Your bags are packed. You’ve got your paperwork in order. Your flight is booked. You’re excited to explore your next destination, but is the destination your dream location? You need to be in tune with why you started this career. Was it for benefits? Travel opportunities? Helping others? Many do it for the traveling aspect, but more often than not your next opportunity is not where you wanted to be when you became a traveling nurse. These tips will help you satisfy that hunger of why you became a traveling nurse in the first place at every assignment you take. Still searching for your dream destination? Check out these tips on how to scout out the best #TravelNurse assignments that can lead you one step closer to that dream job! Click To Tweet
Be Prepared to Hit the Road
One way to ensure that you are ready to go on assignment is to have a list of everywhere you want to travel. That way, you can physically mark off your dream destinations and keep track of where you have been. Additionally, you can create a list of places you will never go so you can nip those opportunities in the bud so you do not waste your time. Along with getting your checklist ready, you need to be sure to have your essentials and bills are taken care of so nothing runs rampant when you are on the road. Clearly communicating your destinations to your recruiter is another key because they will try to get you to travel to places where they will get paid more. Do not give in! You got in this field for you, so you should travel where you want to go if possible!
Keep in Tune with “Busy Seasons”
Travel nursing is a need-based industry, meaning that availability at a hospital is based on how many patients they have. Therefore, it behooves you to be in touch with the seasons of that area. If you want to travel to Arizona, the winter would be an ideal time for you to look at availability. If you can’t get enough of the mountains, checking out Colorado hospitals in the springtime would be a great idea because of people taking vacations on the slopes. Are you working closer to your dream position? Take a look at these tips to ensure you are getting the best #TravelNurse assignments to help you grow as a nurse! Click To Tweet Seasonality plays a big part in landing your dream travel job, so be sure that you are in tune with Mother Nature. However, with seasonality comes working holidays. If you are alright with working during the holidays, you may have a better chance of landing that job. Staying ahead of seasonal trends will put you one step closer to landing your best travel nurse assignment. If you land that dream interview, be sure to ask the important questions about the area along with what the job duties are!
Get Your Paper Up…Certification Papers to be Exact
Starting up, it is very unlikely that you will land the best travel nurse assignment. Until you do so, taking jobs that can help you build up your certification repertoire. Constructing an impressive portfolio of accomplishments and certifications will take you one step closer to landing that dream job. Hospitals also look at how much experience you have under your stethoscope. Unless you have expertise in a certain field, your breadbasket may be pretty bare when you begin traveling. Think of it this way: it’s not about taking your lumps; it’s about getting your paperwork in order so that when the time comes, you are prepared to take on the best travel nurse assignment for you.
Keep an Open Mind Along Your Journey
Loosen up the reins on your travel restrictions. Many seasoned travel nurses have ended up falling in love with destinations that were not on their initial dream list of jobs. Keeping an open mind along the way will open you up to beautiful landscapes and thrilling activities that can make your job even more enjoyable. Additionally, when you are not open to experiences and fixated on your dream job, every other assignment you take will be miserable because you are focusing on where you want to go instead of where you are now. Balancing being present and working for the future is the key to scouting out the best travel nurse assignments. Getting your dream opportunity takes hard work and dedication. So in the meantime, consider these tips that can help you reach your dream. Stay light on your toes and experience different things if it helps you further your career and reach certifications. Ultimately, the best travel nurse assignments build upon each experience to reach that summit where your “ideal” destination rests. Check out the Freedom Healthcare Staffing jobs portal for the best opportunities so you can move closer to achieving your dreams.