When to Consider Using a Nurse Recruiting Agency?
Nurse recruiters are professionals in the staffing industry that work with hospitals, private practices, nursing homes, treatment facilities and just about anywhere else you find nurses working with patients. Recruiters develop relationships with these businesses and partner with them to find the best possible nurse for their culture and needs. If you are looking for employment in the health care industry, you can benefit greatly by working with a nurse recruiting agency. Below are answers to some of the more commonly asked questions that nurses have when working with a recruiting agency for the first time.
Are all nursing recruitment agencies seeking travel nurses?
No, there are several types of staffing agencies in the health care industry. The two most common are temporary staffing agencies and nursing recruiting agencies. Temporary staffing agencies typically handle travel nurse positions, short-term needs at local hospitals, and sometimes entry-level permanent positions.
Nurse recruiters, or headhunters, partner with their clients to find experienced, reputable nurses to fill challenging openings. They also contract with larger employers to scout local universities and nursing schools to find the top talent from each graduating class. Most nursing recruiters make a fee based on your first year earnings, which are paid for by the employer. Because of this, they will negotiate on your behalf to get you the most money possible, as it increases their profits, as well.
What is the benefit of working with a nurse recruiting agency, versus going directly to the hospital and applying for open jobs?
As mentioned above, nurse recruiters will negotiate to get you the most money possible, but that is not the only benefit to teaming up with a local headhunter. They also provide resume help, career counseling, market your resume and act as gatekeepers to confidential openings.
If you are experienced in your nursing specialty, your recruiter will contact employers on your behalf and market your resume to the hiring managers directly. This often allows you to initially bypass the online application, testing and Human Resources department and get your resume directly to the person who needs to fill a position, thus speeding up the hiring process.
Because the recruiting agency works with the employers on an ongoing basis, the employers often go directly to the recruiter when a position becomes available, especially if confidentiality is a concern. These positions may never be listed online or on the employer’s website, and the only access to these positions is through the recruiting firm.
I am relocating to a new city; can a nurse recruiting agency help me find a job before I move?
Absolutely! If you are relocating to a new city, a nurse recruiting agency is one of the best resources for locating a new opportunity. Because they work with local employers, but also local nurses, they fully understand not only what the employer is looking for in a nurse, but what the reputation of the company is with other nurses in the area.
A recruiter will be able to assist you with determining which companies are a best fit for you. They may also be able to arrange for travel to the area for interviews and house shopping, depending on the needs of their clients. Some companies may offer relocation assistance for hard to fill positions, and the recruiter will know what benefits and assistance each employer provides.
