Hi! Just thought I would put this out there and see if anyone else has similiar experiences. I find the process inbetween assignments, or finishing up one and waiting to interview for the next to be VERY stressful. I've been told it gets easier, but I'm working on getting my 4th assignment squared away, and it is the same stress again. Completely sucks. I wish there was a way to glide through this without sleepless nights and worry.
I hear what your saying. I finished my first assignment Aug 6, began working on getting next one in mid-July. Company had me set for a job in Toledo, first it was for mid August, then it was for Sept 17. Made all my arrangements, license everything. On the road from central WI to Toledo a day ahead of meeting with Unit Manager on the 14th. Call from my recruiter, contract has been pulled, staffing screwed up date and hospital pulled the contract. Here I sit, in WI with no job, no place to stay tonight. Travel work can really suck
That sounds awful. I'm glad I don't have to deal with that. I would suggest though that you talk with your recruiter about it and start working on your next assignment earlier. ANd maybe even have 2-3 recruiters you work with so if one doesn't come through another one might.
I sure can relate to this subject. I start looking at least 4 weeks ahead of time but recruiters tell me that most contracts don't want to wait for a therapist that long & it is not really worth while to look that early!! So I am the one who suffers with sleepless nights because I really can't have too much down time between assignments. So I went through the hiring paperwork process with another company also thinking that it might be better for me to have more than one recruiter looking for me and then I had them both mad at me because as it turned out they both submitted me for the same assignment. So then I get a call from a "middle man" company & he is yelling at me for having them both submit me and now the contract company is unhappy. I am finding that I am being expected to find my own housing more & more, so that means motels cause I don't RV. What happened to those nice furnished apartments they talk about on their websites??
I can't speak for others but I like to talk to my travelers about their next assignment early. Sometimes as early as the start of their current one because there are times where we can get them assignments ahead of time. One traveler I am thinking of went to Florida but had his next two already scheduled with us because of the needs of our clients. It's not often but it sometimes work out. By the 6th week of the current assignment, I should know where that traveler wants to be and working hard to get them there. Definitely speak to your recruiter(s) because timing plays a big part of it but so does planning. Don't wait any later than 1/2 way in, but as they say, "the early bird gets the worm." :)
I hate to say this but this is a big part of traveling. The best way to avoid this from happening is to be completely open to locations and settings. You have to think of traveling like gambling. You basically have to play the odds. Some locations and facilities have much better odds than others with opportunities, far out placements or even quick starts. With any agency that you work for there will always be opportunities far out as they have the inside scoop as to whether or not their travelers will be either extending or not. If one of their travelers are not extending they will know about it before any other agency and give them a leg up on placing someone else there before the job is made public. So it’s all about timing and luck for that to happen. The same goes for a job opening looking for someone more than a month out. Most jobs that become available are looking for an immediate start so when you’re far out the client more times than not are going to go with the warm body if they can avoid going without coverage. It can really vary in how quickly your next assignment will show up and it’s impossible to guarantee job security because of it. That’s why I always recommend an extension if it’s on the table and you’re happy working there.
BUT, the one thing that is usually working for you is that if you’re working with the same staffing agency they’ll have all your paperwork up to date which means that they’ll be able to start you within a day. So, that means that if you’re up against another traveler a week out you’ll have a leg up because you can start sooner. Hence, what I was saying earlier.
I definitely hate to say this but it’s a good idea to be working with at least two maybe 3 recruiters because of what I said earlier. Most agencies get the same jobs but they’ll get that leg up on openings if they have a traveler that’s not extending at a facility and they know that the client will be looking. Hope this helps.
Jeremy-I learned that lesson regarding having your paperwork up to date with each company you are with. Had to wait three more weeks for orientation because I interviewed on Friday, and there wasn't time to get the background check through for a Monday orientation.
I think too the more money I save and more comfortable I get with traveling in general...the easier it will be when I start looking for the next assigment. I usually start a month out, before the current one ends, and really push hard with 2-3 recruiters that I like. I find there are not a huge amount of positions for MS RN's, so I am working on some ceritifications, and picking up new skills whenever I can. Being open is important too. I was a little more rigid on where I wanted to go before, and the last few I have had a 1st, 2nd, 3rd and sometimes 4th preferences for possible regions/locations.
