Becker's Hospital Review

38 POPULATION HEALTH 38 CEO/STRATEGY How a sudden departure can affect your job prospects — And what to do about it By Anuja Vaidya A pproximately 12 hospital and health system executives have suddenly le their roles as of March 2018. While there are myriad reasons for the departures — ranging from being ousted to personal issues — most of them occurred with little or no notice. Whatever the reason, the question remains: How can these ex- ecutives mitigate the potential fallout? According to Cody Burch, executive vice president at healthcare exec- utive consulting and search firm B.E. Smith, any potential fallout from a sudden departure can be mitigated if executives remain positive and transparent. "It doesn't necessarily have to have a negative impact on [a] healthcare executive's chances of landing another job," he says. ere are several reasons that may be behind a healthcare executive suddenly stepping down from their role. Common ones include burn- out, termination for cause, personal issues and structural changes in the organization, says Mr. Burch. More recent reasons include consol- idation, facility closures and demand for new skill sets. An executive may find they are not the right fit for the role anymore as the demands of the role or organization have changed. An executive who has suddenly le an organization may find they have fewer opportunities in the job market. Mr. Burch says sometimes organizations looking to fill positions may only consider candidates who are currently employed, so executives who have recently le their roles may see a narrower job market than before. Job seekers with a sudden departure on their resume may have to nav- igate challenging waters as they look for new opportunities. Here are five key considerations for these executives. 1. Remember honesty is key. Healthcare is very well connected. Healthcare executives and recruiters know each other, oen having crossed paths over several years working in the same industry. e best strategy for executives who are looking for a new job aer an abrupt departure is to be honest about their past circumstances. "It is easy for people to find out the real story in an industry like healthcare," says Mr. Burch. "Communicate about it honestly." 2. Proactively address the one question every recruiter will ask. Most recruiters will ask the inevitable question, namely some version of, "Why did you leave your previous role?" Mr. Burch suggests healthcare executives expect that question and address it be- fore the recruiter can even ask it. is gives the executive control over messaging and narrative. Mr. Burch says executives need to prepare their response to the ques- tion carefully. As much as possible: • Try to disconnect the reason you are no longer in your previous role from the future. • Communicate what you learned from your previous experience. • Keep your answer short and focused on the positives. • Reiterate your qualifications for the current opportunity. • Explain why you are great fit for the new organization. 3. Stay positive. Although an abrupt departure can be a negative experience, it is important not to lose your positivity and perspective. "I think there is something to be said for either [the executive] or the employer identifying that the fit just isn't there in the current orga- nization," says Mr. Burch. "Being able to come to a conclusion and reflect, truly reflect, on why it didn't work." Finding an organization that is a better fit for the executive is a good thing for both the executive and the organization. It is important not to become bitter or emotional. Take the high road regardless of how things ended with the previous employer. 4. Keep networking. Keep your CV up to date and leverage your rela- tionships within the industry, Mr. Burch says. Networking is always criti- cal, but especially so at times of sudden change. Don't be afraid to ask for help with your CV and partner with a recruiting firm if needed, he adds. 5. Leverage interim leadership. Executives looking to get back into the industry aer a sudden departure can look for interim lead- ership roles. Executives should use these roles to build confidence and demonstrate their value, says Mr. Burch. Interim leadership will also help connect you to new people within the industry and potentially, new advocates for your leadership expertise. "If you handle that transition well and get into a good opportunity for your career, the transition no longer matters," says Mr. Burch. "People aren't going to look back at that situation unless it happens commonly and frequently [in your career]." n Former Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer joins Lucile Packard Children's board By Alyssa Rege L ucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford added former Yahoo President and CEO Marissa Mayer to its board of directors, effective April 1, the Palo Alto, Calif.-based hospital announced April 2. Here are three things to know about Ms. Mayer. 1. Ms. Mayer served as the president and CEO of Yahoo from 2012 to 2017. Prior to her role at the web services provider, she held various positions at Google from 1999 to 2012. 2. She maintains strong ties to Stanford (Calif.) Universi- ty, where she received a bachelor's degree in symbolic systems and a master's degree in computer science. 3. Along with her membership on Lucile Packard's board of directors, Ms. Mayer serves as a board member for Walmart, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the San Francisco Ballet, among other organizations. n

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