From a very young age, my father always used to talk about thinking of your life in increments. What do you plan to accomplish in the next year? How about the next five years? He pushed me to always look toward the future so I had a clear understanding of what I needed to do to accomplish my goals. Now when this first began, believe it or not, healthcare recruiting was not the first thought that came to mind. In fact, I aspired to be an astronaut although I was oblivious to the work that was required to be in that profession.
Now as I’m much older (and somewhat wiser) I recognize the importance of having a plan that I can work towards. Whether that is completing a graduate degree or starting a family, keeping these goals top of mind helps me make decisions in the short term that aid in reaching them.
Each day we spend time dissecting the needs and wants of healthcare professionals that need to be satisfied in order to fulfill a contract. While a majority of these conversations touch on areas such as location, pay, shift, and work environment, it is important to take a step back and assess the big picture.
No one travels forever; in fact, most travelers hang up the scrubs after only a few years. This is why having a set goal of what you would like to accomplish in your travel career is so important. Maybe you would like to add experience to your resume to land that dream job, free up time to complete that next level of schooling, or pad your retirement savings account. Having these goals in place and communicating them with your recruiter can truly make or break your travel career.
Throughout my conversations, I hear many types of responses when I ask about short-term/long-term plans. I often hear “I’m not even sure about after this contract” or “I haven’t really thought about it”. It’s our goal as a recruiter to help you through the traveling experience and one way of doing that is developing a plan on how we can help you reach your goals. I push my travelers to assess and set goals for three areas: personal, professional, and financial.
Personal
This refers to anything relating to your work/life balance, places you would like to visit, etc. Creating a travel bucket list is a great way to stay on top of licensure and your next assignment.
Professional
This is what you would like to experience with new processes, procedures, or facilities. What position would you like to hold when you stop traveling? Let us help build your resume up to achieve it.
Financial
Let’s face it, there is a reason travelers give up the stability of a full-time position. Earning potential is a huge draw and when organized properly, it can be a huge benefit. Whether you are saving for retirement, building a child’s college fund, or catching up on bills, having a goal turns your extra income into “smart money”.
Every traveler will have a different set of goals they need satisfied. Contracting provides a unique opportunity to do just that. Some of the most fulfilling moments of my recruiting career include a traveler obtaining her NP and another who was able to purchase his first home – both of which were discussed during our very first call.
Allowing us to see the “why” behind traveling strengthens the traveler/recruiter relationship. It helps us develop a plan that leads to a very fulfilling travel career. Our goal as career consultants is for you to look back on your travel career and be happy with all that you have accomplished.
What are you waiting for? Let’s get to work!
Ryan Lamb is a Team Lead for the Nursing division at Aureus Medical Group.