feeling overwhelmed by recruiters -need advice from experienced travelers

Specialties Travel

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Specializes in primary care, pediatrics, OB/GYN, NICU.

I feel like I've opened Pandora's Box... I am interested in traveling, but not sure about the best way to get started. I posted my resume and desired position on a website for nurses who are seeking travel as well as permanent positions. I have been overwhelmed by the number of phone calls and emails I have recieved. This feels very scary to me...does this happen to everyone? How do you decide who to call back? I have never traveled as an RN. Was it like this when you started out? How did you deal with the recruiters? How did you take that "first step"? Can you recommend any companies that are the best for first timers who may need more hand holding? (if I sound a little panicked it's cause I am!) Experienced traveler's... please help...I could really use your advice!

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I am also thinking about traveling with my girlfriend (both RN's). I think of it as buying a used car. The companies are tring to make money and your trying to get it. I have made a list of all the benefits and costs. It will be a nickel and dime game. Do as much research as you can. I've been all over these forums and the internet. I also talk to any travelers in my hospital. The best advice I have gotten so far is to make sure you like your recruiter. You can wheel and deal for the rest.

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Specializes in primary care, pediatrics, OB/GYN, NICU.
I am also thinking about traveling with my girlfriend (both RN's). I think of it as buying a used car. The companies are tring to make money and your trying to get it. I have made a list of all the benefits and costs. It will be a nickel and dime game. Do as much research as you can. I've been all over these forums and the internet. I also talk to any travelers in my hospital. The best advice I have gotten so far is to make sure you like your recruiter. You can wheel and deal for the rest.

LOL! Great analogy - used car dealers, yup. I think it's true about feeling comfortable with the recruiter...some are so "hard sell" and others seem genuinely friendly and interested in finding the right placement for someone. Are you guys planning on taking an assignment while still employed? Or have you already given notice? Did you tell your employer you were going to be traveling? I always wonder if an employer will give a bad reference if they are mad about someone leaving....I'm still working the daily grind. Not sure how to "cut the cord", you know?

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We are still working now and will be until we leave in Oct. We were honest about our intent to travel. They are all quite supportive. I told them we are going to travel for a couple of years to save cash for a house, then return to the area to work again.

The most important thing is to not burn bridges. You never know what the future will bring. If you are honest with them I'm sure they won't bad mouth you. And I don't think they can anyways. They might get mad if all of a sudden they get a call from a agency about you. I say let them know.

Who have you been looking at as far as agencies?

I'm down to RN Network and Ogrady Peyton. I know Ogrady Peyton doesn't have the best reviews but the recruiter I spoke with there was the best one I've spoke with. I'm also looking at STAT RN as well.

I'm narrow it down to about three and let the wheeln' and dealn' begin.

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Go to Delphi Forums and check out the reviews of the different companies under the travel nursing forum. I am currently with RNNetwork and have no complaints. Compare the different companies and read your contract well. All companies are not equall. Some will really mess you over. Many good companies are listed on Delphi.

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Don't let the recruiter's get to you...some of them can be overbearing and bordering on rude. It helps if you have a list of what is important to you in a contract, benefits, payrate, housing, bonuses, etc. When you're talking to the recruiter's just put it all out there, tell them where your looking, the shift you want, the pay you want and the benefits you want. Alot of recruiters will try and sway you to other places or shifts...if those things are non-negotiable, let them know in the beginning and don't waiver on it. Because like dpipes44 said, they are just like used car dealers and will try and talk you out of alot of things so their commission is bigger...stand your ground and that won't happen.

As far as the companies go, for me it comes down to the recruiter I have...if he/she is not willing to listen to what I am looking for and is more interested in trying to talk to me into something else...well, I cut my losses and move onto the next company. A good recruiter is probably the most valuable tool you will have as a traveler. Feel free to PM if you have any other questions....good luck!!!

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Specializes in primary care, pediatrics, OB/GYN, NICU.

Thanks for such great advice! I guess dealing with the pushiness is going to require exercising my "setting limits" muscle... I will check the Delphi forums for reviews (thanks for the tip Antona) and brush up my list of non-negotiables. I think I'm going to try and find assignments closer to home at first to get my feet wet. tdr61 - it looks like you are in Calif and I'm in Oregon...maybe you have some specific suggestions for me?

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Thanks for such great advice! I guess dealing with the pushiness is going to require exercising my "setting limits" muscle... I will check the Delphi forums for reviews (thanks for the tip Antona) and brush up my list of non-negotiables. I think I'm going to try and find assignments closer to home at first to get my feet wet. tdr61 - it looks like you are in Calif and I'm in Oregon...maybe you have some specific suggestions for me?

Hmmm, let's see...aside from making that list, think about what size hopsital you want to work in and what shift you are willing to work. Obviously there will be more night shifts available than day shifts which, if you're willing to do nights, will open up alot more opportunities for you. Make sure you find out up front if the housing is private or shared and find out if benefits start on day one or if there is a 30 day waiting period. Find out about the orientation schedule and if you will be paid at a different rate for orientation. Some agencies don't pay your regular rate for orientation. Ask how the paydays work...when and how are they paid...are you responsible for your timesheet or is the facility. Will you be required to float to other areas and if so will you be given an orientation to those areas. Find out if the facility requires mandatory call shifts and what the pay is for those. Also, ask if you are guaranteed 36 hours a week or not...some agencies don't offer that. I'm sure there's a ton more but my brain is dead about now...lol

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I finished an assignment with RN Network. They are very nice. my recruiter was great. if your looking for 'fat cash' you may want to look somewhere else the pay is better with other companies. Housing was okay. if i do it again i think i'll try a different company. it's been 2 months and i still haven't recieved my end-travel-pay.

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ME TOO!! I am feeling overwhelmed by recruiters and I have been traveling for 8 years! I just returned to the usa from working overseas so started looking for a job. I thought I would try out one of the smaller companies that everyone is always saying are better, but in the end I have found as usual that although they may pay a little more, they just don't as many locations available as the big agencies.

Also they seem to have some new strategy with listing rates of pay in a hundred different ways - I suppose they do it so that you can't really compare them.

This tax advantage stuff has really gotten big in the past couple of years. You used to just be able to hear what your hourly rate would be without hearing about you taxed rate, untaxed rate, rate of per diem benefits, housing benefits, etc. I just want to hear how much I'll be making per hour! I wish there was some way to make it simpler!

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Specializes in ICU/CCU/ER/CVICU.

I have been traveling for 16 of the last 21 years. Many (way too many) agencies, I can't even remember the names of all the recruiters over the years. And it never changes. The recruiters are first and foremost salespeople who are paid a commission on each hour you work...so the more your work, the more they make. DO NOT ever, ever, ever take a recruiter's word for something. Just like nursing...if it's not in writing, it didn't happen. Don't be afraid to tell a recuiter..no, I'm not interested in that. It's YOUR life, time and license.

I will say that I am happy with the company that I am with right now. But I don't know if it would be good for a newbie because they don't bother to hold your hand. They basically treat you as an independent adult capable of making up your own mind and they are focused more on the independent single RN than on a team. But who knows what they would do for a duo of nurses...all you can do is ask. Feel free to PM me on this.

The wolf....what's a wolf doing in the city?

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Biggest thing that you can do when posting your resume, is give them ONLY your email address as a contact. Do NOT give them your phone number. Where it says "Phone Number:" you put "unlisted" A lot can be done by email, and they won't wake you up during the day if you work night shift.

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