Welcome to the world of traveling as a temporary employee! You made your commitment to the agency and facility, started the compliance process, signed and filled out countless forms, been to the occupational health clinic, traveled to your “home away from home”, and found your way to the work site. Everything is going to be a piece of cake from here, or is it?
When you travel as a temporary employee you may be the new person in the department or office every three months. That is a lot of first impressions to make! Here are some tips for making sure you hit the ground running on every assignment!
- Introduce yourself and learn the names of those you are working with.
- Be on time and come prepared to work hard from the get-go.
- Dress professionally. Make sure scrubs don’t look like they just came out of your suitcase and that they fit appropriately. Keep your hair or facial hair, makeup, and fingernails clean and professional. Be careful not to overdo it with perfume, aftershave, or cologne.
- Be patient and have a positive attitude. Stay away from office politics and drama.
- Abide by the department rules and guidelines, even if you did it a different way before you got to this assignment.
- Get a feel for the company culture and the goals of your team and the organization so you can help them reach those objectives, even if it’s just while you are on assignment.
The bottom line is that you never know when a contract assignment could turn from a temporary travel gig to a long term career, or even a request for you to come back for another assignment. Give yourself the best chance for a great assignment by following a few simple rules and making the most of your first impression.
Kory Kidd is a Team Lead for the Diagnostic Imaging division of Aureus Medical Group.