Here are a few tips to help you negotiate higher pay rates:
1) Use/talk to several agencies no matter how good your recruiter/agency is. This lets your recruiter know they have competition and you will walk away from them if you’re not happy with the pay rates they are offering. A recruiter who knows you are willing to walk away is less likely to offer you a low pay rate.
2) Know the language of travel nursing. This lets your recruiter know you are knowledgeable of the industry and tells them they will less likely be able to low ball you.
3) Don’t be afraid to sternly ask for more money (“I need $2800 not $2550/week”) Worst thing they can tell you is no.
4) The original pay package posted on most FB Posts or emails is called the advertised rate is the same as the sticker price of a new vehicle. All advertised rates can and SHOULD be negotiated higher (Took me 4 contracts to learn that).
5) Before I started travel nursing (2017), before the industry became so popular, experienced nurses could get the agency to ask/negotiate with the hospital/facility for a higher bill rate (due to the experience the veteran nurse was bring to the table) but now agencies cater more to hospitals vs travel nurses due to increased number of travel nurses and more nurses willing to take low pay. Now when you negotiate for higher pay you are negotiating for the agency to give you more of the bill rate (bigger cut of the money).
Other Helpful Tips
Experience does NOT affect pay. If any recruiter tells you the pay is lower because you are a first time traveler then they are lying to you. As a travel nurse you either meet the hospital’s requirements or you don’t. The pay is the same no matter if you barely meet the requirements or easily meet all the requirements.
Being FLEXIBLE is a great quality that makes you more appealing to the hospital which will increase your chances of getting an offer for the contract from the hospital but again does NOT affect the amount you are PAID.
The hospital sets the bill rate at a certain amount based on several variables. Hospitals do not change the bill rate frequently and hospitals do not increase the bill rate because a travel nurse requested more money.
Good luck locking down your next contract! Let me know what questions you have. Always willing to help you get paid what you deserve!
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The First Step to Travel Nurse Negotiations
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