To Use a Recruitment Agency or Not to Use a Recruitment Agency... THAT is the Question

When I started this process, I had next to zero understanding of what went into the process of getting a nursing job in the UK. Maybe its my American entitlement, but this is how I thought the process would go:

- apply

- get the job because there's no way they don't want an American trained nurse, we're so smart!

Lol not actually BUT that was kind of my mindset. After a solo travel trip to Copenhagen in October of 2022, I decided to put pedal to the metal and really get on top of applying to jobs and getting this ball rolling. But what I wasn't prepared for was applying to 10 or 20 job postings and getting denied from all but one! I truly think I got very lucky with this one job, though. In this post I am going to break down tips and tricks for whichever path works best for you: using a recruitment agency or applying on your own.

Applying on your own

This is a majority of what I did/am doing. Maybe it is my need to have control (calling my therapist ASAP), but I just thought that if I had control over this application process, I could make myself look like a better candidate than some recruitment agency that doesn't even know me. The first step I took (after beginning the NMC application process of course) was going on the NHS Jobs website. I put in all of my preferences and clicked search.. then I saw about a thousand jobs pop up..overwhelming, right? Some job postings are not applicable to you because they are only for internal applicants (someone who already works with the Trust looking to transfer), require NHS experience, are for the wrong Nursing Band, or are for the wrong registration (ex: you are looking for a Paediatric post and the one advertised is on an Adult ward, a distinction that will be discussed in a later blog post). These are easy to filter out, but it is important to note that ALL postings will state they require NMC registration. Provided you haven't already passed the OSCE (often the last step of the registration process), you might find yourself avoiding many job postings because of this disclaimer. It is usually highlighted in bright yellow basically yelling at us to stay away from their jobs. I personally chose to ignore this disclaimer because 1. I am delusional and 2. many Trusts understand the requirements for onboarding international nurses, and they are not going to be blindsided by my being one. After submitting an application, I ALWAYS send an email to the contact listed on the application. My format goes like this:

Dear Mr./Ms. _________,

Hello! My name is ____Your Name____, and I am a current Registered Nurse in __(City/State/Country)__. I have just submitted an application for the _____ position at _______ on the _____ Ward (Reference Code ______, Application ID ______).

I am reaching out because I find myself in a unique situation. In order to work for the Trust, I would require a Tier 2 Skilled Worker visa. ______Describe how far you are into the NMC registration process_____. I am looking for a Trust that shares my value of providing a high level of patient care to sponsor a Tier 2 Skilled Worker Visa and assist with OSCE preparation. ___Why you want to work for the NHS_____ .

I believe myself to be exactly the nurse this role is searching for. __Describe why here___. I have experience with _________, and am extremely motivated to learn. I am looking for a challenging position that will help me expand my nursing knowledge daily. I understand that this job posting is not explicitly for international nurses, however I look foreward to our further communication if I am considered for the position. Please let me know if there is anything extra I need to do, as my situation may be more unique than other applications. Thank you very much for your consideration.

Kind Regards,

Your Name Here

Depending on the depth of the application itself, I usually attach my CV and Cover Letter to this email as well, but that is up to you. There are a couple of different responses you can expect from this email: no response, a response thanking you for the application and telling you they will consider your application, or them saying that they do their international recruitment through an agency and will usually list the agencies they work with. Your actions after their response will vary.

Another angle to applying on your own is to simply reach out to any point of contact you can find on a Trust's website and explain your situation. I got many responses this way and was provided further information of how to apply. One notable kind of response I got from sending these emails was that they are not CURRENTLY recruiting overseas nurses. I was told once that they were full up until March 2023, so I waited until then and inquired again.

It is also important to know which Hospitals are actually able to sponsor your visa. I LIVED on this website which has a list of EVERY business in the UK that is registered with the Home Office to be able to sponsor Tier 2 Visas (not just hospitals). So don't waste your time and apply to Trusts that can't offer you what you need! Additionally, many hospitals offer overseas programs that include many amenities including but not limited to meal vouchers, flight fare coverage, accommodation, etc. I found programs like this at Royal Brompton Hospital and St. George's. Both of these are in London, which makes sense because London is an international hub. I personally was not dead-set on London, for reasons I can discuss another time, but many people are, and that's great.

Applying Through an Agency

To be honest, I was so in the dark about agencies until recently. It is hard for me to truly let go and put my career's future in the hands of someone else (Capricorn problems, my therapist already knows). I have reached out to multiple to see what the process was like, and I am pleasantly surprised. Unlike a random American nurse applying anywhere and everywhere, these agencies have relationships with Trusts and often are already aware of interviews you may be eligible for! Which agency you use is up to you, but keep in mind that some only cater to a few Trusts. I found it helpful to hear directly from the overseas recruitment officer of these Trusts which agencies they use, and reach out accordingly. Because I am neurotic (again, therapist = AWARE), I registered with a few different ones. Maybe this is not a good thing, I don't know, but I did it. I have been talking to people from MSI Recruitment, NEU professionals, and Medacs. NEU contacted me the fastest, and Medacs took the longest, but both's registration process is the same. You get contacted, send them some documents, and they set up interviews. One caveat though, almost all recruitment agencies ask for proof that you have passed the CBT, which is the written nursing exam for the NMC. So if you have not taken it, or are just starting out, I would apply to jobs by yourself until you meet this requirement. A lot of them also ask for proof of passing IELTS/OET English language test. Since I came from a majority english-speaking country (USA), I was EXEMPT, which is a good thing but can kind of get confusing for these agencies who frequently work with people from non-english speaking countries. If you come from USA or Canada, just know, you're EXEMPT from this costly exam. Seriously... I looked it up because I just thought it might make it easier to just have that qualification and it was upwards of $500 USD... HELL!!! NO!!!

I also looked into NHS Professionals, one of the most commonly used recruitment agencies. My issue with them is that you NEED proof of passing a language test AND 10 months of experience in whichever field you are planning getting registered in. As a new grad nurse this was a no-go, which was disappointing because a lot of the posts on Indeed are posted through NHS Professionals. But, if you meet those requirements, go for it! These strict requirements make sense (weeding out people who might not take it seriously), but still can be disheartening for us new nurses trying to get a job.

Results

So far, I have worked with these agencies for a few weeks and already have a job offer for a Paediatric position, so the benefits are looking good. On the flip side, I applied to probably 30-40 job postings by myself and got the same amount of interviews/job offers. Both can yield positive results, but the amount of time and effort you put into it makes a difference as well.

Overall, PERSISTENCE IS KEY. Write that follow up email, apply for the job you don't think you qualify for, reach out to any and everybody! Any action is better than no action, just know that its been done before, and you can do it too. Now...

Go Travel,

TRN