You may find yourself out of work during the COVID crisis. Maybe your assignment was cut short due to census or canceled because of electives being put on hold. Whatever the reason is, I am sure that you would like to get back to work as soon as possible. Below I will outline some things that are in your control during a period of time that much is out of our control. Hopefully you will find a tip or two that will get you back to work sooner than later.
Communicate
The number one thing you can do to improve your chances of getting back to work is communicate. This goes without saying during any period of time, but is even more important now. Make sure you are in touch with your recruiter at least weekly, regardless of job availability. You can never communicate too much and your recruiter will be better at helping you the more he or she knows about your situation, availability, and preferences. These things can change on a daily basis, so make sure to let your recruiter know of these changes—no detail is too small! This could be the difference in getting you an interview and hired.
Availability
Along the same lines of communication is being readily available at a moment’s notice. It is important that you are able to take a call when a busy manager or director calls for that much anticipated interview. This can be the difference between getting hired or not. If you happen to not answer several times, the manager or director will move on to calling the next candidate and possibly hiring that person before they get an opportunity to speak to you. Let your recruiter know the best times to contact you. It is also crucial to let them know when you are not available.
Flexibility
Flexibility is another thing that is critical as a traveling healthcare professional, but is even more important now. Being flexible on things like location, pay, shift, and job duties make a huge difference on what open jobs will be an option for you. Flexibility will open more doors and give you more options when considering your next position. Yes, overall job opportunities are down, but there are still assignments available. Be sure you are not left out by limiting yourself in the areas outlined above.
Positivity
Last but not least, stay positive. Having a positive attitude will go a long way to getting through these difficult times. Everyone is in this together and we are all working towards the same goal. Everyone has the ability to control their attitude and in the end, many times this is the #1 reason someone is hired over another.
Although there is nothing groundbreaking here, if you practice what is outlined above, it will increase your chances of finding employment. Communicate with your recruiter, stay flexible, make yourself readily available, and keep a positive attitude.
Jason Strader is a Branch Manager for the Imaging division at Aureus Medical Group.