The Recruiter/Medical Professional relationship is one of the most important if not THE most important factor in choosing a company because it will make or break your experience as a traveler. During my years as a Recruiter, it was always an honor when someone chose to partner with me, and I never once took it lightly that my actions impacted their career, livelihood, and how they supported themselves and their families, in addition to the patients they were caring for.
As a Medical Professional, the partnership you forge with your Recruiter is vital to your success and happiness, and you should never settle for anything less than someone you trust 100%. What makes one Recruiter a better fit for you than another? What should you look for?
These are the top three attributes to look for in a Recruiter.
Honesty – Find a Recruiter that will always be honest with you, even if they have to tell you something you may not want to hear. This will build trust, which is the foundation of the partnership. For example, if the location you want to go to rarely if ever has day shift positions and you can only work days, the job they are submitting you for usually takes a week to interview, a facility is not the most traveler friendly but the housing is gorgeous and right on the beach, etc, they should tell you that. Whether it’s good, bad, or somewhere in the middle, you want a Recruiter who is a straight shooter, so don’t be afraid to come out and tell them that right away, in addition to offering your promise to do the same.
Timely Communication– A Recruiter should respond to all forms of communication within the same business day. The Recruiter/Medical Professional partnership should be like dating without all of the games and drama. You should always know where you stand with them and you should trust that they will ALWAYS call you back. It might not be 5 minutes after you leave them a voicemail, but it should be in the same business day.
Advocacy – Find a Recruiter who has your back and your best interest at heart. They need to know who you are, what your background and skills are, and what your main motivators are so they can find a position that is the best fit for you. They won’t send you somewhere that is going to set you up for an unsuccessful assignment, based on the information they have about a position. If a problem occurs while on your assignment, they will be supportive and try to help resolve it. A lot goes on behind the scenes to find you an assignment and you want a Recruiter who will go the extra mile.
Emily Peterson joined Aureus Medical Group in 2006 as a Recruiter for the Respiratory Therapy division. For the past two years she has worked as the Recruitment Branch Manager for the Nursing division. In between her role as Recruiter and her current position, Emily was the Team Lead of Recruitment for the Training Department, focusing on new hire training for all of the Medical divisions. In her free time, Emily enjoys spending time with her husband, Chris, and two sons, Jack and Sam. She loves Netflix and anything pop culture related. She loves to travel, especially to Vegas. She enjoys shopping, but will only buy if it’s an amazing bargain.