At AB Staffing, we love showcasing our social workers, travel nurses, and recruiters. In this article, we will be shining the recruiter spotlight on Jessica who is working to place medical professionals in crisis nursing positions and more. She has been with us for two years, earning the 2019 Recruiter of the Year Award. Jessica is a mother of three who loves placing people in their dream jobs, and she has a bucket list of her own.
What attracted you to the Healthcare Recruiter position?
My grandmother was a World War II nurse and my mother and aunts were all nurses as well.
What did you do before joining our team?
I opened, managed, and bartended at three bars in the Phoenix area. All three are still running successfully.
Interesting that you transitioned from another industry into healthcare recruiting. What do you like about working for AB Staffing?
I like that I was taught from the ground up; I am grateful they were willing to teach me what I need and/or want to know about the industry. I especially like that the management team takes the time, energy, and effort to educate employees like me, a lot who have come from different industries.
What is your favorite part about being a Healthcare Recruiter?
My favorite part of being a healthcare recruiter is when I can fulfill a dream of a travel nurse. I have seen people purchase things they’ve always wanted or taken trips to spend more time with family and friends. I have had them tell me they have been able to pay for the child’s college because they have worked with us.
My favorite story is when I was able to place a Cardiac Nurse Practitioner in a dream job at Johns Hopkins. It had been on her bucket list and it was a great feeling to be able to deliver the news to her.
Helping people make their dreams come true makes the hard work worth it.
What is your least favorite thing about being a Healthcare Recruiter?
Because we genuinely care about our medical professionals and work hard on their behalf, it is hard when we are working with someone and they ghost us. They just stop calling or emailing and it’s disappointing. If they are not interested, I wish they would just tell me. I have always believed honesty is the best policy and I wish more people would be honest up front.
What advice do you have for a traveler looking for a recruiter?
Talk to several recruiters. Learn about a few different companies. Ask questions so you get to know the recruiter and the recruiter gets to know you. It has to be a good match. You are partners in finding the position that is right for you. You need to be comfortable with having someone in your corner.
What advice would you give someone that is interested in becoming a Healthcare recruiter?
Be prepared to work a lot and be available. There is no 9 to 5 here. Be persistent and have urgency in everything you do. The good always outweighs the bad. Watching people get money to help their family pay bills or enjoy their life makes everything worth it.
If you were a traveler what would be your #1 destination?
South Carolina has been on my bucket list. There is so much history and architecture. I hope to go this year.
Where would you love to travel to again and why?
Austin, Texas, California, and Mexico because I love the beach. Since we live in Arizona, all those places are relatively close. I would love to take a road trip to any or all those places!
When you are not recruiting, what do you like to do?
When I am not a healthcare/travel nurse recruiter, I enjoy aerial yoga, festivals, eating at new restaurants, and spending time with my kids (Andrew 20, Aiden 18, Addysen 12), who are my most favorite people on the earth. And if I could have one more hour in each day, I would have a bowl of Ben & Jerry’s Core Brownie ice cream and then take a nap!
One last question. If you If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be?
I would love to be a mind reader!
Thanks, Jessica, for sharing your love of healthcare recruiting and a glimpse into your personal life. You are a superhero to us!
