Five Questions to ask When Choosing a Career that Meets your Value System

Choosing a career that meets your value system is at the top of the criteria list common to many professionals. If you are in the business of caring, finding the right position with the right company or organization can be a challenge.

For those choosing senior caregiving as a profession, your chances of getting hired are good for two reasons.

The population of aging adults over 65-years old is growing, causing numerous care positions to be in high demand and the number of care organizations to consistently increase.

The industry is faced with a need for more than 1.3 million new paid caregivers to meet demand over the next decade. Given this reality, personal-care aid and home-health aid rank in the top five occupations expected to grow between 2012 and 2022.

At Open Arms Solutions, we listen to this growing demand and match it with the values that drive our mission. We find people who care about treating aging adults with warmth and compassion and in return offer our employees the same treatment.

Over 50 percent of the current Care Coordinators and admin on our team began their careers at Open Arms as caregivers. After showing dedication to the team and aging adults they care for, we recognized their value and offered career advancement opportunities. This is one of the many ways we value caregivers.

Debra Witt, an Open Arms caregiver who received the 2017 Caregiver of the Year award said, “I was proud and surprised to receive this award. Awards of this nature make me feel visible and show that my company notices what I’m doing. I take pride in being noticed and appreciated.”

Hundreds of trained and vetted caregivers work for Open Arms and more are being hired as we expand across Illinois and address the industry caregiver shortage.

So how do you decide if senior caregiving is the right career for you? And how do you decide an organization like Open Arms Solutions is the best fit? We suggest you start by reflecting on the five core values Open Arms uses to hire, promote and manage our staff:

1. Teamwork. Do you value working with others? How does the organization you are interested in foster a sense of teamwork with its employees?
2. Compassion. Do you hold empathy for others? How does the organization you’re interested in show compassion to its employees, clients and others?
3. Do the right thing. Do you strive to treat people the right way? How does the organization you’re interested in treat its employees and clients?
4. Go above and beyond. Do you strive to give 110 percent in everything you do? How dedicated are the leaders of the company you’re interested in to upholding the company’s mission?
5. Be positive. Do you prefer to have a positive outlook? Does the organization you’re interested in value and prioritize positivity?

Answering these questions can help determine if senior caregiving is the right career for you and which organizations may be a good fit.

Align your career with your values and join a home care agency dedicated to kindness, compassion, warmth and care. Visit Open Arms Solutions or call (847) 272-4997.