Recruiters hold the keys to unlocking new travel staffing assignments throughout the U.S., so it’s vital that you use every opportunity to make a great impression when speaking with them. With some travel staffing agencies, speaking with recruiters is easy, but at others, it’s hard to get ahold of them.
Regardless, remember to treat each conversation as if it’s an interview — because it is! The conversations that you have with recruiters over the phone could make or break your chance of getting hired. If you’re not polite, don’t listen, or follow their instructions, it will play a role in whether or not they think you’ll be a good fit for their company and their clients.
Make A Great First Impression, Second and Third
First impressions are important, but each conversation you have with a recruiter is equally as important — so consider each conversation an interview and an opportunity to show them you’re someone worth hiring who will make a good impression at their client’s facility. Whether it’s your first time talking with a recruiter, your second or third you need to remember:
- Manners matter, so always be polite and positive
- Bring your A-Game — tell them about your skills and experience and sell yourself
- Have a pen and paper handy (so many people don’t do this)
- Please and thank yous go a long way!
With travel staffing, in particular, recruiters are dealing with high-volume recruiting which means they’re likely receiving over 250 applicants per role they’re trying to fill, if not more. In other words, you’re likely 1 of 250 people applying for the position. Not only that, the recruiters you’re speaking with are likely filling a number of roles across multiple projects.
Be Honest
This is incredibly important for all jobs, but even more so for travel staffing jobs. Why? Because if you’re not honest about your experience or skills and you get placed at a job site they will know almost immediately if you’re not qualified. Companies hire travel staffing agencies to bring them top talent, so if you’re not qualified they will send you home immediately — and if they flew you out to the job site and you lied about your experience and skills, you’ll likely get sent home by bus. That will be a long bus ride home especially if you came from across the country. In addition to a long bus ride home, the staffing agency will also likely put you on their DND (Do Not Deploy) or DNR (Do Not Rehire) list and you will not be hired for any future projects. Ouch.
Ask The Right Questions
Although the recruiter will be asking you many questions about your skills, resume, and experience within the travel staffing industry, you should also ask recruiters questions about their company and details about the assignment. Some questions to ask include:
- Where is the assignment located?
- What is the facility like?
- What are the expectations for this job?
- How many hours per week are guaranteed?
- How long must I commit to being out at the project site?
- What is your policy if I have to leave a project early?
- How much is per diem?
- How is per diem paid out?
- Do you pay weekly? Every two weeks?
- Does your company pay for the hotel or do I need to pay for lodging myself?
- Will you fly me to the project site or do I drive there?
- Will there be a Supervisor on site?
Be Up Front About Availablity
Find out what the expected duration of a assignment is and also the time that you must commit to because these two things may be different. For example, you may have to commit to working for 3 months but the assignment may be expected to last for 6 months or more.
Make sure that you will be available for the timeframe you’re committing to — often times its 3 months. Make sure you have no prior commitments or appointments during the assignment that will require you to go back home because if you have to leave before your contract assignment is up, you may not be rehired again by the agency. Once you fulfill the contract, you will typically have the option to stay longer, leave if you want to go home, or even come back if you simply need to go back home for a rest.
Basic Phone Tips
Because recruiting within the travel staffing industry is all done remotely, proper phone etiquette is a must. When the recruiter answers the phone, clearly introduce yourself and let them know which position you’re interested in. Find out who you’re speaking with and what the recruiter’s name is.
If you’re following up on the status of your application then let them know that upfront and tell them what stage of the process you’re at so they can more easily answer your question or help you with the next stage of the process.
Finally, whenever possible keep your conversation short and be respectful of the recruiter’s time. They may be dealing with high call volume, they may have flight information to be giving out, or more urgent matters to deal with at the moment. If they suggest that you call back on a certain day or time — make sure you follow their directions and don’t just call back hoping to speak with someone else looking for a different answer.
Be Ready To Deploy
Oftentimes, recruiters are looking to deploy personnel quickly to the project site. That means if you’re going through the process with a recruiter and have informed them you’re interested and available you may have to deploy quickly.
Make sure that you:
- Have all your personal needs squared away for being away from home for a few months
- Have appropriate clothes for the weather where you’ll be headed
- Know how you will get to the airport
- Understand what PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) you will be required to bring (such as Steel Toe Boots)
- Have all the documentation available that you’ll need to bring (ID, Social Security Card, Direct Deposit Info, etc.)
When it comes to finding your first or next travel assignment, it’s important to maintain good relationships with the recruiters you’re speaking with and build a good rapport with them. It’s also beneficial to check in with recruiters frequently about what assignments they have coming up and to keep them updated on when you’ll be available for your next project.
