The healthcare industry is growing tremendously, with the US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicting 194,500 average annual openings for registered nurses between 2020 and 2030 and a 9 percent growth rate projected for employment. With that job market growth comes incredible opportunities for healthcare travelers and having a great relationship with your healthcare recruiter is key to landing the best travel assignments. Here’s our insight for building a strong relationship with healthcare recruiters.
What does a traveling nurse recruiter do?
If you’re new to the travel life, you may be asking what is a traveling nurse recruiter and what do they do? As a healthcare traveler, your traveling nurse recruiter is your go-to person. They’ll figure out what your travel nursing goals are and then help you throughout the process of seeking and getting the jobs you want. Once you land a travel assignment, they are there to coordinate all the details leading up to the assignment, and help you out with anything you may need along the way.
Although searching for a healthcare job on Fusion Marketplace offers transparency on all the job details, it's still a great idea to review the details like setting, pay, location, and more. A recruiter will walk you through the assignment’s requirements. If you’re interested and apply for a job opportunity on Fusion Marketplace, you'll be connected with a recruiter will schedule interviews and help you review any offers you receive. Once you’ve accepted an offer, your recruiter will help make sure you’re all set for your start date by helping coordinate housing arrangements, travel arrangements, and credentialing. Even after you’ve started your assignment, your recruiter is a resource for you to turn to if anything goes wrong or you need help.
Benefits of having a good relationship with your travel nurse recruiter
A strong traveler-recruiter relationship can lead to several successful assignments and a partnership that lasts for years. Unlike other industries where recruiters find candidates long-term opportunities, travel healthcare recruiters communicate with their travelers on an ongoing basis due to the short-term nature of travel jobs. In the same way, travelers rely on their recruiters to provide more vital services than traditional recruiters. Here are the reasons why building a relationship with your recruiter is essential to having a good experience as a healthcare traveler.
They support your job search
While you're in control of your job search when you use Fusion Marketplace, the best travel nurse recruiters will be able to support you in your travel assignment choices, guide you through the process, and help you with any questions along the way. If you have a relationship with open communication, the two of you will be able to narrow down jobs that are a perfect fit for you. The best recruiter will be on top of the game in scheduling interviews for the jobs you apply for as well as going over all the job details with you to ensure you find the best assignment for you.
They help you understand and negotiate your contract
One of the benefits of using Fusion Marketplace is that there's pay transparency up front, but even seasoned travelers need help understanding their pay package. A recruiter can confidently walk you through all the details of your contract and help you negotiate the best deal. Due to the complex nature of travel pay packages, it’s crucial to have a recruiter you trust to explain and negotiate your pay breakdown.
They're there for you
It’s natural to feel some travel assignment anxiety and your recruiter’s job is to alleviate some of that stress and answer questions about the unknown. Even after you’ve started, a great recruiter should continue checking in on you to make sure everything is going smoothly. Recruiters should check in with you at least four times during your assignment, with one of those times being at the very beginning of the contract. Your recruiter should be someone you can depend on to help navigate any challenges that may arise before, during, and after your assignment.
Tips for building a strong relationship with your recruiter
The advantages to having a great relationship with your recruiter are never-ending, but this partnership isn’t built overnight. It takes time, trust, and consistency to develop a relationship with a recruiter that will reap benefits for many years. Here are some tips to getting off on the right foot with your recruiter and continuing to build a bond with them!
Ask a lot of questions
Most recruiters will begin communication with a “get to know you” call. This is time for the recruiter to learn about you and your traveling interest, but it’s also a time for you to figure out if they are a good match for you as a recruiter. Here are some questions to ask a travel nurse recruiter:
How long have you been a travel nurse recruiter?
While less experienced recruiters may be just as competent as more seasoned recruiters, if you’re new to being a healthcare traveler, you may want someone with a little more experience under their belt to guide you.
Will you be my only point of contact, or will I be put in touch with additional people at the agency?
Every agency defines the travel nurse recruiter job description a little differently and some recruiters may handle everything, and some may hand off certain tasks to other people in the company. If this is important to you, it’s helpful to know earlier than later.
What is your availability?
Knowing when and how often your recruiter is available helps you set an expectation for future communications.
Do you submit travelers to assignments without permission?
It's a huge recruiter red flag when a recruiter submits a traveler to an assignment without their consent. Make sure this is something your recruiter would never do and has no hesitancy about.
What happens if something goes wrong while I’m on assignment?
You want to make sure the recruiter is someone you can rely on and trust if anything goes awry during your assignment. A good recruiter will advocate for you in a negative situation and help you figure out any problems!
Do you like what you do?
Not everyone is cut out for recruiting, so it’s important to get an idea of how long your recruiter may stay in the job before investing your time into a relationship with them.
How is the staffing business right now? Are there plenty of jobs in my specialty?
This can reveal what industry trends the agency is currently experiencing and how easily they’ll be able to find positions for your specialty.
What areas of the country do you staff?
If you have specific locations in mind, asking this early will ensure your time isn’t wasted if the agency doesn’t staff those areas.
Set expectations early in the job search
In your first talk with a recruiter, you should be clear about what you’re looking for in a job. For instance, you’ll want to cover your specialty, preferred setting, travel locations, and your reason for wanting to travel. Do you want to explore the country? Take advantage of healthcare traveler pay? Get more experience and broaden your scope of practice? All these things help your recruiter get to know you better and allows them to better match you to the perfect job.
When your recruiter presents you with a contract, come up with a list of questions to ask them before you decide to apply. You want to make sure the assignment is a good fit for you and your recruiter is there to help clear up any confusion you may have as a traveler! Check out these ideas for what to ask a travel nurse recruiter:
- What does the pay package look like?
- What type of insurance will I have, if any?
- What are the benefits/reimbursements for travel nurses?
- How many days of orientation will I get?
- What is the time off policy?
- Are there any other perks?
Your recruiter should be able to give you answers to these questions and help you determine if the job is right for you. The process of applying for a job is time-consuming, so it’s helpful for both parties to be on the same page in terms of job expectations and contract details so no one is wasting their time.
Establish preferred communication methods
When building a relationship with a recruiter you should communicate when you’re available, how often you want to talk, and what your preferred communication methods are for speaking with your recruiter. If you’re only available certain times of the day or prefer text messages over phone calls, letting your recruiter know that information ahead of time helps them know how to best contact you and respect your time. Keep in mind, speed to market is essential when it comes to travel assignments so it’s helpful to be available to your recruiter as much as possible so they can get in touch with you quickly.
Communicate often and consistently
During the application process, check in with your recruiter every few days to check in and provide any updates you may have. Recruiters are juggling many travelers at a time so staying in touch helps them know you’re still committed to the process.
Even after you land an assignment, you should keep your recruiter updated on how the job is going and when you’ll be available again. It’s never too early to plan your next assignment! The best healthcare recruiters will reach out to you several weeks before your contract end date and inquire about your upcoming job search. Continuing contact will help nurture a great partnership for years to come!
Be transparent
Trust and transparency work hand in hand in any relationship. The only way your recruiter can help you is if you’re honest with them, and the only way you can trust them is if they’re honest with you! One way to make sure you’re maintaining a relationship built on honesty is to let them know how your assignment is going whether that’s good or bad. If you run into any issues or concerns during your assignment, big or small, you should contact your recruiter. Even if they can’t do anything about the issue immediately or at all, it’s good for them to know for future reference. You should also let your recruiter know if your availability changes as soon as possible. If anything changes in your situation like gaining new skills or qualifications, this is also helpful information to pass along to your recruiter. The more upfront you can be with your recruiter, the better they can do their job in helping you.
Not sure how to find a travel nurse recruiter? Check out Fusion Marketplace where you can explore your options, read recruiter ratings and reviews, and chat with recruiters from a wide range of agencies, all on one platform! We’re your one-stop-shop for finding the best recruiter and travel assignment.
