How well do you work in groups? What is an example of when you took charge of a group?

Give an example of a time when a conflict arose in a group and how did you handle it?

When is a time you had a lot on your plate and how did you handle it?

What have you learned from your clinical experience?

What is something people tell you that you need to work on?

What is your definition of a professional?

When did you have to do something that you did not agree with?

Suppose you walk into a hospital room to work with a patient and she refused because her favorite soap opera is on. What would you do?

As a PT, what duties would you assign a PT assistant that you wouldn’t an aide?

To discuss our current openings, please call me today!

Cason Cantrell

866-518-1750 Ext. 2304

This morning I decided to head over to the Bureau of Labor Statistics to take a quick look at their projections for the fastest growing professions in the United States. Without much surprise to anyone, physical therapists and physical therapy assistants are still holding strong in this list. According to the statistics, which measured projected job market growth between 2006 and 2016, the number of physical therapists employed in the US will grow by 27.1%. Physical therapy assistants will see similar (and slightly larger) growth at a 32.4% projected increase.

Over the next 5 to 10 years, it looks as though demand is going to keep climbing for physical and occupational therapy. One of the many reasons agencies are becoming so prevalent in this market is because of this growth. My advice: take advantage of your occupation’s ‘rock star’ status and work hard to find a position and company that works for you. Be very careful while you’re searching, the increase in therapy needs has also brought about a lot of small companies that are looking to make money on a market they don’t understand. When looking for a company to represent you, be sure you know that your company knows the market and this industry.

Call me if you have questions or are on the fence about travel, I’ll help you understand the benefits and how we can help!

Until next time, safe travels.

Tom Hidock

Senior Recruiter

First off, this business is constantly moving and changing. Travel therapy jobs that are open today could be gone tomorrow, just as that impossible to find location becomes a possibility when you least expect it. It’s no wonder that travel work is not for the faint of heart. With that being said, there are three (sometimes four) major factors in anyone’s job search. These factors, which we call “motivators” in the industry, help recruiters and agencies understand what drives you in your search. Knowing which one you will flex on and which one is set in stone can separate a good company from a bad company, and can keep a company from wasting your time with constant updates on positions you aren’t interested in. Here are some questions (good) recruiters ask, and how you can use these to understand your motivations for travel better.
 
Before we get into the three primary motivations for a job search, keep in mind that once you start looking for a travel assignment, you’re not going to find a perfect fit every time. Sometimes you will have to look into a plan B, and this plan B could either be a pleasant surprise or an unpleasant ordeal. Knowing what motivates you in your search, and communicating that with your recruiter will ensure your recruiter will bring back the best of what’s available for your assignment.
 
Location:
The location of your job search is a great place to start, because it allows you to really narrow the field when it comes to available positions. If a company has over 500 open assignments, but 499 of them are in locations you wouldn’t consider, wouldn’t you want to know? On the flip-side, be ready to explain to your agency why you are looking for that location, what’s driving you, and if you have a plan b. For example, if your ideal location is near West Palm Beach, FL, would you consider something that’s a similar location? If there is nothing in West Palm Beach, but there is a job in Jacksonville, FL, would you consider? Be ready to give an answer to a question like that, and to really understand the why behind your answer. I have seen plenty of professionals miss out on some great locations because they were holding onto hope for their dream job. If location is driving your search, ask yourself how far you could be from the location you are seeking, and if you’re local to that area, if travel is right for you. If location is motivating you, be prepared to be without a job in tough times, or at least be prepared to pass up a lot of handsome offers while you wait on your location to open up.
 
Setting:
The setting you would like to work in has a big influence on your job search. In therapy, we primarily work with hospital, skilled nursing, home health, and private practice. When I work with a therapist, I will try to find out that person’s ideal setting, and that person’s nightmare setting. Sometimes there will be a great job with high pay in the perfect location available, but the setting will be wrong. Some of the therapists I work with will take the assignment, some will not. If you have a goal in mind regarding the type of setting you want to be in, ask yourself if you would sacrifice it for the perfect location or a huge pay increase. If setting is motivating your search, be prepared for locations that you may not have considered, or in some rare cases, a slight decrease in pay for the right setting.
 
Money:
At the end of the day, it’s all about the money. Most traveling healthcare professionals are in this business because of the big paychecks, and fortunately for a lot of markets, that’s the easy thing to find. If money motivates your search, then be prepared to be presented with the most rural or urban locations, the most undesirable settings and caseloads, and the most hectic departments. There’s a reason that job on the TX/Mexico border just added a big completion bonus…..
 
Once you find out which one of these three things motivate your search, then you’re ready to maximize the work your recruiter is doing for you. Always challenge your own answers when it comes to finding out what’s driving the search, and be prepared to have your answers challenged by your recruiter. If your recruiter is experienced, he or she will work with you to challenge your answers and dig deeper into your job search. If your recruiter gets to the bottom of what’s REALLY driving you, then you will find that your agency always brings you viable options and doesn’t waste your time. Although competition is fierce in this industry, no amount of money can compare with an agency that knows you well. In this fast-paced marketplace, wasted time could be missed opportunities. As always, travel safely and make sure you’re getting the most out of your company.

When considering a new position in Rehab Therapy, remember that $$$ is not the only thing to consider.  In addition to great rates, there are many other factors that show Cirrus Allied is a top company to choose from when considering new Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, or Speech Language Pathology opportunities.

Some of the exclusive benefits include:
-BCBS Insurance, available day ONE!
-Loyalty Rewards
-PTO accrual
-CEU Reimbursements
-Rehabilitation Therapy focused; Specializes in Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Speech Therapy
-Unique Client relationships
-Knowledgeable Recruiters available at all times, this is A NUMBER ONE for keeping your sanity!!

My advice is to list the pros and cons of everything that’s important to you.  Remember, money is important but there are a lot of other intangibles that are also great reasons to work with Cirrus Allied, we’re here for you!

Thanks for listening and until next time, safe travels.

Tom Hidock

Senior Recruiter

Hello all,

While perusing CNN.com a few days ago, I saw a great article about a skilled nursing facility in PA. After setting up a Nintendo Wii on the home’s big screen television, the staff noticed a great change in their patients and residents – they were getting lots of exercises!

The Nintendo Wii, which you can pick up for around $200, has had a great impact on nursing homes across the country. Nintendo’s philosophy in creating this new gaming console was to make game play easier, more interactive, and more physical. This is a perfect combination for skilled nursing caseloads.

If you are working  in a facility that needs a change, this could be a great chance improve the quality of leisure time for the residents. Nintendo Wii offers a wide variety of easy to learn sports games such as tennis, golf, baseball, and boxing. The great thing about these games are most of the controls can be performed sitting or standing, so even wheelchair-bound patients can move those arms to break a sweat. This is a perfect activity for a patient in need of physical and occupational therapy.

Just a quick thought to switch up the normal day in the Therapy department!  

Until then, safe travels and call or email me for your next Physical Therapist, Occupational Therapist or Speech Therapy travel position!

Tom Hidock

Senior Recruiter, Cirrus Allied

Cirrus Allied specializes in travel staffing and wants to help you find the right career opportunity in the right location. Whether it be 13 weeks or even 6 months, Cirrus Allied is dedicated to finding you what you want when you want it. We currently have hundreds of openings across the U.S. for licensed therapists like you.

Please visit our website or call us today for more information on all of our current openings.

Happy Travels!

Amy 866-518-1750

Call me if you have any questions. Angie Weck 678-993-2309

Many times travel therapists have the items listed and choose to travel with them. This allows for more money to be allotted for the housing itself (i.e. apartment). If a traveling therapist decides to omit the package but does not have the items listed or is missing some essential items they can choose to receive an allowance. The allowance is only good for the first assignment taken with Cirrus Allied. It is then expected for the traveler to take the items bought from assignment to assignment.

I like to urge travelers to take the allowance because it allows more money for the housing. A higher allotment may open up options for a better complex with more amenities for the traveler. Not to mention that most of the items listed in the package are rented so it’s been through normal wear and tear and is not always in brand new condition. Personally I would prefer to sleep on my own sheets rather than a set of rented sheets.

When discussing your package with your healthcare recruiter be sure to let them know if you will need house wares, an allowance or will be providing your own.

Whenever you have a market of multiple recruiters working with multiple physical therapy and occupational therapy pros, there are bound to be overlaps. While trying to fill travel therapy jobs, there are occasions where two recruiters might be working with the same physical therapist, occupational therapist, or assistant. Some people may say to themselves “why is this bad?” I wanted to give you an insight into this market to explain why you want to be careful with your resume, and give you some helpful tips to maximize your job search’s effectiveness.

First off, when a company submits your resume to a facility, they are basically saying to this facility “I am this therapist’s agent, he or she has agreed to allow me to represent him or her at your facility.” What causes a lot of grief and confusion is when a company gets your resume from two different staffing firms.

If a rehab manager sees your resume twice on his or her desk from different agencies, the manager could pass over your resume in hopes of staying out of a dispute. This could seriously hurt your chances with that positions that seems perfect for you. Also, in a lot of cases, a manager will go with the agency that submitted your resume first, which could be the company that submitted your resume to every facility in the area you’re looking for without understanding what you are looking for in an assignment.

Here are some tips to protect you from double submittals while looking for your next travel positions.

First, ask the agency or agencies you are working with not to submit your resume without your authorization – and stick to your guns! If you allow an agency to submit without permission, it would be easy for that company to blanket an area with your resume, which would mean they are only getting positions that call them back, not positions that are even right for you. This practice is known as ‘throwing spaghetti on the wall,’ because the method behind the madness is the hope that something will stick if enough options are pitched. I’m not saying that every traveler finds perfect travel therapy jobs on their job search, but everyone can appreciate a little extra effort.

Second, keep a list of where your resume has been presented and keep up with it. If you can tell an agency you have already been submitted to a position, the agency will appreciate your efforts to stay organized and keep them in the loop. This will also save you a lot of trouble when you get that frantic call from an agency  wanting to tell you about new travel therapy jobs.

Finally, if you have been submitted by two agencies, know which agency truly deserves to represent you. If you are using an agency as a backup plan and they happen to find a great opportunity for you, it’s unfair for you to go back to your current agency for that position. Keep in mind that healthcare recruiters are trying to make a living in this business, and they work very hard to bring options to the table. If you are presented with this situation, do the right thing and tell the interviewing manager who has the right to represent you. The manager will appreciate your honesty and respect your wishes.

Until next time, safe travels!

Tom Hidock, Senior Recruiter

Added Bonus info about travel credentialing requirements…..

Up to date credentialing is important when determining your start date of your next assignment. Travelers need to make sure their files are up to date. Cirrus Allied can help you through this process along with guiding you to the ideal assignment. Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, and Speech Therapist all require the same credentialing. Before you decide on a start date make sure you have the following; Annual TB, Annual Physical, MMR Titers or Immunization Records, state license, CPR card, consent and release form for Background check. Allow time for a drug test if you do not have a current screen then it will take 3 days minimum for this process. Cirrus Allied Credentialing department will assist you in the process to meet Joint Commission standards.