Nurse Recruiter??

[lccougar02]

Hey, I posted my resume on the internet last night. I have been getting tons of emails and phone calls from Nurse Recruiters. Has anyone ever worked with one? Whats the point? haha

~JAckie

[nursemaa]

Many organizations hire a recruiter for a couple of reasons: The recruiter can pre-screen applicants and set up interviews with the most desireable candidates for the job, and can be a contact person for the applicant as well as a resource for information about benefits, staffing practices, etc. The recruiter can also take over reading through applications, setting up interviews and checking references- extrememly helpful to the Director and/or manager.

[lccougar02]

I guess my question is now...whats in it for me?

~jackie

[llg, PhD, RN]

It depends on the type of recruiter you are talking about.

Some hospitals have their own Nurse Recruiters who do the things nursemaa talked about in their posts. They can be a big help to a hospital by going to job fairs, pre-screening applicants, reviewing things like benefits packages with applicants, etc. They can also be a big help to the applicants by helping the applicants "find the best fit" within the organization. By talking with a good recruiter, an applicant can often save a lot of heartache by choosing the right unit in the first place.

The other type of Nurse Recruiter is more of a "head hunter." These folks don't work for a particular hospital, but rather work for an agency that helps client employers find employees to fill vacant slots. The hospital pays the recruiter a fee for every person they bring into the hospital. Sometimes they are paid for each person hired, sometimes they are paid each time a person is interviewed. Unless a hospital is desparate, they will only be willing to pay that recruitment fee for hard-to-fill leadership positions.

I believe there are some good "head hunters" out there, but my personal experience with them has not been very positive. I've encountered some very "hard sell" tactics for positions that were not very attractive and have usually felt that they did not have my best interest at heart. I can understand that they can be useful in some situations, but most people are able to find the available jobs without them.

llg

[lccougar02]

post removed

[Jami RN, BSN, RN]

Are you looking for an upper level nursing position such as management, CNS, CRNA or NP? If you are, then it might benefit you to use a professional recruitment firm. The hospital I recruit for will pay a recruitment firm for these very hard-to-fill positions if we've been unsuccessful finding candidates ourselves. If you are just looking for a new RN position, I would recommend against it, as most hospitals are unwilling to pay the fees (usually 25% of the candidate's first year salary) to the firm for a Staff Nurse.

A word to the wise, also -- Once a recruitment firm has submitted you for consideration to a hiring organization, and the organization doesn't want to pay the fee, they can't legally consider you as an independent applicant at a later date without paying the recruitment firm fee, since the recruitment firm was responsible for initially bringing you to the organization's attention. In other words, when my hospital receives an unsolicited resume submission from a recruitment firm for a Staff Nurse position, we throw it in the trash, as we're not desperate enough to pay the fee, and after it comes across our desks we can't hire the person without paying the fee.

You would be much better off doing the job search work yourself, and pocketing a sign-on bonus, instead of netting a professional recruiting firm a fee. As a hospital recruiter, I really see no benefit to nurses from a recruiting firm, unless they are seeking one of the upper level, very hard to fill positions.

Best of luck in your job search!

Jami

[fergus51]

I used a company that places RNs to get my last job and I will use them again. They did everything for me. Wrote my resume, asked me what I was looking for, found hospitals, set up the interviews, etc. I basically just told them when I was available for phone interviews and told them if I wanted the job or not afterwards. I loved it.

[shempler]

Hi, I would love to explain to you why you should use a "GREAT" recruiter. Here is what is in it for you...

Great recruiters listen to what you’re looking for and work with you to seek out those careers. We encourage candidates to view their relationship with us a cooperative effort. The benefits of entering into this partnership include:

Targeted Efforts…

Recruiters spend their time identifying companies and building contacts in an industry, so not only do we have a number of current job openings, we can scout out opportunities that may be of interest to you with companies you may not have considered. Once we know you and understand your work history, career objectives, motivations, experience, talents and what you can bring to a company, we are in a position to market your talents.

Efficiency…

In some cases the “[email protected]” where you sent your resume is really “[email protected]”. Recruiters can help keep your resume at the top of the pile and present your information directly to hiring managers and decision makers, avoiding the time your resume spends languishing on someone’s desk.

Confidentiality…

In most cases, you don’t want to advertise your desire to leave your current employer, especially if you are interested in an opportunity with a competitor. In a case like this, a recruiter can present your background while protecting your identity and minimizing your risk of exposure. In addition, working with a recruiter can be more effective than posting your resume to a major online database for all (including your employer’s human resources department) to see.

Advice about your career…

Think of your recruiter as a guide through the job search process. We will work with you to find and evaluate opportunities that align with your career objectives, talk with you about industries where your skills are valued and help you navigate the career change process. Along the way, we’re here to offer advice and direction. Never hesitate to ask your recruiter about any concerns or questions you might have.

Representing your interests…

Recruiters are uniquely positioned to resolve differences between you and your potential new employer about salary, benefits, vacation and relocation. We will always do our best to assist you in considering all aspects of an opportunity in order to ensure you make the best decision for you and your family.

From New Grads to Director level professionals we will always work hard for you and will likely come with opportunities you might not have seen, thought of, or been able to access on your own.

[marnacla]

Any ideas on finding a good recruiter? Can anyone recommend someone? Thanks in advance.