Careers at GoodLife: Apply, stand out, and get a career that makes a difference

careers

When it comes to joining the GoodLife team, we look for individuals who want more than a career in caregiving. We hire people that want to make a difference in the lives of seniors and individuals with disabilities. We visited with GoodLife recruiter Allie Heiner to learn about how to apply for a job at GoodLife, what we look for in a potential employee, and how you can make your resume stand above the rest. Allie has a degree in Applied Behavioral Science from our partner, the University of Kansas, and has been on the GoodLife Human Resources team since 2018. 

Allie, what kinds of people do you hire at GoodLife? 
We look for candidates who have a passion for working with people, not only in their professional life but in their personal life, too. If they have job experience working with adults with disabilities or working with seniors, that’s a plus. At the end of the day, our passion at GoodLife is to help people live a life full of possibilities. We’re looking for individuals who want to join us to redefine what’s possible for independent living.

What is the hiring process like?  
We like to keep it simple and easy. The first step is an interview. If your application stands out, we will reach out to you by email or phone as soon as possible. We interview over a video conference, which we find is more accessible and comfortable for those interviewing. When someone can be themselves at home, it makes for the best interviews. Before the interview, we send candidates a video to watch that gives a realistic view of what a typical day at GoodLife may look like: assist with showering or taking medication, help residents do activities, cook a meal, or engage in challenging behaviors. We understand that caring for seniors or individuals with special needs is a big responsibility, so we ask specific questions about a candidate’s comfort level with certain job tasks or potential interactions.

Okay, let’s say the interview goes well, and it’s a great fit. What’s next?   
We typically only need one interview to tell if someone is a fit for GoodLife. If it is, we offer the candidate the job. Once they accept, they fill out all of the typical HR paperwork—it’s all online and easily accessible. Next, the new hire attends a paid, two-day, in-person training session that covers lifting a resident, environmental support, de-escalation, and first aid/CPR. Once training is complete, new hires will go through a week of shadow training with a supervisor. New hires will work in a residential home alongside a supervisor to gain real-time experience and feedback prior to their first day. 

How do you decide which homes to place new hires into? 
First, we try to match the needs of our residents to the comfort and experience level of a DSP. After that, we look at similar interests. If a resident loves music and a new hire plays the guitar, that’s a great fit! We also take into consideration where a new hire lives. Our goal is to hire individuals who live near or in the community where they will work. We want it to feel more like helping out a neighbor than going to work. We also know that when someone doesn’t have to commute far, job satisfaction increases.

How can a candidate make their application, resume, or interview stand out? 
I love this question! Our residents are extremely diverse in personality and care needs, so we want to know about any and all caregiving and customer-centered experiences. If you wait tables, explain what that has taught you about serving others. Tell us how you help care for a grandparent or when you volunteered for the Special Olympics in high school. If an individual is enthusiastic and passionate about making a difference and helping others live their fullest lives, we want them on our team. 

Where do potential candidates apply for a career at GoodLife? 
The best way to apply for a direct support professional job is through our website. But we also look for candidates on Indeed.com and other employment-related search engines. 

What’s one last thing you want someone applying to GoodLife to know? 
If I could share one thing with applicants, it’s that we want to hire you as badly as you want the job. We care deeply for our residents, and we want them to live the best lives possible. We care about our staff, too, and we work hard to give them the best work life possible so they’ll stay a long time. That’s why we offer better pay, unique and traditional schedules, benefits employees actually want, career development, paid time off, and a meaningful career. Our staff are the heartbeat of our organization, and if you’re as enthusiastic, passionate, and driven about making a difference as we are, we can’t wait to meet you! 

Take a look at our current job openings.

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