Want to Join Our Team? Here’s What You Need to Know
Updated: Oct 8
Unity Care NW is always hiring candidates for local health center jobs, from administration to medical, dental, behavioral health and pharmacy services. Our Whatcom County clinics have broken down barriers to health care for over 40 years.
Wondering what you can expect as an applicant at Unity Care NW? Keep reading to learn more from our frequently asked questions. All applications are accepted online.
Submitting Your Resume
Can I drop off my resume or stop by to speak with someone about my application?
We appreciate your interest in employment at UCNW! While we don’t have the bandwidth to answer in-person inquiries and do not accept resumes that are dropped off, we encourage you to apply online in the Careers section of our website so our team can review your application through the proper channels. We’re excited to learn more about you!
I’m having a difficult time applying and can’t upload my resume or cover letter. What should I do?
We apologize for the inconvenience. First, make sure the document you’re uploading is compatible with our recruiting system. The following formats are accepted:
Microsoft Word documents (.doc or docx)
Rich Text Format (.rft)
Portable Document Format (.pdf)
If you're still unable to upload your document, please try using a different web browser, such as Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. If the issue persists, contact us at hr@ucnw.org for assistance.
Also, while cover letters are not required, they are highly encouraged.
Internships, Externships & Shadowing Opportunities
I’m interested in a preceptorship/internship/externship/shadowing opportunity with UCNW. How do I explore this with your organization?
Inquiries regarding shadowing opportunities, preceptorships, internships, etc. are best routed to HR@ucnw.org.
Candidates should include your contact information, the details of what you are searching for (program and school name, number of hours, type of request, timeframe, etc.) and other pertinent information.
Our team's ability to accommodate these requests is very limited and we often must regretfully decline. However, having all the information to share with the appropriate department or team from the get-go allows us the best chance to explore the possibility.
Applications, Response Times & Open Positions
I’ve applied for a position with UCNW. What happens next?
We take pride in being a responsive employer and work hard to provide prompt updates to candidates. We will communicate with you primarily through email but also via text and phone. Please monitor your junk or spam folder in case our emails are routed there.
If you have not heard from our us and it has been a couple weeks since you applied, please contact us at hr@ucnw.org.
As one of Whatcom County’s top non-profit organizations, we receive a large volume of applications from candidates like you who want to support our mission and make a difference in our community. Our response times may be slower during periods of high volume, and we thank you for your patience!
I’m interested in a position with UCNW but I don’t see a specific job posted that I’d like to apply for. How do I share my information with you?
You are welcome to leave your contact information via our Current Openings page.
Your information will be entered into the system and we may reach out in the future for positions we think may interest you.
I've applied multiple times and haven't been selected. Why is that?
We typically receive a high volume of applications from qualified candidates. Selection comes down to a variety of factors including a specific skill set, years of experience, timing, or other job-specific requirements.
If you’re not selected, it usually means there were candidates whose qualifications more closely aligned with our needs at that time. We encourage you to continue applying as each opportunity is unique and circumstances may change.
Can I apply for more than one position?
Absolutely! You are welcome to apply for any position that interests you and for which you are qualified.
Please note that our system will not let you apply for the same position if you have already applied to that specific job opening.
For example, if Jane applies to our open Clinic Receptionist role one week and then tries to reapply again the next week through the same job posting, the system will not allow it. However, if Jane applies for a position and isn’t selected, and that position is then posted again in the future, she can reapply at that time even though it’s the same job title.
Recruitment Process
We take pride in completing a comprehensive recruitment process, as we are devoted to building a positive work environment with talented, dedicated professionals to join us in our efforts to fulfill our mission, vision & values. We appreciate all candidates who participate in our selection process as we know your time is valuable.
If you’re selected to move forward in our recruitment process after submitting your application materials, here’s what you can expect:
Phone Interview
During this interview, we will ask about your qualifications and motivations along with your employment history and availability. We will also share information about UCNW and the position for which you’ve applied. Our phone interviews usually take 30 minutes to an hour depending on the position.
Site Visit & Panel Interviews
If you are selected as a top candidate, we will move forward with a panel interview, which is a more comprehensive interview with our hiring panel and/or an onsite visit. (The panel interview may take place via Zoom before a visit is scheduled).
During these site visits, you may meet team members, see the work area and/or spend time job shadowing.
Visits vary in length depending on the position and may take a couple weeks to schedule because we try to limit the impact they have on patient access.
Candidate Assessments
If there are skills tests required for the position for which you’ve applied, your recruiter will email them to you.
Skills Tests: These may include computer proficiency tests and/or written scenario tests. Computer skills tests may be completed at the Express Employment Professionals office on Meridian Street in Bellingham if you do not have access to a computer.
Reference Checks: We complete reference checks electronically via a third-party organization called Checkster.com. Instructions for initiating the reference check will be emailed to you. We require at least three to four, or more, professional references depending on which position you’ve applied for. Be sure to gather your references’ email addresses if you advance through the recruitment process.
Hiring Decision
Upon completion of a successful recruitment, we will notify all applicants of their final status and whether or not the job has been filled. All applicants are eligible to reapply with us in the future. To keep up to date on our current openings, be sure to connect with us on LinkedIn or regularly view the Careers section of our website.
Most positions require at least two weeks from offer acceptance to start date. However, positions requiring a license and/or credentialing and/or privileging may have additional recruitment steps and possibly a longer timeline for start date preparation.
For more information, check out our Careers page, or view our current open positions.
