This article was provided by Next Travel Nursing.
If you’re already a travel nurse, you know this career path is a lot more than a job. It’s the opportunity to explore new places, enhance your skills, and get to know new people, some of whom are likely to become close friends. Building relationships can make all the difference in the world not only when it comes to networking and landing that “perfect” new assignment through Next Travel Nursing, but for a higher quality overall experience that can improve your personal and professional life.
If you move every few months developing those new relationships might seem challenging, but it’s probably easier than you think. By following these tips, you’re likely to end up with friends across the country before you know it.
Make Connections Before You Go
Before you head out on that next, or first, travel assignment, try to make some connections in your new destination. You might reach out to your own friends and co-workers to find out if they know anyone in the area that they can connect you with, facilitating a conversation that might lead to a new friendship before you even arrive. Another option is to take advantage of social networking sites like Facebook, as you’ll find many travel nursing groups that help connect travel nurses across the country. With thousands of nurses following Next Travel Nursing on Facebook, you’re likely to meet up with someone there who is working at the same facility or will be soon.
Download an App
There’s an app for everything these days, and that includes options for travel nurses to connect and build relationships. We like Code Happy, the ideal place for nurses to find support, learn more about the city they’re heading to, vent when having a challenging day, and make new friends in the process. It’s a social network platform specifically designed for nurses.
NextDoor
Of course, all your friends don’t have to be nurses, why not meet some of your neighbors? It’s a great opportunity to discover more about the area you’ll be living in, get insider tips, and potentially develop new friendships. NextDoor is the place to go as a private social network for neighborhoods. Participating is private and secure, with everyone who signs up verified. There are more than 175,000 neighborhoods across the country that are included, so odds are, your new community will be one of them. It can be accessed online, or you can download the mobile app and bring it with you wherever you go.
Sign Up for a Meetup Group
Meetup has long-been popular for those who want to meet others with similar interests, with groups for just about everything, whether you’re a hiker, runner, book club enthusiast, movie buff, or pretty much anything else. It’s the largest online network with endless possibilities, but if you don’t find what you’re looking for, you can easily start a group of your own.
Your Co-Workers
We’ll end with the obvious – the old-fashioned way. While sometimes hospital drama can interfere, you’re likely to find at least one co-worker you get along well with. Don’t hesitate to start up a conversation during breaks and slow times. When someone clicks, invite them to meet you in the cafeteria for coffee or lunch. Or perhaps throw a house-warming party – you might invite both co-workers and neighbors. The more people you meet, the better odds for developing friendships that can endure for a lifetime.
