I know it’s easy to ignore recruiters when they blow up our phones or emails with job options. But I try to send a quick response via text or email letting them know I am not interested or are currently on an assignment. This keeps my relationship with recruiters strong.
If I were to ignore them often and only reach out when I needed them, the recruiters would be less inclined to help. On the other hand, since we are often in close contact, I am one of the first providers they consider for any relative assignment.
I am often asked by peers if there are times that I do not have consistent work as a traveler. My answer is no, in fact I typically have multiple job options at any given time. One of the reasons for this is because I have established strong relationships with multiple recruiters.
In addition, I have built connections with previous work sites. So, when they have a new opportunity (they often do), they will contact me to come back. When I first started traveling as a nurse practitioner, I didn’t expect I would ever return to a previous assignment. My thought was I would only want to go somewhere new. Fast forward to 5-6 years later and my mind has changed.
For example, my options are limited in winter so I don’t mind going back to a previous job in California or Florida. I have also formed relationships with staff and the local community, so I enjoy returning for brief periods to catch up with my new friends.
Even though I only work at each place for 3 months (initially), I always put my best foot forward to give them a good impression of me. This way, I’ll always have a job to return to if needed or can help in their clinics in other places (like I do now for the geriatric company).
If you see locum tenens in your near future or want to work in this field long term, be sure to network and work on your professional relationships.
