Three Reasons to Choose a Health Care Assistant Career

If you’re looking for a career that will provide you with job satisfaction and security while also making an impact in the lives of others, consider a job as a Health Care Assistant.

There are a number of industries losing jobs in BC, but the healthcare field continues to grow rapidly. You will not only be enjoying more options as a healthcare professional; you will also have better job stability and security.

Competitive Earning Potential

Due to the high demand for workers in the healthcare industry, careers in health care are some of the most well-paying options available. The more training you have, and the more highly skilled you are, the higher your pay will be. Even in entry-level healthcare jobs, the earning and growth potential is better than in many fields. According to information from the Health Employers Association of BC, the starting hourly wage of a Health Care Assistant working in a publicly funded setting can range from $27.11 to $28.74 (wage as of April 1, 2023), depending on the employment sector. As a full-time or part-time employee, you would have access to a comprehensive benefits package and a benefit pension plan through the Municipal Pension Plan. Most graduates usually start with casual or part-time employment and work up to full-time status gradually.

You Can Live & Work Anywhere in BC

Almost every region of the province has a strong demand for HCAs, meaning that you can live and work almost anywhere in British Columbia once you receive recognized training and register as a Health Care Assistant. There are very few fields that offer such widespread career opportunities as the healthcare field.

You Can Finish School in As Few as Seven Months

Health Care Assistant training program duration varies from school to school, but the average time range is seven months. Most HCAs graduate and register to start working in less than a year.

If you’re ready to take the first step toward becoming a Health Care Assistant, check out these recognized HCA training programs in British Columbia.

Preparing & Handling Your HCA Job Interview with Confidence

Preparing for Successful Job Interview

Even the most qualified job seekers feel nervous before a job interview, but the more you prepare, the more at ease you will feel. Nowadays, job seekers may go through a number of interviews: a phone interview, an in-person interview, and sometimes a follow-up interview with a larger group. However, Health Care Assistants are mostly interviewed only once. In this article, we share a few tips with you on how to prepare for your interview and ensure that you make a great first impression on your potential employer.

Do Your Research

In order to ace your interview, you need to do more than demonstrate that you have a thorough understanding of the job and what will be required of you. You also need to show that you know the employer. You can do this by researching. Spend time reading their website, paying particular attention to the “About Us” page, current news releases, and any articles written about the employer. If you have any contacts or reliable sources, who can give you more in-depth information, make use of them to get a larger and more authentic picture. Doing this research is also a good way to develop a list of genuine and relevant questions to ask at the end of your interview.

Practice Your Answers

It’s essential to practice before the interview to have answers ready to go that will resonate with your interviewer. Read the job description carefully and think about the skills, accomplishments, and stories you have that match what they’re looking for in a candidate. This will help you clarify your thoughts and guide you when you’re preparing and practicing your answers. Search online for a list of common interview questions and also for specific interview questions regarding your position. Practice both so that you aren’t thrown off by classic questions like “Tell me about yourself” or “What are some words your previous employer would use to describe you?” You can practice by yourself or enlist the help of a few friends or family members who will give you honest feedback. Do this until you feel comfortable and confident talking about your experiences and skills, but don’t try to memorize your answers. Being yourself is essential, and responses should feel and sound natural.

Prepare Yourself for the Big Day

On the night before your interview, make sure that you have everything in order, such as printed copies of your resume, references, and other application materials. Load the address of the interview location into your GPS app or Google Maps so that you can plan your journey. Next, choose an appropriate outfit to wear. Pack the notepad you used when preparing for the interview, a few pens, and some emergency items such as a stain stick, a phone charger or backup battery pack, and cash. And don’t forget to get a good night’s sleep so that you are well-rested on the big day.

Maintain the Connection

Waiting to hear whether you got the job can be nerve-wracking, so before you leave the interview, ask your interviewer these two important questions:

When will you be making a decision?

Who can I follow up with? When may I do that, and how?

To stand out from the crowd, send a short thank-you email immediately after the interview. Thank the interviewer for meeting with you, say how much you enjoyed learning about the role and the organization, and add something memorable about your skills that will reinforce why you are right for the job.

What’s Next

Now that you understand how to prepare for the job interview, if you’re ready to take the first step toward a career as a Health Care Assistant, look to publicly funded and private employers for HCA job opportunities.

How to Be Prepared for Common Interview Questions

You will likely be asked many questions during an interview for a role as an HCA. To improve your interview technique, you should familiarize yourself with the most common questions and prepare and practice well-thought-out and comprehensive answers. Being prepared will also help calm your nerves and make you more confident and self-assured during your interview.

Outlined below are the most common questions that are asked in interviews for HCA positions. Of course, not every possible question is on this list, but you can use it to guide your preparations and give you a sense of the types of questions that might come up on interview day.

Introductory Questions

At the start of an interview, your prospective employer will likely ask you to share information about yourself, your work experience, your skill sets, and why you applied for the job. Make an excellent first impression by practising introducing yourself.

Some common introductory questions you can expect:

• Tell us more about yourself
• Walk us through your resume
• Tell me about your experience with this type of work
• What made you want to become a Health Care Assistant?

Practical Experience Questions

You will be asked questions about your previous work experience and how that has prepared you for this role. Use this opportunity to discuss the kind of clients you have cared for in the past (e.g., older adults living with multiple chronic health challenges; young adults with developmental disabilities) and how you provided them with quality care. You may also be asked about your education and training. If you are an internationally educated healthcare practitioner, be ready to explain your pathway to registration (e.g., HCA competency assessments, remedial education).

Some common practical experience questions you can expect:

• Do you have experience caring for a client with [insert condition]?
• Can you give me an example of how you worked as part of a team?
• What formal training do you have in health care?
• Do you have first aid/CPR training?

Behavioural Questions

As a Health Care Assistant, you will be working very closely with your clients and their families. Difficult situations can and will come up, and a prospective employer will ask you questions to determine how you’ve handled similar situations in the past and how you might handle them in the future. For example, you may be asked about a time when you had to deal with a family member of a client or a time in which you had to make a difficult decision.

To prepare for behavioural questions, make a list of real-life situations you feel comfortable discussing during an interview. Choose examples that show you have the characteristics of a good Health Care Assistant, such as patience, empathy, critical-thinking skills, and effective communications skills. Your answers will give your interviewer insight into how you might behave on the job. Remember, never reveal any private information about the persons involved in any situations you choose to discuss.

Some common behavioural questions you can expect:

• What are some strategies for working with a client who is resisting care?
• Can you describe a time you went above and beyond for a client?
• What do you do if you suspect a client is being abused by their family members?
• Tell me about a conflict you had with a client or co-worker. How did you handle it?

Company/Industry Questions

You will not be fully prepared for an interview if you cannot speak about the organization, company, or agency offering the job. Take the time to study the organization: know their mission and values and talk about why you want to work for them. Read the information available to the general public, such as the company website, and talk to any friends, instructors, and acquaintances who may know the employer. Be sure to read up on industry news as well, as you might be asked general questions about the healthcare field or Health Care Assistants.

Some common company/industry questions you can expect:

• Why did you select our agency/company/organization?
• What have you learned about us?

Your Questions for the Employer

Most interviewers will allow you to ask questions at the end of the interview. Be sure to prepare your questions; this shows interest in the company, and it helps the conversation flow. Use this opportunity to ask questions that the job ad cannot answer.

Some questions to ask the employer:

• Could you describe the organization’s culture?
• What are the opportunities for professional growth in the company?
• How would you describe your management style?
• What are some of the largest challenges for HCAs in this organization?

Health Care Assistants work in different settings—continuing care homes, assisted-living residences, group homes, acute care hospitals—and depending on the setting, you might be interviewed by an agency, a hiring manager, or even the family of the prospective client. The type of questions you are asked might vary based on who interviews you and the nature of your job. For example, if you are being interviewed to work in a client’s home, the questions you are asked might focus on your bedside manner and your character. As you prepare for your interview, think about the nature of the job, and use that as a guide.

If you’re ready to take the first step toward becoming a Health Care Assistant, find an HCA job opportunity near you.

Writing a Quality Resume & Cover Letter

A resume and cover letter are your first introduction to a potential employer. These documents contain all the information an employer requires to decide whether to invite you to an interview for the job. When writing a resume and cover letter, you should summarize your training and experience relevant to the requirements of the position. Your resume and cover letter should also give the reader a picture of who you are as a person and what characteristics make you a strong and passionate HCA.

Writing Your Resume

When writing your resume, be sure to include the following main components: personal data (name, contact information, address); career summary; employment experience; education/training/certifications; additional information (e.g., volunteer experience).

Career Summary

Many jobseekers begin their resume with an “objective statement.” A far stronger way to begin your resume is with a career summary: five to seven bullet points stating your most important qualifications (e.g., HCA training; BC Care Aide Registry Number; years/type of experience; certifications; skills). This summary gives the employer an overview of the most important aspects of your application first.

Employment Experience

In the employment experience section of your resume, list all your work experience relevant to the role to which you have applied, starting with the most recent. For each position, be sure to include the name of the employer, your job title, and your dates of employment (including month and year).

For each position listed, provide a brief summary of your roles and responsibilities. However, instead of listing all your duties and tasks, such as “assisting clients with activities of daily living,” highlight your accomplishments. Accomplishment statements demonstrate how you have used your strengths, knowledge, resources, or authority to improve a situation or to benefit your clients, peers, or employer. Such statements demonstrate that you are someone who can get the job done, and they make your resume stand out from other applicants who may have a similar experience.

When writing accomplishment statements, consider the following format:

• Action verb to attract the employer’s attention
• Background information and actions you took

• Results achieved, including how you helped make the situation better and skills demonstrated

Example: “Provided person-centred care to clients with varying needs within a community home support environment.”

Quick Resume Tips  

• Always ensure your contact information is up to date. Include both an email address and telephone number at which you can easily be reached.

• Highlight key requirements for the role, such as your BC Care Aide Registry number, in both your resume and cover letter.

• Do not include personal information such as your age, marital status, social insurance number, or a photo of yourself.

• Tailor your resume to the job. For example, if you are applying for a role in which you will work with older adults, be sure to highlight if you worked with older adults in a previous role. If you don’t have experience working in a similar setting or with a similar client population, highlight the skills and characteristics you will bring to the role you think will make you successful.

• If you find it challenging to decide what to include in your resume, put yourself in your potential employer’s shoes and think about what information will demonstrate you are a good fit for the position.

• Include keywords from the job description to attract hiring managers and applicant tracking systems (ATS).

Writing Your Cover Letter

Think of the cover letter as a supporting document to your resume. It should expand on your resume, not summarize it, and it should clearly and concisely connect your experience to the position you are applying for. Your cover letter, like your resume, should be tailored to the job. It needs to stand out from the crowd, so use it as an opportunity to demonstrate who you are as a person and as a professional.

Demonstrate You Have Researched the Employer

Your first paragraph should express excitement about the employer and provide some insights about why you have applied for the role. Do your research! Make this section unique to each employer. This paragraph should also include the title of the position you are applying for and the job posting number, if one has been given.

Go Beyond your Resume

In the paragraphs that follow your introduction, provide additional detail of how your qualifications match the position, and the skills and the experiences you have that make you a suitable candidate. Your cover letter should go beyond your resume—emphasize your strengths and provide relevant examples from your work. Use real examples that demonstrate your personal approach and the passion you bring to your work.

In the closing paragraph, reaffirm your interest in the position, include a request for an interview, and thank the employer for their time and consideration.

Both your resume and cover letter should be clear and concise. Try to keep your cover letter to one page and your resume to two pages. Carefully proofread both documents before submitting your application and submit it in the format requested by the employer. If the employer does not specify a format for submitting your application, combine your cover letter and resume into a single PDF file, which most software programs can easily open.

If you’re ready to take the first step toward becoming a Health Care Assistant, find an HCA job opportunity near you.