The Travel Nurse Recruiter
Building and maintaining a solid relationship with your travel nursing recruiter is an important aspect of your professional career. Whether searching for a job or happily employed, maintaining a good relationship with your travel nurse recruiter keeps your options open. One important fact to remember is that your relationship with your recruiter is a professional one. It is okay to have a fun and friendly relationship, but make sure that your decisions aren’t made out of concern for offending your recruiter.
Communication
Communication is key to building a good relationship with your travel nursing recruiter. Keep your lines of communication open, and be especially responsive when you are actively looking for jobs. Make sure they know the easiest way to get in touch with you. Travel nursing is a competitive market, and when a job becomes available, it is beneficial to you and your recruiter to act quickly, and knowing the quickest and easiest way to contact you eliminates any potential communication barriers.
If you’re actively looking for a position, check in every few days to update your status and see if they have anything new. Recruiters generally work with dozens of travel nurses, and if they don’t get back right away, they aren’t ignoring you. They just have a busy schedule. Take initiative and contact your recruiter instead of waiting around for them to call you. Make it a point to keep up with your recruiter at least once a week, whether you stay in contact via e-mail or telephone.
Honesty
Being honest with your recruiter is crucial. First, be upfront with your recruiter before they start looking for a position for you. Refer back to your deal-breakers and make certain that your recruiter knows and understands what they are.
During your contract, if there are issues (no matter how small), make certain to touch base with your travel nursing recruiter and inform them. Let them know that you are/are not able to handle the situation at the present but want them to be aware.
Your recruiter’s job is to help you find a position that suits you. They cannot ease worries of which they are unaware, and they cannot fix something that they don’t know is broken. Open and honest communication with your recruiter will help you find the right job more efficiently.
Keep your travel nursing recruiter up-to-date.
Your recruiter is your ally in helping you find a suitable job. Notify them of any changes or updates made to your resume as soon as you make them. Have your skills and experiences changed? Keep your recruiter informed and ensure you stay on top of their list of desirable candidates.
When you become unavailable for a job, inform the recruiter. Don’t hide your unavailability in fear of hurting your recruiter’s feelings. Remember, this is a business relationship. Be pleasant and inform them that you look forward to connecting with them when the current contract is finished.
Maintain the Relationship
Once you land a new job, keep your best travel nursing recruiters in the loop. Check in with them once in a while. A good recruiter should touch base with you a few weeks before the end of your assignment, even if you took an assignment with a different company. It’s important to maintain a good relationship once established. You never know when you or a close friend will need their assistance. Keeping that bond will make the recruiter want to spend the time and effort to help you down the road. For some additional tips on travel nurse recruiter relationships, check out this article.
Referrals, not gifts
It is a kind thought to want to get a thank you gift for your recruiter. Referrals are the best way to thank your travel nurse recruiter for helping you get where you want to go. Don’t worry about gift baskets or thank you cards. Good referrals equal better business for your recruiter, and many companies offer referral bonuses for referring a qualified candidate.
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