Planning to start your career in nursing or already are in the midst of a career but needing a change? Believe it or not, when it comes to finding and landing the best nursing job opportunities in Canada, timing could be everything.

The kids are back to school and the cold weather is arriving and what comes with that? Cold and flu season! As undesirable as cold and flu season is, to you it presents opportunity.

Two key occurrences happen in healthcare during the cold and flu season:

1.  Demand for healthcare workers increases because not only are there more patients but also nurses and support staff get sick too so medical facilities and hospitals become spread very thin on resources.
2.  Depending on how well the healthcare organization planned, they may find themselves needed to onboard candidates even quicker.

In addition to cold and flu season, some provinces like Alberta as one example are reporting labour shortages for healthcare workers including nurses.

Time really is everything.

As a nurse, what you have to full fill when getting hired is more intensive than a job that doesn’t involve administering medical care. Education, work experience and even public safety are all considerations for healthcare organizations hiring nurses.

Healthcare organizations will look for key things from you. When looking for nursing job opportunities in Canada, you should be prepared to have:

1.  Your up to date resume: this will outline your work experience.
2.  Proof that you have completed an accepted nursing program.
3.  Proof that you are licensed as a nurse in the according province.
4.  Proof of any additional studies, courses, specialties you have completed.
5.  References from previous employers: better if a nursing position however a written reference from a previous employer could go a long way.
6.  Personal references: Employers could ask for 3-10 references which may or may not include family members.
7.  Criminal record check: There aren’t many employers in the healthcare industry who won’t ask you for a criminal background check. Having this ahead of time will greatly expedite the healthcare organizations decision to hire you.
8.  Other background checks: Social media background checks are now being used very commonly in healthcare. Obtaining your own social media check will raise awareness of what an employer could potentially consider problematic behaviour.

If you wait until you land an interview to start gathering above, you may end up behind other candidates who came to the table with all of their documentation in order.

If you are thinking of looking for nursing job opportunities in Canada, preparing the above now will have you ready. When cold and flu season starts, which spawns a hiring frenzy, you can swoop in as a most trustworthy, transparent and prepared candidate.

Interested in more information about obtaining background checks for an upcoming nursing position? Visit tritoncanada.ca where you can obtain your criminal record check and/or social media check conveniently online.