Ask a Travel Nurse: Can I work with more than one recruiter?
Ask a Travel Nurse Question:
In Travel Nursing, it seems like a great idea work with more than one recruiter — or is it? Can I work with one than one recruiter?
Ask a Travel Nurse Answer:
Many seasoned travelers use multiple recruiters (often even three or four). The best way to approach this is to simply be forthcoming with each. If you have recruiters who are also seasoned in the business, they will certainly understand this.
Many travelers will often negotiate contracts by using several recruiters. If a recruiter is not putting forth their best offer, then I may tell them exactly what was offered to me by another company and give them a chance to meet or beat the offer from the other company.
Working with multiple recruiters and agencies is also about the only way to know what the going pay rate may be for any given area of the country. For example, if you wanted to work in San Diego, call three companies and ask what assignments they have in the area. You may even find that multiple companies have the same exact assignment, but often with different pay rates.
Don’t fall into the trap of just taking the assignment with the best hourly wage. Evaluate each company on the total compensation package, including: pay rate, cost of insurance, housing stipend or travel accommodations, etc. You may also want to consider other benefits offered by an agency, such as licensure reimbursement, rewards programs, referral and loyalty bonuses, and more.
If you work with great recruiters, they should understand that they may not be able to offer the best compensation package on each assignment. They will also not get upset should you take an assignment with another company because they will know that they will still likely work with you in the future when they can offer you the perfect assignment options.
Hope this helps.
David