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Take 5
Things I Wish I Knew When Starting My Career

by South Jersey Biz - Editorial Staff

Joe Devine is the newly named president, New Jersey Division of Jefferson Health and executive vice president of hospital and health services at Jefferson Health.

A 32-year veteran of Kennedy Health, he had served as the organization’s president and CEO since 2013 prior to Kennedy’s September merger with Jefferson— a merger that marked the first time a South Jersey-based health system merged with a Philadelphia health system.

Kennedy’s hospitals are now known as Jefferson Cherry Hill Hospital, Jefferson Stratford Hospital and Jefferson Washington Township Hospital. The renaming is part of a unifying change to highlight Jefferson Health's South Jersey hub, as Jefferson continues its efforts to bring world-class health care to patients in the communities where they live.

He also currently serves as vice chairman of the New Jersey Hospital Association. This month, Devine shares with us the five things he wishes he knew when he started out:

1. You will meet people you work with during your career who will have an extremely positive impact on your life.

2. The more career experience you have, the less you need to speak. You learn that your words should become more meaningful.

3. The journey is the best part of any career path. Do not be in a big rush to get to the next position. Each job provides valuable experience in many ways.

4. Eliminating someone’s position (termination) is the most difficult thing you will do as a leader, no matter the circumstances.

5. You will have to deal with some difficult people along the way; however, you need to make sure you do not let their attitudes distract you from your values as a leader and person. My philosophy is to always take the high road. Be the better person.

Published (and copyrighted) in South Jersey Biz, Volume 7, Issue 10 (October, 2017). 

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