What's the latest?

Just starting out as a traveler? Traveling questions or experiences to share? Here's the place.
benbraxley
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2009 6:05 am
Location: Georgia

What's the latest?

Unread post by benbraxley » Sat Nov 06, 2010 8:53 am

Any crazy travelling stories? Also, I'm curious how far in advance you know where you are going next. Is there a range? Last one, I heard recently that getting a couple travelling companies to compete against each other for your next assignment can get you more benefits/pay. How do you pull that off?

ben

Jimebob
Posts: 16
Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2008 7:54 pm

Unread post by Jimebob » Tue Nov 16, 2010 12:51 am

Hey Ben! Thanks for your contribution. I allowed some time for others to respond, but no go.

(feel free to contribute everyone!)

I find, for myself, there is a range on when I start looking for my next assignment, for sure. Where I want to go may change on a moments notice, or as an opportunity presents itself... but I find the best assignments are often found close to my start date, so patience may be a virtue.

On the second point, I always pit companies against each other, more just to find more options for assignments than to have them compete. I recently talked to a new traveler who was having trouble finding an assignment in Boston, I encouraged her to search with other companies, and last I heard she had a few leads within a couple days! Recruiters have never given me trouble about other companies looking for jobs for me, I think they expect it.

Anyone have other experiences? Anything to add?
James R Spencer, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS
Current location: Kona, HI

KtVi
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Nov 13, 2009 7:59 pm
Location: USA

Re: What's the latest?

Unread post by KtVi » Fri Dec 03, 2010 11:15 pm

benbraxley wrote:
> Any crazy travelling stories? Also, I'm curious how far in advance you
> know where you are going next. Is there a range? Last one, I heard
> recently that getting a couple travelling companies to compete against each
> other for your next assignment can get you more benefits/pay. How do you
> pull that off?
>
> ben

Ben -

Our whole life is a crazy traveling story. Ha! Let me tell you about snowstorms in Colorado, rainbows in Hawaii, and layovers in Minneapolis. Life's rough. :-P

James and I know where we are going next anywhere from 1 month to a year, depending on our circumstances...I know others who know less than a month in advance, and yet others who rotate between the same locations from year to year. Sometimes the best jobs pop up a week before you end an assignment! As a traveler, you definitely need to have some flexibility and an adventurous side.

As far as competing companies, it can work in your favor, but maybe not in the manner that you're suggesting. We typically work with 3-4 companies for each assignment, if you have more than that it becomes complicated. I always make it clear that I do not want to be submitted without my permission, just in case one company finds a job, I decline, and then another submits me, that is just not fair. I always go with the company that told me about the job first. With several companies looking for jobs, you're bound to have all of the openings covered. Some clients (PT clinics/hospitals) will only work with one company because they are comfortable with them from past contracts. I have found jobs through traveling companies by searching the APTA job listings, as I did for our jobs in Hawaii. We worked with a new travel company because they listed their jobs on that website, good for them! Anyways, working with several companies is more for increasing the odds of finding a job, not the pay. The pay is negotiable anyways, ask me more about that in another thread! :)
Kate L. Violette, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS

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