With Bosses Day (October 16) just around the corner, it got me thinking about how much having a great relationship with your manager can influence how happy you are at your job. Bosses Day was created not only as a way to express gratitude for bosses, but more importantly, to help improve relationships between managers and their employees. Getting along with both your coworkers and employer can have an incredible influence on job satisfaction and contributes greatly to a longstanding relationship.
When you’re not working side by side (such as in the world of recruiters/account managers and traveling healthcare professionals) this relationship can become strained easily. It’s important for both parties to understand the challenges either side face, in order to build and maintain this relationship. Here are five easy ways to get along better with your account manager or recruiter.
1. Keep your recruiter/account manager updated.
If you’ve got something else in the works that goes through or if things change, let them know. It may be an uneasy feeling delivering difficult news, but it will help maintain the relationship in the long run. Recruiters/account managers understand that travelers have needs, and ultimately want yours to be met. If it’s not something we can do, most of the time they’ll be happy someone else was happy to make it happen for you. I think it’s safe to say, most people appreciate honesty, even if it’s regarding something you may not want to hear. On the flip side, demand that you’re receiving updates too, and let your recruiter know how often you’d like to receive them.
2. Pick up the phone.
Although we live in a technologically driven world, much can get lost in translation via email or text. While coordinating schedules may be difficult, as most healthcare professionals work non-traditional hours and most of a recruiter/account manager’s time is spent on the phone and during traditional business hours , set aside time to touch base on a regular basis. Likewise, both parties should expect to hear back from one another in a timely fashion, set this expectation for your recruiter early on and commit to doing the same for them.
3. Be understanding of each other’s needs.
It’s important to know what matters most to you and make sure your recruiter or account manager know this as well. As not everyone is the same, don’t assume what is important to you is the same as everyone else. Come up with a plan together on what is most important, and be flexible if things don’t end up playing out perfectly. As much as it may not seem like it, we want you to meet your needs just as much as you want them to be met. Don’t be shy to ask for what you want and understand that they’re most likely genuinely doing their best to get it for you.
4. Don’t forget the small talk.
Although it’s important to maintain a professional working relationship, it’s important to get to know each other on a personal level. It’s not much fun for either side to just talk business. No one likes calling on someone, only when they’re in need or in trouble. Give your manager a call to chat about something great that happened, whether it is work related or not. Likewise, communicating concerns or frustrations early on is key in solving issues or stepping in front of bigger problems. More than likely, your recruiter will appreciate either scenario more thank you think!
5. Ask lots of questions.
Venturing into the unknown can be scary, so being well educated about what you’re walking into will ultimately make or break an experience. It’s an account manager’s job to ease your insecurities and answer any questions you may have. Don’t ever feel like you’re asking too many or go elsewhere to have them answered. It’s easy to receive incorrect or skewed information, so it’s important you’re getting it from the right source. This will help your manager grow as well and hopefully do an even better job for you in the future.
Work will genuinely be more enjoyable and less stressful if both parties are playing on the same team. Everyone wants to be respected and feel like a valuable asset to their employer. In the travel industry it’s easy to lose sight of this, so help us to not forget. While we can’t be by your side on a day to day basis, we can work together to make the business side of work better for both sides!
Leah Breitbarth started with Aureus Medical Group in August 2014 as an Account Manager with the Nursing division. She works with clients to provide qualified candidates to help meet their supplemental and long term staffing needs and also helps nursing professionals identify their career goals and provides opportunities to meet them. In her free time, Leah loves to travel and enjoys any type of live music.