What to Look for in the Perfect Travel Nursing Recruiter
When you’re a travel nurse, your recruiter takes on many roles. Sometimes they’re like a good friend, listening to you vent and sharing in your triumphs. Sometimes they’re a port in the storm, helping you out of an emergency.
When you get to a new a travel nursing assignment, they can be the only person who has your back. So, when you’re picking a recruiter, you want to make sure you’ve got a great one.
Here’s what to look for when recruiting your recruiter.
They are trustworthy
Your recruiter handles a lot of sensitive, crucial aspects of your career. They’ll give you advice about upcoming travel locations, breakdowns of salary packages, and info about hospitals you’re interested in. These conversations will help you make decisions that will affect your daily life, your financial security, and your happiness. So, you need to know that your recruiter will give it to you straight.
They follow up with you promptly
When you have a concern or a question for your recruiter, chances are, it’s time sensitive. You don’t want to wait three days to hear if a job assignment came through or a week about a tax question. A good recruiter will never make you wait more than a day or two before getting back to you.
They listen to what you need
Remember, your recruiter is there for you, not the other way around. A great recruiter will listen closely and hustle to provide just the assignments you need. You won’t have to repeat over and over that you aren’t able to travel to a different region or work the night shift — they’ll understand how important your standards are and remember them from the get-go. A strong recruiter will listen to your requests and concerns — and put them into action.
They don’t make promises they can’t keep
When things sound too good to be true, they sometimes are. Watch out if a recruiter makes sweeping statements about how high your pay will be or how many assignments they can guarantee you in a competitive area. A good recruiter will help you set honest, realistic expectations for your career.
They work hard to get you the jobs you want
One of the best things about being a travel nurse is the freedom. You can take or leave any assignment that comes down the pike. A not-so-great recruiter will push you to take the jobs they need to fill the most, even if they don’t fit your needs and skills. A great recruiter will listen to your goals and desires and work to find the best assignments, tailored to you. They know you won’t settle for less, so they’ll aim to get you the best offers they can.
Looking for more on finding the perfect recruiter? Check out our list of questions to ask a recruiter before you sign with their agency.