SelectingYour Recruiter

Generally, a recruiter in a healthcare travel agency is assigned to contact you about potential or specific travel opportunities. It is the responsibility of the recruiter to guide you through the process of exploring opportunities and being your point of contact throughout your interaction with that particular agency. The recruiter is the liaison between you and the client healthcare facility as well as between other departments within the healthcare travel agency including the credentialing and housing departments.

One of the advantages of applying with the HealthCare Employment Network is that you will have multiple agencies and recruiters from which to choose.

Questions You Should Ask When Talking With a Recruiter

• Let the recruiter know that you are considering more than one agency and ask what makes their agency different.
• Ask about their benefit package…especially healthcare benefits. The Affordable Healthcare Act has had an impact on what companies have to pay to insure their employees. Many travel agencies now begin coverage once the healthcare traveler has been on assignment for 30 days or on the first day of the next month. This means you could be without healthcare coverage for a third of your assignment. Ask if they will cover your COBRA payment in the interim if this is the case. There are still many agencies that provide healthcare coverage from day one.
• When discussing a specific assignment and facility ask if the travel agency has placed travelers there previously and what feedback have they received about the facility.
• Make sure you understand and are comfortable with the compensation package.
• Make sure you understand and are comfortable with the housing options.
• Ask about travel compensation from your current location to the assignment location.
• Ask about shifts on the assignment….are the shifts three 12’s, are the shifts on consecutive days, is there “on call” involved, and is there compensation for being “on call.”
• Ask about the process if the assignment ends early through no fault of your own.
• Ask about a “completion bonus” and other bonus opportunities.

Reasons to Change Recruiters

• The HealthCare Employment Network provides our travel agency clients with a comprehensive profile of your experience, skills, and preferences. The recruiter has that information and they know your travel destination preferences. If the recruiter consistently approaches you about other locations rather than respect your preferences then maybe that recruiter isn’t for you. You can ask to speak to the recruiting manager and express your concerns or you can just move on to another travel agency.
• You have completed a very comprehensive skills assessment check list. The recruiter has this checklist and shouldn’t automatically ask you to complete their checklist. Remind the recruiter of this but also keep in mind that if the recruiter has a specific assignment that you want and needs you to complete their skills assessment checklist then be prepared to do so.
• Poor follow-up. Yes, the agency recruiters are busy but their business is to be of service to you. If you consistently have problems reaching your recruiter or if your recruiter doesn’t return your calls or emails in a timely fashion then maybe you need a different recruiter or even a different agency.

Ultimately, the best recruiter is the recruiter who takes the time to build a professional relationship with you. You should feel comfortable with your recruiter and believe that your recruiter is truly your advocate throughout the process of finding the right assignment as well as continuing that relationship and follow-up through the completion of the assignment. If you have concerns that arise during your assignment you should feel comfortable that your recruiter will address those concerns and work with you to find a proper resolution.