Finding a full-time PSW job may seem impossible to new Personal Support Workers and even to workers that have been in this field for years. The common belief is that employers are just looking to fill part-time positions to save on benefits and other labour costs, while only the people in this career that are employed by hospitals get to enjoy the stability of full-time PSW jobs. In this article, we want to debunk that myth and provide our best recommendations and tips because we do believe that getting a full-time PSW job is possible.
Why Full-Time PSW Jobs Are Important
According to the federal government, the distribution of full-time and part-time personal support workers in Canada is 60% to 40%, meaning that more than half of the PSWs in the country have full-time employment in this field. However, the public’s perception is different.
People in this career, and others that are interested in it but feel discouraged by its employment prospects, are under the impression that the vast majority of PSWs have to work two part-time jobs to make enough money to support themselves because the industry doesn’t offer enough full-time PSW jobs. They are not entirely wrong, considering that even when is more than half, 60% of full-time jobs in the personal support worker’s field are less than the 79% average for full-time positions in all other occupations in the country.
Workers are so interested in landing full-time PSW jobs because of the benefits that these positions come with. First, they get to work in a single location and predictable hours. This means better work-life balance, more time for themselves, and the opportunity to plan their personal activities around their jobs, without the risks of unexpected shifts on a weekend or holiday. Also, they get to build better work relationships that allow them to perform better as a group and individually. Plus, depending on the employer, full-time employees also receive work benefits like insurance, pension plans, and certain perks.
Another important aspect of full-time PSW jobs is that, in the midst of a pandemic, they reduce the chances of the virus spreading between long-term care facilities because caregivers get to remain in one place, having contact with the same people, instead of going back and forth between nursing homes like part-time workers have to do. It can't be denied that working in more than one place means that PSWs put themselves, their coworkers their patients, and their families at risk, unfortunately.
The final reason why full-time PSW jobs are so important is that they allow personal support workers to connect better with their patients and provide them with better care, because they get to see them regularly, notice their changes, meet their families, and get more involved in their long-term care. For the patients themselves, having a full-time staff caring for them means more stability, familiarity, and trust, which is essential when giving or receiving care.
How To Get A Full-Time PSW Job
Getting a full-time personal support worker job is possible, especially if people know where to look. These are our best recommendations to make it happen:
In your job search, focus on keywords like "full-time positions available", "40 hours a week", "full benefits". These are clear indicators that a particular position is full-time, so you don't spend time and effort with positions that are not.
Keep your resume updated and don't be afraid to indicate your interests in your cover letters or in your actual resume, if you have a "professional goals" section, for instance. Making this clear to employers ahead of time will also save you a lot of time and effort.
Consider other titles, not just Personal Support Worker. This is a versatile and essential career that is still unregulated. Therefore, each employer has the freedom to call their caregiving positions however they like, according to the culture of their organization and their particular needs. So, keep that in mind when browsing through positions. Some alternative titles for PSW jobs are health care assistant, personal care aide, community support worker, among others.
Don’t forget about networking. Keep in touch with your peers from your PSW training and the caregivers you met while doing your practices in the field. Let them know that you are interested in a full-time position and they might let you know when one becomes available in their workplace.
Our final recommendation is to use a job board or employment platform truly focused on the healthcare sector, where you know you will find many full-time PSW jobs available and some of the top employers in this particular field. A good example of a platform like this is our very own Caring Support, where you can register to create a free caregiver account and gain access to an up-to-date job board with positions that you won't find advertised in generic platforms and many full-time PSW jobs to choose from.
The best part about Caring Support is that, not only do you get to apply to the latest job openings in your region, but you also get to be seen by multiple employers who are constantly looking for active skilled workers like yourself. All you have to do is keep your profile updated and remain active on the platform, and you will increase your chances of being contacted by employers. Plus, depending on your preferences and your skills, you will get specific job opening recommendations that will make your hunt for a full-time PSW job so much easier.
In closing, we hope people looking for full-time PSW jobs, and people in the field who are currently working two part-time jobs, know that it is not impossible to get the employment opportunities they want for themselves, especially now when there are numerous job openings projected in the field due to retirements, higher demand of care by the aging population in the country, and more provincial funding for long-term care.
We hope these recommendations serve to you as encouragement for your job search and that you can soon find that full-time PSW job you have been waiting for. Good luck!
Source: https://www.caringsupport.com/blog/getting-a-full-time-psw-job-is-possible