How to Make New Friends on a Travel Assignment

I want you to take a second and think of a great memory that you’ve had. Now, when you were thinking about that memory was there someone there with you? I bet when you look at a lot of great memories from the past your best friend or a close friend was right there with you. Having a great friend during your assignment is so important as a traveling Registered Nurse and Surgical Technician. Your question may be: “how do I make great friends while being away from the people I am closest to?” Here are four easy tips on how to make friends while on a travel assignment.

Tip 1: Take the Time for Small Talk
An easy way to get to know the people who work beside you is to find out what their hobbies and interests are by taking the time to ask them questions. This is also a great way to find a common connection between each other and see what similarities you have. There is also a good chance you are not the only traveler at your facility, so find those other travelers and connect. Start with that as common ground and build from there.

Tip 2: Bring in Treats
Do you want to know the fastest way to win over one’s heart? That’s right, it’s food! If you take the time to bring in snacks, nurses and techs are going to take notice. They might even want to learn the recipe. One thing I have learned from being a recruiter is that a lot of the nurses and techs love getting food including pizza. I don’t blame them one bit! This could even be a great segway to invite another fellow nurse or tech over to create goodies for the rest of the team.

Tip 3: Invite Others to Join
Chances are you didn’t just take a travel assignment to work in a different facility. One of the biggest reasons why nurses and techs take assignments is for new experiences. What better way to take in the local attractions or try out a new restaurant than to do so with a fellow traveler. The best way to find hidden gems is to take time to research popular activities and events before going on your assignment. Once there, find different types of activities and see where the most interest is with your fellow travelers.

Tip 4: Go Above and Beyond
This tip is not just important in making friends, but making an impact on your assignment. It’s also a great way to get noticed. You may ask “how does going above and beyond help make friends?” Well, it goes a long way if you help out a struggling nurse or tech. That said, there may be times that people might say “no thank you I got this.” But, I promise you this– regardless if they take you up on the extra help or not, they will remember the generosity.

So there you go! For all the nurses and techs out there who are traveling alone or looking to make a new friend I hope these tips have helped you out. Who knows, maybe you and that new friend will click so well that you become a travel pair and travel the U.S. together. Share and tag in the comment section below about a travel friend you’ve made while out on assignment.

Marcus Benzel is a Recruiter for the Aureus Medical Social Media Recruitment Team.