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Well, it's official - spring is arriving early this year. That is, according to Punxsutawney Phil anyway! You've made it through the holidays, the New Year, and even Valentine's Day and now that travel itch is starting to set in. You're planning your year, or your summer and dreaming of adventures. It's the perfect time to take a look at travel contracts that you can secure NOW and extend through the summer. This is just one of the strategies travelers use to help land their dream destinations. Read on to see what's happening in the travel healthcare market right now and ways YOU can benefit from it.
What's happening in the market?
Traditionally Spring can pick up a little but will slow going into summer, with fall and winter being the busiest for travel contracts.
The overall market does seem to be a bit hard right now with number of jobs slowing and demand remaining high.
Average RN Rates for 36 hours a week we're seeing continue to stay in the $1700-$2300 range with 48 hours making upwards of $3200 depending on specialty. There are of course outliers but these are typical.
PCU, Medsurg, and Telemetry are still the most in demand and in some cases, highest paying, RN postions.
Toughest Specialties (fewer jobs that move super fast): Peds, NICU/PICU, Postpartum
Starting to see more OR and ER opening up
Currently seeing start dates through the end of March
How Can I Combat the Current Market?
Now that we have an idea of what travel healthcare in Spring 2024 is like, how can we combat it? Yes, the market can seem pretty deflating right now in comparison to just a few short years ago during the pandemic. But something to remember is that the rates we're seeing today are in many cases, still higher than they were pre-pandemic. Although inflation has gone through the roof and housing can be quite costly depending on the area, there are ways to help you both land a job AND make it fit your financial needs. Here are some tips on ways to ride the market storm. (Because as I've learned here in Hawaii, rainbows come after storms and I don't know about you, but I'm going to be here for that!)
Make sure you have a great recruiter that you trust at an Agency that is reputable and will NOT go under during this crunch time. Now more than ever, a recruiter is essential as jobs move super fast and they can hunt for you and be ready as soon as they open.
Cast a wide net. Be open to many areas. Be flexible. The more narrow you make the search, the less options you'll have and the ones that are left may have many submissions. (Another reason to go with Atlas as we have priority status at many facilities)
Be patient and start early. Need a job in 8 weeks? Start looking NOW. It could take a little longer right now.
Be careful of "to good to be true" offers and ads across social media and on staffing platforms. Many companies and recruiters know how to make something seem like a really great deal until you get into the fine print.
Evaluate your living expenses and cut back where you can. Remember, whatever you can save on housing is money in your pocket. If adventure is your goal, consider an RV. While the upfront cost is high, it could save you money overall on housing expenses - especially for families.
Evaluate WHY you want to do travel healthcare. Is it soley for money? Is it for adventure? A little of both? If it is purely for money and you need to stay local - really take a look at your situation. Although I would love to help get you a job, it may make more sense to find other options and come back to travel healthcare when you are ready to get back out there.
Check out these HOT locations for Spring and Summer: (Swipe for more)
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