Before interning at Aureus Medical during my senior year of college, I had no idea what a staffing firm was. I didn’t realize that there was an entire industry dedicated to helping people find jobs for FREE! How cool is that? Finding a job can be extremely stressful, and staffing firms were established to help take that stress off of your plate. I work with newly graduated Physical and Occupational Therapy students every day to help them find their first position. This can be difficult to do on their own while finishing up their rotations and studying for boards. Even so, there are some students who don’t know what a staffing firm is and others who may have a preconceived notion that they are better off without one. Because of this, I wanted to shed some light on why I think staffing firms are one of the greatest resources available to you!
Connections
One of the main reasons to work with a staffing firm is that we know about positions that aren’t readily available to the public. We also have direct contact with the hiring authorities. We often hear from students that they left their resume with HR, and never heard back; this is something you don’t need to worry about when working with a staffing firm. Aureus Medical has connections with facilities across the United States, and the hiring authorities trust that we will bring them qualified and quality candidates. We also trust them to communicate in an open and timely manner with us. Because of this, the process tends to move much quicker. We often have exclusive positions that the general public, and other staffing firms, do not have access to.
Legwork
Looking for a new position can be exhausting, especially for new graduates! It’s difficult to finish up rotations, study for boards, and look for a position simultaneously. It’s no surprise that a majority of the students we speak with are feeling stretched thin. With us, all you have to do is fill out an online application and tell us what you’re interested in. From there, we will update you on all of the positions we have that match your preferences. With your permission, we will submit your application and set up the interviews for you. This cuts down significantly on the amount of time you may spend job searching on your own.
Flexibility
Disclaimer: we have both permanent and contract positions with Aureus, but this section will focus on the pros of traveling with a staffing firm. Many of the students I work with mention that flexibility is one of the most appealing parts about travel. With Aureus, you can take as many (or as few) positions as you’d like. If you’re holding out for your dream job in a specific city, you can take a travel assignment or two in the meantime while you wait for a permanent position to open up. You can also take time off in between assignments to go home, visit friends in other states, or just get settled before you head to your next assignment. That is definitely not something you’ll find in a permanent position!
Representative
Your Recruiter becomes your “job representative”. They will market you to facilities and be a voice for you during the hiring process. They will have an initial conversation with you that covers everything they could possibly need to know regarding your job search and preferences. If you apply on your own, the facility will determine whether they’ll interview based on your resume. Resumes don’t always tell the full story, especially in regards to personality and work ethic. We are able to give our facilities a better idea of what you’re like personally; we know what makes you stand out from other potential candidates and are able to vouch for you!
Whether I have convinced you of the greatness of staffing firms or not, I hope that you’ll give them a chance if you’re looking for a position in the future. I’d be happy to answer any further questions you have regarding staffing firms! For those of you who already work with a staffing firm, what’s your favorite part about working with them?
