5 Tips to Land Your Dream Travel Assignment

Have you always dreamed of hiking through the Pacific Northwest, eating authentic deep dish in Chicago or watching the Northern Lights in Alaska? Maybe there’s a hospital you’ve been wanting to work at or you’re looking to hit all 50 states. No matter what you want to achieve while traveling, it can be hard at first to know how to make that dream a reality. To get you started on the right track, here are five tips you can use to land your dream travel nurse assignment.

Prioritize Your Travel Goals

The best way to set yourself up for success as a traveler is to figure out what your career goals are and prioritize what’s most important to you. A prioritized checklist lets you know what you’re willing to compromise on and what’s a dealbreaker. If your number one priority for your dream assignment is to work in a sought-after location like Hawaii or Alaska, you may be willing to compromise on pay or shifts to get there. Setting clear goals and knowing where your priorities lie will guide your decisions and get you where you want to go.

Utilize Your Recruiter

Your recruiter doesn’t just find you jobs — they’re here to support you throughout your entire travel career! When your recruiter has a clear idea of what your travel goals are, they make sure they’re presenting jobs that fit those goals. Your recruiter will help you get from point A to point B, even if the path to get there isn’t exactly how you imagined it. When you’re just starting out, it’s unlikely you’ll land a dream travel nurse assignment right away, but your recruiter will start you on the right path and find positions that are beneficial to your long-term success. The more work experience you have, the better you’ll look to the hospitals you’re applying to, so your recruiter will find you jobs that provide opportunities to make you a more hirable candidate.

Be Flexible

While it’s great to have clear goals and an idea of what you’re looking for, if you’re stuck on the specifics of an assignment, you may be holding yourself back from some amazing opportunities. Flexibility with the details of the position will make hospitals more excited to hire you. Being open to things like schedule requirements or patient assignments may give you a better chance of getting hired for a competitive position. Travel nurses who are adaptable and open to a wide range of opportunities will have the best chance for success in this career.

Build Your Clinical Skill Set

Having a strong clinical skill set is an instant way to stand out when applying to your dream assignment. Hospitals look for well-rounded travel nurses who are ready to hit the ground running. A strong clinical skills foundation shows hospitals you’re prepared for your assignment and have a wide range of experience to handle whatever comes your way. Landing your dream assignment starts with evaluating your skills checklist in your Aya profile. Look at what areas of your checklist need improvement. Are there any 1s and 2s that you can turn into a 3 or 4? You can work with your recruiter to seek out positions that will help grow those skills. You can also boost your skill set by getting applicable certifications for your specialty. Certifications will help reinforce your clinical skills and boost your resume in the eyes of hiring managers.

Seek Out New Experiences

Top hospitals are looking for travelers who’ve worked with a wide range of patient populations and in a variety of hospital settings. Asking your recruiter to help you find travel nursing jobs that give you diverse experiences gives you a leg up when it comes time to apply to your dream assignment. Every assignment offers room to learn and grow in a new environment, and each assignment is its own unique adventure. You might not love every assignment you get, but travelers who are open to all types of jobs have a better chance of falling in love with an unexpected city, hospital or experience they have during their assignment— so say yes to new opportunities!

Are you ready to make the most of your travel nursing career? Apply to our open travel nursing jobs and a recruiter will be in touch to discuss how to get you to your dream assignment.