Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, the largest healthcare provider for kids in Georgia and one of the largest pediatric clinical care providers in the U.S., plans to hire more than 500 allied health workers in 2015.
The not-for-profit organization is seeking individuals who are passionate about children’s healthcare and community connections, said Ashley Gordon, director of recruiting for Children’s. Children’s had 24 neighborhood locations in early 2015 and more than 60 pediatric specialties and programs.
The employee culture at Children’s is reflected in national rankings. For the 10th consecutive year, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta was ranked among Fortune magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list in 2015. Out of that list, Fortune selected the best companies for women, where Children’s ranked No. 2.
Gordon discussed the positions available at Children’s, which has more than 850,000 patient visits annually.
Q: Why is Children’s currently hiring?
A: Our hiring is really due to our opening new units. We’re expanding our beds in our hospital locations and our neighborhood and satellite locations that are opening this year, so our hiring need is really around the community and supporting the growth of the system.
Q: What jobs do you have available?
A: We’re actively recruiting for respiratory therapists. Other positions include respiratory care professionals, speech language pathologists and physical and occupational therapists (openings can be found at choa.org/jobs).
Q: What skills are you looking for?
A: It gets back to the degree and the education experience for the role. A license or certification is required depending on the position. But we are a very mission-oriented organization, so of course it’s about connecting with individuals who would also be good representatives of our culture. Pediatrics experience is not required for all of these roles.
Q: What differentiates working at Children’s from working at another healthcare organization?
A: It’s a very unique opportunity to work in pediatrics. For people that are interested in joining the organization, the mission is really important: We are 100 percent dedicated to the kids in Georgia. We are 100 percent pediatrics.
Q: Why is Children’s a great employer?
A: We have comprehensive benefits (including paid time off for new parents and $10,000 for adoption benefits). We also have our Strong4Life campaign, [through which] we are investing in our employees and health and wellness (employees who obtain a Strong4Life Health Assessment receive a discount on health care premiums). It’s really about employees being healthy in their daily lives. From fitness and nutrition classes to walking trails and exercise rooms to wellness coaches, Strong4Life has something for everyone.
Q: Does Children’s provide educational opportunities?
A: We have an education assistance program at Children’s to assist employees with any continuing education that they might need for their job.
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