New Graduate Insights – Tips & Tricks on Preparing to Travel
Tips & tricks on preparing to travel:
1. Start a credentialing profile
It’s good to get a folder together with all of your important credentialing items! These can include copies of your certificates, immunizations, transcripts/diploma, and anything else you think would be pertinent for credentialing purposes. This makes the credentialing process so much easier once you land an assignment, so you aren’t scrambling to obtain these documents on a time crunch!
2. Talk to your references/employers
Whether you have been at a perm job for years or have been working perm/PRN at a few facilities, talk to your references about what your plans are. It may be scary taking that big first step, but it will have to be done eventually. A lot of agencies will need to obtain professional references prior to submitting you for a position, so be sure to talk with your supervisors/managers about being a viable reference for you.
3. Make sure your home life is good to go for a few months
Home preparation is extremely important when preparing to leave for 13 weeks or more – especially if you have kids or pets! If you are not bringing them with you, it is important to make sure all is well with whoever will be watching them while you are away. If your home will be vacant during the time you’re gone, you will want to make sure to call your utility companies to let them know that you will be away. Let your neighbors know to keep an eye out on your home if no one is coming to check on it. Have your mail forwarded to a family member’s home, or held at the post office, so you won’t come home to a stockpile in your mailbox!
4. Have an emergency contact for home
You will want to have a designated emergency backup if anything were to come up back home. We all know that bad weather can occur at any time, and if you feel like your home needs checked on – have a specific person that you can trust check on your home. You do not want to have to take time off from your assignment to travel back home, as it can leave a bad taste in the mouths of the facility or agency you are working for.