Pertinent Questions For Traveler To Ask

Q

Greg – I work with a fabulous recruiter and have loved the jobs she has sent me on.  Recently she placed me in a situation that is not at all like it was described.  I really want to continue working with my recruiter, but I don’t want to repeat landing in a job I don’t like.  What should I do?

A

Yikes! I can appreciate that you travel for specific reasons (your reasons!) and that you want to make the most of each assignment. Unfortunately there are times when the facility doesn’t give a full or accurate picture of the openings they are trying to fill, and both the recruiter and the traveler are unpleasantly surprised.

To help minimize this scenario from happening, we often coach our travelers on questions they can ask the facility during the interview. Hopefully this will help the traveler determine if the assignment is the right one for them. Here are a few suggestions:

Q. How large is the unit or department?

Q. Is the acuity of patients evenly distributed between all staff, including contractors?

Q. What is the nurse to patient ratio OR What are the average number of patients/cases performed per person daily?

Q. I would appreciate you describing your expectations of me during the assignment.  OR What specific qualities make for a good candidate for this job?

Q. How do you measure job performance?

A couple of things to remember “to do” during your conversation with the hiring official:

• Find a quiet place to have an uninterrupted interview.
• Discuss any days off you are requesting LAST.
• If you want the assignment, “ask for the opportunity”.
• For each of the questions you ask, make sure their answers truly match your needs and that you can work under any conditions that are not ideal for you.

Have a burning question? Email me!