Did you know the UK adult social care sector is bigger than the NHS? Given the constant demand for social workers, you have plenty of choice in social work jobs. There is an abundance of permanent roles up for grabs, but just as many locum social work jobs.
If you’ve reached a career crossroads where you’re debating whether to stay in a permanent role or transition into locum work, what follows is an exploration of the unique benefits and challenges of each one.
You’ll also gain insights into how you can successfully move between permanent and locum roles with the support of a social work recruitment agency.
Permanent Vs Locum Work
Permanent social work roles offer stability, job security, steady income and paid benefits. They also provide a consistent work environment, enabling you to develop deeper relationships with clients and colleagues. On the downside, they often aren’t as flexible, with limited opportunities to explore different settings or take an extended break to refresh and recharge.
On the other hand, locum social work jobs may offer more flexibility. You have control over the assignments you take and your work schedule. You’ll enjoy higher pay rates and varied work environments. It’s also a great way to ‘try before you buy’ if you plan to go permanent again down the track, with scope to test out a new team or ways of working.
However, locum roles can lack job security and benefits and require ongoing effort to secure new assignments. Social work professionals usually need to have at least two years of relevant experience to break into the competitive locum market.
If locum work or a permanent role sounds like the change you’re looking for, here’s how a social work recruitment agency can help make your transition that much easier.
Tailored Career Advice
Matching you with the right role is a social work recruitment agency’s primary goal. It’s our job to understand the intricacies of social work jobs and each unique placement we make – from compliance requirements right through to how the offered salary or pay rate stacks up in the current market.
Your consultant will take the time to understand your key job preferences, such as location, salary range or pay rate, contract length and more.
Based on these conversations about your skills, experience and career goals, we can then advise you on which locum or permanent placements to pursue.
Personalised Support
A great social work recruitment consultant devotes themselves to building a strong working relationship with you. This includes being on hand to support you in a variety of ways, such as:
1. Actively searching for suitable locum or permanent roles on your behalf
2. Application and interview preparation, such as advice on how to customise your CV for suitable roles
3. Managing compliance requirements
4. Contract negotiation is highly valuable if you’re new to the locum world, where pay rates and contract terms can vary significantly
5. Payroll support - ensuring you’re paid accurately and on time
Optimised Search for Locum Social Work Jobs & Permanent Jobs
Finding a new social work position is time-consuming, especially when you're balancing your current job and your personal life.
A social worker recruitment agency tackles this search for you, leveraging their network of contacts and clients to identify the right match for your needs and wants. It saves you precious time while giving you access to a wider range of opportunities than you might find on your own.
Support In Your Return to Permanent Roles
While locum work offers flexibility, you may reach a stage where you want to return to the stability and benefits of a permanent position.
As a reputable social work recruitment agency, we have spent years cultivating our market expertise and building a network of contacts that offer both locum and permanent positions, so they’re ideally positioned to support you.
From access to job openings that may not be publicly advertised, to finding roles that align with your career goals, your agency consultant is your competitive edge in ensuring you're not just finding any job, but the right one.
Whether you have secured a permanent or locum position, your dedicated consultant will continue to offer support. Whether it’s providing feedback or supporting you as you onboard, we’re here to help you address any issues that crop up.
Here at Charles Hunter Associates, ongoing support is one of our specialties. Our candidate relationships span years and in some cases, decades!
Here to Help
Transitioning between permanent and locum roles in the UK social work sector needn’t be tricky. It can be a smooth and positive experience with the support of the right social worker recruitment agency.
If you’d like to find out more about how we handle the logistics of your transition into a locum or permanent role, please get in contact with one of our specialists. Let us take the recruitment reins so you can focus on what you do best: delivering quality care to those in need.
