Two weeks ago my husband and I were standing in the cold parking lot of a used car dealership, preparing to return our leased car. The salesman came and gave us his overly practiced speech about what kinds of cars were currently available for us to lease, and even better, what deals there were on the cars for us to purchase. In ten minutes he must have asked five times “What kind of car are you now interested in leasing or buying?”. My husband’s calm answer each time was, “Sir, I’m not interested in a car, I’m leaving the country for a few months for work”, but after each response came his prepared speech again about how great his cars were. Clearly this guy was neither listening nor paying attention.
Choosing a travel nurse company should not be like that. You shouldn’t feel like you are getting harassed, that you’re just a number, and that your preferences do not matter. You shouldn’t feel like you are being ignored. Unfortunately, however, that is all too often the case. So, what’s the solution?
Choosing a Travel Nurse Company with Personalized Service
You know when you talk to a recruiter on the phone and you tell him/her that you’re interested in travel nursing in Miami, but they keep offering you jobs in Jacksonville, Florida? I find myself saying, “Yes, I get it that it’s the same state, but that’s still six hours away from where I want to be…so no, that’s not an option”. It’s exceedingly frustrating.
Med-Call Healthcare is different. It’s not in their nature for them to discount what their nurses are saying, or to have their own agenda in the forefront of their mind instead of focusing on what the nurse’s needs are. Personalized service is the key difference that Med-Call holds above other travel nurse companies. In a world that is increasingly de-personalized, the more we need companies like Med-Call to exist and to help us succeed. They understand that listening to the travel nurse is imperative, and they acknowledge that we are a person on the other end of the phone that has needs, preferences, a family, and hobbies. When a recruiter recognizes that you are not just a number, they can relate to you. And when you relate with someone, connect, and grow a relationship, you feel cared for. Choosing a travel nurse company that cares about you can change everything.
What it Looks Like to Have Personalized Service
My dear friend Ashley is a seasoned travel nurse of seven years. She has traveled all around the country and back, and this past assignment she hit a road block: she got harassed by some of the nurses at work who in turn spread rumors about her and threatened to get her fired from her contract.
At the end of the day, what made a difference was her trusted nurse recruiter. When she ran into trouble with her contract, she’d call her recruiter who was consistently within reach. Whether it was 5:30am, 10pm, or anywhere in between, she had access to her nurse recruiter. They had developed a relationship, and the recruiter was someone that she was able to lean on in times of difficulty.
At Med-Call Healthcare, there is an expectation of personalized service for the travel nurse. The above example clearly shows how a great, responsive recruiter is an incredibly important asset to have for the travel nurse, but there’s quite a few other things as well. Many of the larger travel nurse companies have recruiters and human resource personnel scattered throughout the country, so you never quite know who you’re going to speak with. You surely don’t have any clue about who the CEO of the company is, and you don’t know if your recruiter that you worked with on one assignment is going to be there a few assignments from now.
One time I got a phone call from a large travel nurse company who offered me a position, and when I accepted they had to send me to another person to do the paperwork. From that point they had to send me to another person to gather my licenses and referrals. After it was all said and done, I worked with four people to get the assignment, and quite a few issues arose because there was a lot of miscommunication between the five of us. It was a hassle I’m not interested in repeating.
When you choose a travel nurse company, you want them to know your name. You want them to know what your strengths and weaknesses are, you want them to know who you are as a whole person. When you deal with someone who knows you, then your next assignment will be tailored for your specific strengths. You won’t have to constantly feel like a fish out of water, and you can have experiences that are important to you, last a lifetime, and grow you as a person. Med-Call Healthcare not only wants to have great people work for them as travel nurses, but they want to continue to be great assets throughout your travel nurse experience.
So, what does personalized service mean to you? Does it mean that your recruiter needs to help find pet-friendly housing for you and your dog Fluffy? Does it mean your next job has to be within a thirty minute drive of your beloved aunt? Or does it mean that your specialty is in pediatric neuro critical care, so finding you a job in that field would mean a lot to you? Personalized service takes into account what makes you “tick”, and once that is addressed you can feel confident that your next assignment will be a great fit for you, your family, and for the hospital that you will be working at. Everyone benefits from a travel nurse company that cares.
