Nurse recruiters are hired by travel companies to handle initial inquiries about medical travel jobs and others, assist medical personnel with the actual sign up process, match that personnel with available travel jobs either within a specific area or throughout the entire country, and handle any and all problems that present during an assignment.

Finding someone to help you find the perfect candidate can give you a sharp advantage when looking for top nursing jobs or top executive jobs. The recruiter is the “Go-To” source for just about everything that affects your job experience. They are not just a nice addition to your travel process; they are pretty much the whole deal. Due to the slightly high rate of turnover in recruiters, because the job can be demanding and quite stressful when you find an excellent recruiter, your life just got a whole lot easier.

First, you should look for a recruiter who has a good grasp of your area of expertise. You can usually pick this up in a short period just by talking with them. It sounds crazy, but I have had recruiters ask me “stupid” questions about exactly what I do, and then I know immediately they either don’t know their stuff or at minimum haven’t even bothered to look at my resume before they called me about a position.

Also, you want a recruiter that does what they say they will do when they say they will do it. I’ve talked to recruiters about a job, had them tell me they think I’m the right one for the position and that they will get back with me about further details or even an interview time if things have moved along to that point, and then I never hear back from them, even after leaving several messages. Very frustrating! Needless to say, I don’t work with that recruiter again.

Experienced recruiters also have more leeway in what they can offer to entice you into taking a particular assignment. If you have some basic negotiating skills and are working with a top notch recruiter, you can usually negotiate a higher salary as well as many other perks that are not in the standard benefits package.

Of course, you also want a recruiter that is there for you in the bad times not just when you are signing up for a new assignment, and all seems rosy. A recruiter that’s worth their salt will handle any complaints or problems that present during your job with professionalism and efficiency.

Finally, a great recruiter will get to know what types of jobs motivate you and will keep in touch from time to time to see when you will be available for upcoming positions. They want to keep you coming back to their particular company and do whatever they can to make that happen.

Below are some qualities that every nurse recruiter should have.

Accessibility.

You want your recruiter to be easily accessible regarding phone calls. If you go on an assignment and are having problems, the first people you will need to call is your recruiter. It would be quite frustrating not to be able to talk with the recruiter to help you with your frustrations. You need to find a recruiter whom you can get in touch with.

Good listening skills.

Your recruiter should have good listening skills. He or she needs to be able to listen to your inquiries and experiences so that they can fully understand your situation. This does not only apply to Proactive nurse recruiters. This should also apply to nursing bridge program educators, like paramedic to RN educators, or nursing leaders in hospitals and facilities.

Being comfortable with each other.

Would it not feel awkward to be working with someone whom you don’t like? It is important that you find a recruiter you are comfortable with, someone you can talk to about your job, problems, and issues at work. That person should be able to be empathetic towards you and other nurses. The feeling of comfort should always be there because it is an element for better communication. If you can connect with your recruiter, you won’t feel inhibited and embarrassed to talk about your work issues or difficulties.

Encouraging.

Traveling is not easy and adjusting to a new place is always challenging. You want to find a recruiter who tells you what you need to expect to your future work and someone who will also encourage you. He should be able to match your skills and personality to the kind of place you are working in the future. Once he finds you the right assignment, he needs to be encouraging. Uprooting from one place to another is sometimes hard, but with a recruiter who is encouraging, it gives you motivation.

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