Essential Tips for Travel Healthcare Professionals | Healthcare Hustlers

Here are my tips on being a financially successful traveler:

Obtain a License in CA as a Backup Plan

There are always jobs in CA for all disciplines, so it would be wise to have a CA license in case you can’t find a job in the other states you are licensed in.

Obtain a compact license if you are eligible.

Work with Multiple Travel Companies

This allows you to have more job options, as different travel companies have different jobs.

I would recommend working with 1 larger company and 2 small to medium sized companies Larger companies will pay less due to having higher overhead costs, but have more jobs throughout the country.

Small and medium sized companies will usually pay more money for the same job compared to larger companies due to having lower overhead costs.

Working with multiple companies also provides you with leverage during negotiations, as the companies are competing for your services.

Do Not Be Friends with your Recruiter

I recommend having a business relationship with your recruiter, similar to how pro athletes do with agents.

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t appreciate the recruiter and treat them badly, but by maintaining a business relationship, you won’t feel bad when you do not use them for a job.

If you are friends with your recruiter, they might make you feel guilty for not accepting a job with them.

By establishing a business relationship with the recruiter, they understand you don’t want to be friends with them, but instead want a business relationship where they will provide you with the best deal possible.

Don’t be afraid to switch recruiters if you aren’t satisfied with the one you are currently with. By maintaining a business relationship, you won’t feel bad doing this. You have to do what’s best for you.

Be Flexible with Settings (this may apply to Therapy more)

If you are dead set on only working Outpatient or Pediatrics, you may have a difficult time finding a travel job at times, especially outside of California. I would recommend being flexible with settings in case you cannot find a job in the setting of your choice.

New grad therapists (PT, OT, SLP, PTA/COTA) will likely not be able to get an outpatient, hospital, or pediatric job as their first travel job unless they are willing to take a pay cut. These settings usually want 1-2 years of experience.

SNF and Home Health are the most new grad friendly therapy jobs. I recommend being open to working in these settings as a new grad. And you could try and work PRN in outpatient, hospital, or in pediatrics to obtain experience in these settings simultaneously (if you’re willing to work more than 40 hours a week).

For therapists (PT, OT, SLP, PTA/COTA), home health usually provides the most money due to the high base pay and opportunities to work overtime; most of the other settings do not like travel therapists to work overtime because it is expensive; home health is the exception. In the Bay Area, CA it is very easy to make $2500+/week after taxes working home health due to the high base pay and opportunities to work overtime.

For nursing, it seems that the highest paying specialties are Med Surg, Telemetry, ICU, ER, and OR. Home Health also usually pays well pre-covid, but not as much as the settings stated above during COVID. If you are a new grad nurse, I would recommend working in these settings if you want to make the most money.

Always Accept the Housing Stipend and Find Your Own Housing.

You make more money as a traveler, compared to perm jobs, due to the housing and meals stipends that you receive every week.

If you have the travel company find housing for you, then you won’t be paid the housing stipend and will not make as much money.

Usually the travel companies provide you way more than what is needed to pay for housing via the housing stipend, so you will always be pocketing part of the housing stipend every week. Enroll in the 401K Plan, especially if your company matches.

There may be a vesting period, but some travel companies allow you to be 100% vested immediately

If you work for a travel company that allows you to be 100% vested immediately, then contribute to the 401K plan as you are collecting free money from the travel company every week.