinator. Both look relatively suitable for new or recent grads, so give them a look.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about the ASTHO?

Gerson Lehrman Group

Willy Franzen — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 16:57:18 +0000

Sometimes I get dubbed as a career expert. I guess in some ways that’s true, but I see myself more as an entrepreneur whose business is helping students and grads find jobs and internships. In my opinion it takes way more knowledge and experience to become an expert. I’m talking about people with PhDs and 30 years of experience, and, amazingly, there are experts on nearly every topic. But how do you find them when you need them? That’s where Gerson Lehrman Group comes in. They’re professional matchmakers when it comes to experts. Since 1998 they’ve created a global marketplace for expertise and “helped the world’s leading institutions find, engage, and manage experts across a broad range of industries and disciplines.” I have friends who have actually used Gerson Lehrman Group in their jobs to find experts, and I’ve heard nothing but rave reviews about the people at Gerson Lehrman Group and their experts (who are not employed by the firm).

Become an Expert on Experts

Now, you’re coming from a college campus which is likely littered with experts. You can probably walk into a random professor’s office hours and gain insight from the foremost expert on some archaic topic. Usually expertise isn’t so free and easy. Businesses, consulting firms, and non-profit organizations are constantly seeking outside expertise to help guide their decision-making processes. Gerson Lehrman Group takes the pain out of finding the right expert for the job. While they provide experts in nearly any area imaginable, Gerson Lehrman Group calls out Accounting & Financial Analysis, Consumer Goods & Services, Energy & Industrials, Financial & Business Services, Healthcare, Legal, Economic, & Regulatory Affairs, Real Estate, and Technology, Media & Telecom as their main areas of focus. There’s a ton of information on the Gerson Lehrman Group, so you should really dig in and get to know the company in a little more depth. Then you can check out their Careers page and Job listings. Some examples of their entry level opportunities include: Business Development Associate (New York, NY), Event Coordinator (Austin, TX), Survey Associate (Austin, TX), Associate Copywriter (New York, NY), Associate (Dublin, Ireland), Recruiting Associate – Fluent Portuguese (Austin, TX), Member Solutions Associate – Fluent Portuguese (Austin, TX), and Front End Web Developer (New York, NY). However, you may want to pay most attention to their Associate and Associate – 2011 positions, which are both a two-year program for new/recent grads in Austin, TX.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Gerson Lehrman Group?

The Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics

Willy Franzen — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 14:00:17 +0000

Just two weeks ago we were talking about market failures and externalities when we looked at The Institute for Market Transformation. Today we’re going to look at an organization that focuses on a single issue that is dominated by externalities. Antibiotics are truly wonder drugs. They can cure all kinds of ailments. One of their few downfalls is that the more that they’re used, the less effective they become. Now, this isn’t an individual drug resistance, but a worldwide one. If I use an antibiotic today, it may not work as well for you next year. Unfortunately, individual incentives for both doctors and patients lead to antibiotic overuse. The Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics is a Boston, MA based non-profit organization that does exactly what its name says. Their “specialized staff provides field consultations and lend specialized expertise to guide policy makers, provider organizations, and other stakeholders seeking to improve antimicrobial supply, use, and management decisions.”

How Prudent Are You?

You’ve had your head in the toilet for four days. You have a stomach bug, and it’s not going away. You go to the doctor and beg for antibiotics. He tells you that your situation is most likely viral, but to shut you up he gives you some antibiotics. You start feeling better the next day, and you assume it’s the antibiotics that did the trick. You won’t only beg next time, but you’ll insist. It’s an ugly cycle, and it’s a big part of the reason that antibiotic resistance is becoming such a problem. Nobody cares about the long-term costs of their own use when the costs will be passed off to the next guy who gets sick. You may think that this is a relatively new problem, but The Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics has been talking about it for nearly 30 years. They’re at the forefront of the field, and they’re constantly working on “Preserving the Power of Antibiotics.” If you’d like to join them, you can learn about job opportunities here. Right now they’re looking for an Executive Assistant/Project Coordinator and a Part-time Administrative Assistant. Both look like great opportunities, so check them out.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

How often do you use antibiotics?

Clarisonic

Willy Franzen — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 15:53:52 +0000

I’m constantly amazed by the beauty/cosmetics/consumer products industries. They seem to be constantly coming out with new stuff, yet most of their product developments are just marketing fluff. Yes, some soaps are better for your skin than others, and some shampoos smell better than others, but I rarely get the sense that a new product actually does its job better than its predecessor. Still, we all have our brand preferences. For me, I find the best way to wash my face is with a simple bar of Dove soap, but if you take your face washing a little more seriously, you may want to check out Bellevue, WA based Clarisonic (their parent company is Pacific Bioscience Laboratories, but all of the branding seems to be focused on Clarisonic). They “develop and market products that use sonic frequency to cleanse skin and help reduce dry patches, blemishes, and wrinkles.” Now, sonic technology isn’t something that you’re going to find in a face wash, so maybe there’s something more to Clarisonic’s facial brush skin care system. I’ve never tried it, but if buying it only gets you to spend more time washing your face, it’s already done its job.

The Complexion of Your Career

Clarisonic is truly a standout on the Inc. 500. Their growth rate may only be 984% over the past three years (which is still ridiculously high), but their revenues have ballooned to $58.2 million. That’s significantly more than most of the other companies that we’ve looked at. Part of the reason for Clarisonic’s success has to be experience—their technology came from the same guy who invented the Sonicare line of oral hygiene products. Clearly Clarisonic has succeeded on both the product development and the marketing fronts. If you are a fanatic about your skin and want to help Clarisonic continue to grow, then you should check out their Jobs page. They have a number of openings and quite a few seem suitable for new or recent grads. These include Customer Service Representative, Logistics Coordinator, Product Development Marketing Assistant, Mechanical Design Engineer, Order/Data Entry Specialist, and Quality Engineer. There’s a great variety of options, so check them out and see what suits you.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you used any Clarisonic products?