Galaxy Healthcare provided this article.
While the demand for travel nurses and allied health professionals positions has decreased since the pandemic, there is still a healthy demand with more job openings and higher rates than there were pre-pandemic.
There are plenty of benefits to working local and travel assignments with agencies, including flexibility, traveling to new places, higher pay, and shorter contract commitments. Do you want to land the perfect local or travel assignments in 2023? Here are some tips to help you have the most success.
Look for the Right Recruiter Relationship
Good recruiters should be your biggest advocate and a guide for landing you great travel assignments. From the submittal process to the potential contract extension process, your recruiter will be the person who is there for you throughout your travel career. They will work with you to ensure you are getting the assignments you are looking for, along with any other topics you may need guidance on during your assignment. That is why finding a recruiter or a handful of recruiters that prioritize you is so important.
Not all agencies have the same opportunities or consistency, so it can be beneficial to find a couple of recruiters you trust at different agencies to increase your odds of finding the best assignments for you. Once you have found a recruiter or handful of recruiters, make sure you are building a strong relationship with them, as it can lead to great benefits. If you have a strong relationship with your recruiters, then it will be easy for you to be honest with them for the best outcomes.
Choose the recruiter that is willing to have the hard conversations with you and is extremely transparent. The recruiters that keep you at the front of their minds are the ones who are continuously communicating with you, guiding you through the process, and looking out for potential assignments for you at all times.
Communication & Preparation are Key!
After choosing the right recruiter, be as communicative with them as possible. Provide them with everything they need to match you with the right assignments and have you ready to go so you can be one of the first candidates submitted. Ensure all your credentials are up-to-date and shared with them. Come up with a game plan for what they should do when the role you are looking for opens. Do they have your permission to submit it when it opens? Do they need to text or call you to confirm? Make sure you can respond timely so they can give you the best shot.
If you are working with multiple recruiters and agencies, make sure you keep them up to speed on anywhere you are submitted or change in your status. This ensures you are not double-submitted to the same facility, which is frowned upon in our industry and can hinder your ability to land the assignment you want. It also prevents anyone from wasting time and maintains a good relationship for the future if you want to work with them.
We all know that healthcare professionals have very busy schedules, but if you are searching for a new assignment, then communicating with your travel agency and being available for them is a key part in landing great assignments. If you stand out as an uncommunicative candidate, then you might miss out on additional opportunities. Recruiters are willing to work with your schedule. Just let them know if something has changed!
Flexibility.
We know that flexibility is not always possible due to various life circumstances. But if you can be flexible in certain areas and are able to keep an open mind, it opens the door to more opportunities for you. Especially during the summer months when there are fewer orders, you may want to consider what items to be flexible on to maintain consistent work. This can ensure you are qualified and ready to go when the industry picks up again seasonally in the fall and winter months. Even if that means doing PRN work or working shorter contracts, just communicate with your recruiter and see what options they have.
When you are able to be flexible, you can learn about locations that you may not have known or thought about or specific positions that you are qualified for but have not considered. Ask about what locations have the best cost of living or what local contracts may be available in your area. You may be surprised at what opportunities exist that you haven’t heard about because of your stricter preferences.
Still, Looking for Competitive Pay Packages?
While some rates are continuing to decrease as the market shifts, ask your agencies if there are any additional programs going on that can incentivize you to work with them. Some of these could be hire-on bonuses, completion bonuses, scrub reimbursements, etc. Consider the full offering, and don’t assume there isn’t more to offer than the pay package itself.
If you are looking for a higher pay rate than what you are seeing reflected on a job listing, you could potentially be making more than what you see upfront, depending on what incentives the company offers. Make sure you are looking out for these opportunities and asking questions!
In Summary
The healthcare staffing industry is one of the largest and fastest-growing industries across the country. It can be hard to see with some of the extremes the pandemic brought to the industry that there is still a strong opportunity today in comparison. As with everything in life, evolving and recognizing how to have success in the current market is very important. If you know you want to continue your travel healthcare career, consider the above advice. There are plenty of options as a healthcare professional, and you have to decide what is best for you and your career. It’s okay if you decide you are hanging up your traveling hat. Just be sure to do the research, be open-minded, and find the experts who can guide you along the way.
3…2…1….blast off!
The Gypsy Nurse job board is a great place to search for your next travel nurse assignment. We have you covered with our housing page if housing is an issue. You can search for what you are looking for.
