Seven Strategies to Find PSW Jobs

You made it. You surpassed all the odds and difficulties working against you and came out shining with your PSW certificate.

Congratulations!

This is a very exciting and growing field and I have no doubt you will prosper.

But wait.

  • Is your resume ready?
  • Have you started to apply?

Don’t be discouraged if something doesn’t pop up right away, this will require time, patience and persistence on your part. Many people acquire their new position due to knowing someone already in the field. Keep in touch with everyone you’ve talked to at school and while on placement.

The following are 7 key steps to obtaining a PSW job in Long-term care, retirement and community settings.

RELATIONSHIPS

Hello my name is Personal Support WorkerRemember that co-worker who annoyed you while on your clinical placement?

Well, annoyance or not, that person has one thing you haven’t:

A job.

Talk to the people you come in contact with while on placement and while in school. Ask questions.

  • How did you come into this job?
  • What are some of the key characteristics this facility looks for in an employee?

Your school also has a ton of resources for you to comb through. Take the time to talk to your teacher, your classmates.   More often than not, many people come into the job they currently have through someone they know.

Hey, no one said it was fair. This is survival of the fittest – PSW style.

Get a recommendation letter from the your preceptor, nurses or Personal Support Workers you work with on your clinical rotation.  A few words of appreciation could be of great help to you.

Also get a recommendation letter from the instructor.

VOLUNTEER

Take some time out of your busy schedule to volunteer. A hospital, nursing home, hospice care, just pick a place.

Resumes with volunteer experience are very appealing to a future employer. It shows you have other interests and activities outside of the workplace.

By volunteering, you get to know the staff and residents; You have a real inside look into what you could be doing and can therefore make a proper decision on whether or not you want to apply to that place or not.

If you like it, remember to get a letter of recommendation from them.

A PSW who wants to work in a particular Long-term care facility has a far better chance of getting the job if they have personal experience with the home already.

When the time comes to apply for a position, they will have that place on the resume and also have references from within the same organization.

This can be a huge advantage.

This also goes back to building relationships. Everyone you meet counts!

GET THE JOB RELATED TO PSW’S

Keep your focus on a PSW job but if there is any other job opening that you are eligible to apply for, go for it.

This will help you get to know other staff members and as always,  develop connections. The more experience you build up the better chance you have of acquiring your dream job as a Personal Support Worker.

Some of the related jobs that you can consider applying to are:

  • Clerical Associate (not entirely related but will help you build professional relationships)
  • Home Support Workers,
  • Housekeeping,
  • Portering

Yes, cleaning toilets and making dinner could very well be a part of your job when working in a community setting. This line of work focuses on helping those who can no longer do it themselves, cleaning, cooking, as well as bathing and dressing all fall under this category.

INTRODUCE YOURSELF

Hello! My name is Stefanie and I am a student here.

I am really looking forward to working in a field where I can utilize the skills I will have acquired by working here.

Do that.

Introduce yourself to everyone you come in contact with. While on your placement, make sure everyone knows your name. PSWs, Doctors, other managers and even the residents. Also, you never know when someone might be near by recruiting.

Talk yourself up!

You want this job, right? Go get it!

DON’T JUST APPLY ONLINE

The internet is a wonderful way in terms of connections, but it isn’t the best way to get a job.

When I graduated, I sent my resume to anyone and everyone I could via email. But I also went directly to Long-term care homes and dropped my resumes off in person.

I made a list of every LTC home within an hour of my home and every day for a week I drove and dropped off my resumes and cover letters.

It’s a lot of work and exhausting at times but worth it.

People get emails all the time and they are very easy to dismiss. Show them your face. Dress nice, clean and professional and walk in with confidence.

MAKE CONTACTS

Make connections with everyone you come across, not just in the healthcare field. You never know who is listening or who knows who.

Get your name on the map. You are important. You are a PSW ready and willing to work hard.

STAY POSITIVE AND PERSISTENT

This is the most important thing you will need to grasp. Without this, the relationships you’ve made, the volunteering you’ve completed and the resumes you’ve produced won’t mean a thing.

This is not an easy job nor is it an easy career to get into.

Full time PSW jobs are extremely hard to come by. It is very normal to start off in a part-time or casual position. Click here to Tweet this. 

You’ve worked hard at this, you know you can do it and you will. A positive mind set and persistence will get you far.

These steps; creating relationships, volunteering, working in the field, putting yourself out there by applying in person and having a positive outlook are all necessary when starting out in the work force as a PSW.

With time and persistence, the right job will come to you.

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Avlin
Avlin

Avlin is passionate about helping aspirants become better personal support workers. He is an entrepreneur and runs a clinic in Toronto.

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2 Comments

  1. I am looking for job as PSW. I had been done caregiver for 2 years. Also I was a Registed Nurse in back home. I had experience for this job. I like to help people . Hope I have chance to get job from here. Thank you .

    • Ying, please note that we do not offer any jobs for PSWs. Our website is an online informational resource for PSWs.
      You can explore around our site to find many resources and tools that will help you find a job.

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