Advice in getting your next travel assignment?

[Macreel]

New to travel nursing here. Was wondering once you start an assignment, how and when do you start thinking about your next assignment once yours ends?

[NedRN]

Totally individual preference, as constrained by availability. Perhaps the majority of assignments these days are ASAP or last minute. It is difficult to find assignments with a start date two months out. So there can be a mad search often the last month of your assignment to find the next.

I tend to be lazy myself and often find myself without a timely next assignment (not that I care especially, I've never lived from one paycheck to the next - and some time off can be great). Generally travelers go to hospitals with needs. Thus if you do a good job, you can extend. This is exactly what I often do, extend for just a few weeks to figure out what I'm going to do.

[trackhead, APRN]

Three of my last four assignments I've booked 2 months out, mostly seasonal positions, so early bookings are common for those types of places. But like Ned, I don't really care if I work or not. I like having a job booked with a start date about 4 weeks from the end date of the current job. I like to take time getting to the next assignment, travel in the RV, hang out and relax. It's "travel" nursing, after all.

[icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN]

My phone starts ringing all day on Monday on week 10 of my assignment with calls from recruiters wanting to submit me somewhere. I have never been without options at the end of a contract. They want to keep you working and making them money.

Stop worrying. Decide if you want to extend, know where you would like to go next as positions do fill quickly for the nicer locations and good hospitals.

When I have accepted a contract they always ask for my end date so they can start calling again on week 10.

It is very predictable.

[scrubnurselife]

You know, it's funny you say that Maggie. On my first assignment now, and around week 10 my phone rang off the hook from all these different travel companies. I've never even heard of some of them. It made me wonder if there's some sort of database out there.

[icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN]

It is concerning to think about people tracking my movements. I am a lot more careful now about giving out my personal information.

[NedRN]

The problem is that you can't help it. Agencies sell their traveler databases (something that probably happened more frequently during the economic downturn as agencies went under). About 5 years ago, I spent a week at my parents and used their phone. I never gave any agency my parents phone number, if I wanted any of them to call me, I gave them my cell number. Caller ID! 5 years later, my parents still get phone calls asking for me and saying they have some really great opportunities so they should pass me a message.

"Can't stop the signal, Mal." Quote from Mr Universe in the movie Serenity