Working with a healthcare recruiter is extremely beneficial for nurses when looking for a new job. Similar to utilizing a real estate agent when searching for a new house, working with a recruiter gives you a better look at the current job market, an earlier look at new jobs, frees up your valuable time, helps you to better prepare for an interview, and oftentimes helps you to negotiate a better overall offer package.
Here are several scenarios in which working with a healthcare recruiter is beneficial:
- You have just recently graduated from nursing school and every job you apply for is asking for greater than 2 years experience in nursing.
- You are relocating to an area of the country and do not know the hospitals in that area well.
- You are an experienced nurse in one specialty but are looking to make the transition to a new specialty.
- You have been a nurse for 30 plus years at the same hospital but have not interviewed in 30 years for a new job.
- You desperately want to change jobs but do not have the time to commit to the job searching process.
- You are a highly skilled and highly specialized nurse leader and would like to learn more about your possible career options.
There are many reasons why working with a healthcare recruiter who specializes in the permanent placement of nurses may be a good idea when starting your job search. If you were buying a house, would you use a real estate agent? For the same reasons that you may opt to work with a real estate agent when buying a house, working with a recruiter when trying to find a new job is a good decision.
Healthcare recruiters are experts in the healthcare and nursing job market. They work nationally and can see the job market from a macro perspective. They know the ins and outs of various hospitals and healthcare facilities across the country. They know which hospitals will hire new grads. They know about openings before they get posted on the internet or hospital websites. They understand how you can switch from one nursing specialty into another. They can provide you with fundamental career advice.
Just like working with a real estate agent to find a new home, working with a healthcare recruiter is free! Hospitals and healthcare facilities pay recruiters to find them top talent. Therefore, if you find a job through a recruiter, you do not owe them anything more than a “thank you!” Additionally, this does not affect your hourly rate or salary at your new job, whatsoever. Hospital and healthcare clients put aside money in their departmental and HR budgets for recruitment.
Working with a recruiter allows you to start the job search and still have the time to work, go to the gym, and spend time with your family. Otherwise, searching for a new job can be a full-time job in itself. Be sure to have a long and in-depth initial conversation with your recruiter. The more information you share, the better job your recruiter can do in finding your the perfect job.
Not everyone is an expert interviewer. In fact, most people are not. Healthcare recruiters know how to prepare nurses for an interview. They will walk you through typical questions a hiring manager may ask. They will guide you in the process of preparing for the interview. They will discuss proper interview attire. They will help you determine how and if its appropriate to discuss compensation and at what point in the interview process. They often know some of the hiring manager’s pet peeves or may be able to help you with something you have struggled with in interviews in the past. Working with a recruiter through the interview process absolutely gives you a competitive edge over other candidates.
As icing on the cake, working with a recruiter oftentimes leads to a higher hourly rate or starting salary than you may have received without utilizing a recruiter. Healthcare recruiters are expert negotiators and understand the market well. They will fight for their candidates to get you the best overall package possible!
If you would like to learn more about RN jobs, Nursing Jobs, BSN jobs, Nurse Leadership Jobs, please contact me at alisha@ka-recruiting.com. Alisha Dynan is the founder of KA Recruiting, a healthcare recruiting company covering the entire country. Please visit our website to learn about healthcare career opportunities: http://jobs.ka-recruiting.com/