MedStaff/NovaPro/CrossCountry sharing/multiple recruiter contacts

[desta]

I worked a travel contract with MedStaff last year, did some international work, and now am back in the States looking for another travel contract. I have been talking with a MedStaff recruiter and she's submitted me for a position. This morning I got a call from a NovaPro recruiter, saying that because I'm an ER nurse and this specialty is in demand, my file had been selected to be shared with NovaPro & CrossCountry. I asked her several questions, and it sounds like the companies are working independently (competing) but they have access to the same database of assignments as well as to a lot of the same nurses.

Wondering if anyone can shed some light on this situation. I know it can be helpful to have multiple recruiters looking for assignments for you, but it seems like this is only an advantage if the different recruiters have access to different assignments. Unless NovaPro and MedStaff have significantly different payscales/benefits (?does anyone know if this is the case), it seems sort of pointless to me to be working with two different recruiters at these two sister companies.

Thanks much!

[NedRN]

Yes, all of Cross Country's brands share the same database. They maintain their different brands to target different kinds of travelers. I don't know the specific demographics the different brands are aimed at other than obvious ones like CRU48 is rapid response. In the past, NovaPro appeared to be aimed at more experienced travelers and did pay better and had better approval ratings too.

I've also read recently on the forums that some recruiters represent more than one brand. But generally, recruiters are in competition with each other, especially if you don't have an assigned recruiter, or that recruiter has lost you because they did not get performance out of you. Since it is a shared database, I would guess that recruiters at any brand would have a crack at your business. But it is also possible only a few brands "have" you based on characteristics of your profile.

All of their paperwork has Cross Country on the bottom, no matter the brand name at the top. No, there is probably not an advantage to multiple recruiters at Cross Country brands working for you, other than getting lucky with good, bad, or indifferent recruiters.

[nursinadream]

I have experience with NovaPro, currently working a contract with them. As Ned says, the databases are shared across the brands. Same jobs and same profiles. When I was with another company - Sagent - several recruiters from NovaPro and Med Staff called me. They explained while I'm inactive with one of the brands I am fair game. Indeed, they do have slightly different pay and benefit offerings ie, NovaPro pays biweekly, Med Staff weekly (that was used as an incentive - not important to me). My contract is with NovaPro only. CCTC's name does not appear there or on my Cigna insurance card.

[NedRN]

That is interesting about CC's name not appearing. I notice online that they use both the CC address and their own in Tampa. Where I had thought for sure that CC name appear was at the bottom of the skills checklists and it doesn't. It was updated recently though I see. Maybe they have more separation than I thought.