finding assignments

Just starting out as a traveler? Traveling questions or experiences to share? Here's the place.
a_fals
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Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2016 2:56 pm

finding assignments

Unread post by a_fals » Mon Aug 22, 2016 2:58 pm

Hi all- I have been in the market for a travel assignment for a few months now. I have spoken with 3 recruiters, one of which I really like. I have been holding out for certain cities (specifically and most, Charleston SC). I am getting discouraged as nothing has opened close to where I want to be. Would you say this is common? Can assignments be few and far between in certain locations? Unsure what my next steps should be....

Thanks!

Hobohealth
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Re: finding assignments

Unread post by Hobohealth » Tue Aug 23, 2016 1:51 am

Southern Maine is the only place I have ever run into that trouble - just a matter of a couple PT schools being in a small geographical area, so there's no shortage of PTs. I would think not finding a job for several months is rare.

What you'll find in the majority of cities is multiple jobs available constantly. Some areas are obviously better than others.

I'm curious:
-Are you holding out for a specific setting? (may want to consider opening up the settings you are willing to work in if you are dead-set on Charleston.)
-Are you a new grad? (many jobs require some experience, might be killing the job pool)
-How often do you talk to your recruiters? (are they actively looking or just waiting for the jobs to come to them?)

Tell me more about what you're looking for and I might have better suggestions!

James

a_fals
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2016 2:56 pm

Re: finding assignments

Unread post by a_fals » Tue Aug 23, 2016 4:39 pm

Thanks for the quick response !
I am not a new head, I have 4 years of acute care experience at a high-level Boston hospital. I am pretty set on Charleston.
I am speaking with 1 recruiter nearly daily or every other day and she is actively searching and combing. The others have sent me what seems to have come along their desks.
There is a lead now, I'm just surprised it's taken this long for a nibble. The only other lead was for a HH company that was ~ 60 miles North of Charleston that unfortunately just didn't pan out.

a_fals
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2016 2:56 pm

Re: finding assignments

Unread post by a_fals » Tue Aug 23, 2016 4:40 pm

And really what I am looking for is any setting (though outpatient is not preferred, given I have been immersed in acute care and I would feel like a lost puppy). I mainly am vying for location. Any other suggestions would be welcome !!!

Hobohealth
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Re: finding assignments

Unread post by Hobohealth » Wed Aug 24, 2016 12:42 am

Bummer.

Tough to say not knowing the local market there, but must just be a tough place to travel - or your timing is off.

Flexibility is a virtue, the more settings you can open up to and the bigger you can make your radius, the more jobs will become available. But, I hear you loud and clear on the outpatient and the 60 mile commute (which in home care wouldn't be a daily thing if you could cover an area closer to Charleston, sometimes you can get away with going to the office once a week or less after you're oriented and all set-up.) Ideally, if you were to sacrifice in one part of your wishlist, it would reap reward in another area - i.e. you concede to work somewhere a couple hours away from Charleston, maybe you can find the perfect acute care assignment for your first 3 months. Just a thought, but probably time to start thinking about a back-up.

If it were me, and if you have this option, I'd go work somewhere else for 3 months, and have your recruiters keep you updated on the Charleston market throughout your assignment. It'll get you back to work, get a travel assignment under your belt, and maybe the market is better in Charleston once summer passes.

To more directly answer your original-original question. It is more typical, especially when you are immediately available to start, to go from looking for a job to actually working in about 2-3 weeks. Must be a killer market in Charleston. So sorry to hear that it's taking so long to find a job.

a_fals
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2016 2:56 pm

Re: finding assignments

Unread post by a_fals » Fri Sep 02, 2016 8:30 am

Thanks again for your response.
I'm having a hard time finding a job anywhere I want to be ! I have gotten licensed in 3 states, and I think that my problem may be that I want to be close to a
Major city - I'm doing this all on my own and don't want to not have things to do/people to meet. I'm now unemployed as I set my last day at my
Previous job to correlate with my apartment lease ending.

Not sure what to do..... If I should switch up recruiters or what. I really like the one I have been primarily working with but - it's now been 3 months since I've started talking with her (granted I know job availability is a quick turn over) but I'm frustrated !!!!

Any other suggestions? Also, curious which companies/recruiters you've have the most luck with.

Hobohealth
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Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 2:32 pm
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Re: finding assignments

Unread post by Hobohealth » Fri Sep 02, 2016 11:54 pm

Feel free to email me at [email protected] and I'll share my recruiters will you.

Whole thing is contrary to my experiences as a traveler. Definitely time to get another couple recruiters on the phone. Have you had any interviews?

a_fals
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2016 2:56 pm

Re: finding assignments

Unread post by a_fals » Mon Sep 05, 2016 9:27 pm

One, to which I refused the job because the interviewer made it aboundantly clear she did not want to hire a traveler, that she treats her full time staff well and I wold receive the leftovers, and repeatedly asked me "why on earth would you want to come here."
Not the most helpful experience.

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