Recruiter Turn Over?

[MattyIrie]

Afternoon Travelers,

I began speaking to about 3 travel nursing companies a few months ago just getting the ball rolling so i can be prepared to travel in january of 2017. After initial contact they have advised to submit the basic stuff so i can be ready in their system when it comes closer to travel date. I am now recontacting these recruiters to update them and just hear their voices after a few months and EVERY ONE has moved on leaving me to establish rapport with another person. Is this common? every company i have been dealing with has been reputable within the travel nursing realm. any comments or advice?

[NedRN]

Generally without a referral to a specific recruiter, you will land with a new or newer recruiter. New sales people in all industries have high turnover. So I'm not surprised by your story.

Ideally you want good recruiters that are seasoned for your first year. After that it is not as critical for your ongoing success. You want a recruiter that will guide you to a good fitting and friendly first assignment which is often not well paying (be very cautious about accepting a well paid first assignment - there is a reason why they will pay a new traveler well).

When you talk to a new recruiter, they are "qualifying" you, ascertaining your experience, goals, and compensation. You can take over at any time and turn the tables. Ask them about their experience, length of time at that agency, number of travelers on assignment, what tasks they perform versus a QA person, a housing person, a benefits person, a payroll person and so on. Ask if they have an assistant and if they return all calls and emails.

If they are brand new, stop the conversation, apologize, and say you require a recruiter with more experience for the reasons I mentioned above (I could add reasons). Or ask to talk to the recruiter manager. If you have a personal preference for the kind of experienced recruiter you would like, describe your communication style and he/she may come up with a good fit for you (vital to establish a good business relationship). Frequent contact or hands off for example. Technical versus touchy-feely.

If you burn an agency, no harm done. There are hundreds of them. So have no fear in asking for what you want or need. And you still have lots of time!