By Melissa Wirkus Hagstrom, contributor
Following a career as a visual manager with a prominent apparel and lifestyle brand, Teresa Healey was ready for a change, and so she got started on what she describes as a very satisfying career path with American Mobile Healthcare as a senior recruiter.
This was a year and a half ago, and Healey has since worked her way up through the ranks at American Mobile to her current position. She first heard about the company through word-of-mouth after relocating to San Diego.
Teresa Healey, a recruiter with NurseZone’s partner American Mobile Healthcare, can be found answering questions and providing career advice on NurseZone’s Facebook and Twitter.
“I had people tell me that I should apply to work here, that it was a great company, and so I did,” Healey recalls.
Outgoing and energetic, Healey’s affable personality proves to be a perfect fit with the travel nurses she partners with.
“I like interacting with the nurses and being able to build relationships,” she said. “I have travelers who were the first nurses I got jobs for, and they still travel with me. I have been able to build really great relationships with them.”
Healey remembers a recent instance of a long-time traveling couple who were ready to explore a new location and facility. After a lot of worry and stress on Healey’s part to get her travelers the assignment they wanted, their dream contract in Indiana came available and Healey was able to get them the placement!
“It was one of those moments where it felt great because I was able to get my travelers what they wanted. Things in life happen for a reason and everything ends up falling in to place.”
She explains that recruiters are an integral part to any successful travel experience and travel nurses should do plenty of research when looking for a recruiter and travel agency.
“Recruiters are the ones who really facilitate the job process and make it a smooth transition from one job to the next. They ensure that everything comes together cohesively.”
“Because a positive recruiter/traveler relationship is vital to a successful assignment, travelers must have a recruiter they can trust,” she elaborates.
A career as a travel nurse brings a lot of exciting change, from new cities and apartments to different workplaces and colleagues, and having a trust-based relationship is key to the process, according to Healey. She advises travelers to be honest about their wants and needs, and to let recruiters know what they are looking for in an assignment at the start of the search.
“You should also learn about your recruiter’s working style. It needs to be a cohesive relationship,” she said. “Look for a recruiter who is knowledgeable about the traveling industry, who understands what you are looking for and who has a personality that goes along with your personality. But at the same time, they should push you beyond your limits and help you to get that job you want or take a position that you hadn’t considered before. Be open to assignment and location suggestions from your recruiter—the sky is the limit. Be adventurous.”
Send Teresa an e-mail or give her a call at 888-849-1269 to find out about the current travel nursing opportunities she has available.
You can also connect with Teresa online on NurseZone’s Facebook page. Log on today to see exclusive job opportunities and ask all your nursing career questions.
