Being a travel nurse has its perks. You’re able to work in a different geographic location every 13 weeks or opt to stay where you are. You’re able to work with different people at various facilities, expanding your resume, skills, and experience. Your schedule is somewhat flexible, allowing you time to experience local culture. It’s great to get hired as a travel nurse, no matter what stage you are in your career. Before you apply for a travel nurse position, be sure you’ve got these things ready for your AB Staffing Recruiter.
Updated Professional Resume
Whether this is your first job or 10th, you need to have an updated and easy to read resume ready for your Recruiter. Keep it in a simple format like Word and in chronological order of your job history. As with any resume, highlight certifications and special accomplishments that make you stand out from other applicants.
Before hitting send on the email, have a friend or colleague review for errors. The last thing you want is to be taken out of the running for lack of attention to detail on your resume.
Certification Paperwork
In addition to listing certifications on your resume, be sure to have the associated paperwork available to email. Not only will you have it for the current travel nurse position for which you’re applying, you will have it available electronically for future positions.
In our article Pack Smarter for Your Next Travel Nurse Assignment, we write about the importance of digitizing documents along with other tips for travel nurses.
List of References
Your resume and certifications provide our Recruiters with ample information about you but that’s not all they need. It’s also helpful to have a list of 3-4 references available to email when requested. This will allow us to verify your former employment and experience quickly.
Protip: Contact your references ahead of time. Verify it is okay to use them as a reference. If okay, let them know the position for which you’ve applied and when a Recruiter will be calling them. If there is anything you want them to mention related to your experience and the prospective travel nurse position, let them know at that time. Be sure to send a thank you note after you’ve signed a contract.
Flexibility is key when you’re hired as a travel nurse.
Your dream position may not be the first one that is available so it’s important to be flexible. We can’t all work in Hawaii but a position on the West Coast in sunny Arizona or Southern California could be good alternatives.
Not only is the geographic location flexible, but so are your shifts. As a travel nurse, you may not have your choice of shift as you may be covering for someone who is out on leave. Your ability to be flexible will go a long way to establishing a relationship not only with the manager at the facility but with your Recruiter too.Keep in mind jobs come and go quickly, making it important to get your complete information to your AB Staffing Recruiter as soon as possible. The faster we can submit you to jobs, the more likely you will get hired.
Interested in getting hired as a travel nurse? Check out the AB Staffing Job Board or give us a call at 888.515.3900 to speak to someone today!
