Travel therapy companies / travel PT recruiters

Just starting out as a traveler? Traveling questions or experiences to share? Here's the place.
tweetytina3
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed May 14, 2014 6:13 pm

Travel therapy companies / travel PT recruiters

Unread post by tweetytina3 » Wed May 14, 2014 6:17 pm

Hi all!
I've been looking into doing travel therapy more and more recently. I've researched a few companies, and have a few in mind that I may contact. I don't know anyone personally that has traveled to get personal recommendations, so I was wondering if anyone here knows of a few travel agencies they would recommend or have heard good thing about? Thanks.

Hobohealth
Site Admin
Posts: 141
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 2:32 pm
Contact:

Re: Travel therapy companies

Unread post by Hobohealth » Wed May 21, 2014 2:44 pm

Sorry for the slow reply! I've been in transit the last week or so. Here's my short list of what I like in a company:

-small to moderate size for better personal attention
-cares about the therapist, willing to pull a contract if things go sideways at a facility
-has a variety of assignments available
-and last, but certainly not least, pays a fair pay

This list is obviously quite general. These things can be difficult to determine when you are searching for a job.

I try to be fairly impartial on the site here. The site is not supported by or connected with any recruiters... and I kind of like it that way. So, if you don't mind, I'll email you directly and tell you who I travel with.

James

jtwalker
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2014 1:03 pm

Re: Travel therapy companies

Unread post by jtwalker » Thu Jul 10, 2014 1:17 pm

James,

Could you let me know what companies you work with so I can start investigating them for myself? Thank you.

Troy

Ebradt77
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Jul 30, 2014 9:29 am

Re: Travel therapy companies

Unread post by Ebradt77 » Wed Jul 30, 2014 9:31 am

Hello,

My husband and I have recently decided to quit our permanent jobs and start traveling. I was wondering if you would be able to email me some of your recommendations for travel companies. We have talked to a few great recruiters and some that we aren't so sure about. We would appreciate the input! Thanks!

My email is [email protected]

Hobohealth
Site Admin
Posts: 141
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 2:32 pm
Contact:

Re: Travel therapy companies

Unread post by Hobohealth » Thu Jul 31, 2014 1:51 pm

Hello! (I replied on email with my recruiter info included :))

Congrats on taking the leap into traveling, I hope there's a lot of good adventure ahead for you two. :-)

I definitely advocate for talking with a few different recruiters, but maybe 3-4 max? A lot of jobs are jobs that all recruiters will have. These jobs are posted through staffing networks recruiters will get the jobs at the same time, it's really a matter of which recruiter calls you first that will determine who you are submitted to the job through. If you have a whole bunch of recruiters calling you and trying to submit you to the same job, it can get messy. On the other hand, there are jobs out there that particular recruiters will have and others won't, so the variety of recruiters can help. My wife and I have one recruiter we try to work with when we can, but when we need more options for jobs we'll typically include 1 or 2 more recruiters.

Larger companies typically have a bigger selection of open positions, but you may lose some of the personal touch that a smaller company can give you. Also, some of the bigger companies will take a bigger chunk of the pay, so your rates won't be as good. I think it's important to ask your recruiter questions - feel them out for what jobs they have available, what you can expect for pay, and be honest with yourself about how well they are helping you personally - some companies will make great promises to you about digging up jobs, but then not call you for weeks... unacceptable in my book.

Hope this helps, post more questions if you have them and I'll reply as quickly as I see them.

Good luck!

James

Oleg77
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Sep 01, 2014 9:11 pm

Re: Travel therapy companies

Unread post by Oleg77 » Mon Sep 01, 2014 9:18 pm

Hello, James, I'm glad I found this website. I'm a licensed PT currently in MA and plan is
to move to FL this winter. I already have my FL license. I'm thinking of going with a travel agency but the majority of online info I found so far is heavily influenced by the recruiters/travel companies so it is hard to get any objectivity. I have a family with wife and 2 kids so not much room for an error. Would be very thankful if you could e-mail me any recommendations, [email protected]
Best Regards
Oleg

nykeads
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Sep 24, 2014 5:10 pm

Re: Travel therapy companies

Unread post by nykeads » Wed Sep 24, 2014 5:13 pm

Hi James! I'm new to this site, but am very interested in traveling. Could you email me with company recommendations. I have no idea where to start. Thanks! My email address is [email protected]

Hobohealth
Site Admin
Posts: 141
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 2:32 pm
Contact:

Re: Travel therapy companies

Unread post by Hobohealth » Tue Sep 30, 2014 12:24 am

Hope it helps! Keep me up to date!

CamtheRam
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Oct 05, 2014 7:23 pm

Re: Travel therapy companies

Unread post by CamtheRam » Sun Oct 05, 2014 7:29 pm

Hi,
I am also just venturing into the travel PT world. I also have no contacts with different companies to find recommendations. I have searched online and am trying a position close to home to try out one company, but would be interested to know the ones you work with to research and possibly look into.
Your blog and these boards have been so helpful! There's not a lot out there specific to travel PT!

Cameron
[email protected]

Scott70
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Nov 25, 2013 6:22 pm

Re: Travel therapy companies

Unread post by Scott70 » Thu Oct 16, 2014 11:15 am

Hello James,
Thank you for your advice and insights on being a traveling therapist, it is invaluable. I am seriously considering becoming a traveler, but don't know any descent companies or recruiters to start researching. I know your busy, but if you can e-mail me a list of viable companies or recruiters you know of, it would be greatly appreciated! My email is [email protected]

Thanks again,
Scott

tweetytina3
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed May 14, 2014 6:13 pm

Re: Travel therapy companies

Unread post by tweetytina3 » Mon Nov 03, 2014 7:55 pm

Hi James, I initially started this post and somehow never came back on to see your response until now. I've been struggling with the decision of whether or not to travel and the fear associated. I have recently decided to go all in and do travel and I'm excited. I still have questions and was wondering if you are still willing to email that companies you work with or recommend? Thanks
[email protected]

Hobohealth
Site Admin
Posts: 141
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 2:32 pm
Contact:

Re: Travel therapy companies

Unread post by Hobohealth » Tue Nov 04, 2014 11:10 pm

Tina,

I don't think you'll regret the decision to travel. I consider it a win-win. If you go on an assignment or two and find it's not for you, it's not forever, it's just a few months. But the upside is the adventure of a lifetime! I say get out there on the road and see it all!

I'll email you ASAP!

James

Kwomack
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2015 8:31 pm

Re: Travel therapy companies

Unread post by Kwomack » Tue Mar 24, 2015 8:41 pm

Hi James,

Thanks for this great resource! It's refreshing to find unbiased answers for questions I've been having.

I will graduate this May and intend to pursue traveling PT. I have been planning this since the beginning of PT school so I have a pretty good list of various companies and recruiters on my radar. I have one recruiter in particular that has been extremely helpful, but comes from a smaller company (I believe). Other larger companies I am in contact with appear to have more jobs in the areas I am interested (unless the jobs posted are fake...), but are not as personable.

I have heard working with multiple companies has the possibility of becoming an issue if they all submit my resume to the same place, causing a red flag for the hospital/clinic. In your experience, has this been an issue for you? I have seen in a few posts you said you have used multiple recruiters, so your input would be very helpful. Feel free to email me as well regarding specific companies in order to keep the site unbiased.

Thank you!

Hobohealth
Site Admin
Posts: 141
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 2:32 pm
Contact:

Re: Travel therapy companies

Unread post by Hobohealth » Wed Mar 25, 2015 11:57 am

You've hit the nail on the head with your observations - larger companies are going to be less personal, though they may have more jobs. Not to totally generalize, but I also find a lot of the larger companies don't pay as well, however, they may have better resources for you. So, mixed bag, but that is why I do like looking with 2-3 companies. You'll get a variety in the jobs available to you and you'll get to see what different compensation packages look like. More than 3 companies does start to get tricky.

Your question about multiple companies submitting you to the same job is a valid concern that all lies in the process of your profile/resume being submitted to jobs. So let me go on a little longer tangent here for a minute (and actually this is making me think this might be a good blog topic, so I might write something on this soon). When you sign up with a company they may want a lot of information from you right off the bat, I have issues with this, but also understand from the company's standpoint that they need info on you in order to submit you to a job. But, I wouldn't give a company too much info on you unless you are sure you want to pursue finding a job with them. Once you have decided that you want to pursue a job with a company, they may be calling you with potential jobs that meet your criteria - at this time you can say submit me to this job or not. It is the general etiquette of travel to only be submitted with the first company that presents a particular job to you, if another company calls 5 minutes later with the same job, too bad, you need to go with the first. If someone calls with a different potential job, feel free to pursue it at the same time. OK, here's where it can get tricky. You will have a recruiter ask you if they can submit you to a job automatically whenever they see it. This will result in you likely getting a higher placement on the list of candidates for more popular jobs because the company won't have to talk to you first in order to submit you to a particular job. I would not give a company a green-light to submit you to jobs unless you find yourself looking in a particularly tough area to get jobs in, or you have developed a good relationship with that recruiter, or you are only working with only one recruiter. Otherwise, they'll be submitting you to jobs and your other recruiters will be calling trying to plug you into the same jobs - that's where the duplicate submittals can happen, and everybody looks silly in that situation. Make sense?

Recently, I have heard of recruiters from multiple companies telling people, "If you don't work with me exclusively, you can't expect me to put my full effort into you." Hogwash! Malarkey! Despicable! Recruiters work on commission and are not paid unless they find you a job - you are the commodity and don't you forget that!

OK, I am convinced I'll write a more elaborate blog on this soon, I like your questions a lot, they are the right questions to ask.

jb1990
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Apr 01, 2015 7:41 pm

Re: Travel therapy companies

Unread post by jb1990 » Wed Apr 01, 2015 8:00 pm

Hi everyone,

This website has been great for me! Thanks so much for creating this resource. I am a foreign trained PT and I got my PT license in FLorida about two months ago now my goal is to travel to Washington state and Alaska. I am currently in the process of getting my PT license in Washington and the one in Alaska I am currently holding off on because there quite a few hoops to jump through as a foreign trained PT.

Anyways I was wondering if someone can email me some of their information about agencies they like to use because I have not been able to tell which ones are good or bad just because the websites all seem to look the same.

Also I already have health insurance in the country I normally live in (Western Europe). Would I get extra money because I don't need health insurance? THanks a lot in advance to anyone who would like to take time out to email me.

email: [email protected]

Kind regards,
- Jean

Post Reply