Do you have the skills and experience that make you a potential travel nurse? If you're not sure and you're thinking about contacting a travel company, you should first find out if you fill the bill.

Many travel companies prefer hiring nurses who are certified. If you don't have certification, consider obtaining it. This will give you an edge over other candidates.

The ideal candidate has a strong clinical background, with at least one full year of recent experience. Some recruiters recommend that you get experience in as many specialty areas as possible before applying to travel. An excellent way to get experience like this is to float to different units within your current facility.

Other recruiters recommend working in high-census units so you can adjust to multiple assignments. If this is difficult for you in your current position, you may want to consider working per diem for a while before embarking on a travel career.

If you have experience and superior clinical skills, you're one step ahead. But remember, having the right personal qualities is also critical to being a successful travel nurse. Here's what most companies are looking for in a traveler:

• Flexibility: Being flexible enables you to cope with the unexpected and adapt to the constant change associated with travel nursing. You'll have to adapt to new environments, policies, procedures, cultures and work flows on a regular basis.
• Assertiveness: As the new kid on the block, you'll need to speak up for yourself and ask for things you need.
• Organization: Traveling to a new location every three months or so requires excellent organization skills. Each time you accept a new assignment, you'll need to gather important paperwork and coordinate your move to ensure a smooth transition.
• A desire for challenge: You must thrive on a challenge, particularly because travel agencies expect you float, work rotating shifts, and take on other hard-to-fill positions within different institutions.
• Strong interpersonal skills: To work well in a new environment and make friends easily, you must be outgoing, friendly, even-tempered and open-minded. A sense of humor and excellent communication skills will help you succeed as a travel nurse. Keep in mind that recruiters also look for confidence, independence and a desire to learn new skills and techniques. If you're ready to make a major lifestyle change and you have what it takes to become a travel nurse, go for it! Be sure to keep these tips in mind:
• Carefully print or type your application. Remember that this is your first opportunity to make a favorable impression. How you present yourself is a good indicator of your professionalism and ability to follow directions. Many companies accept applications online via the Internet. This method is not only quick, but displays your ability to utilize modern technology to the fullest.
• Provide impeccable references. Make sure the people you choose will speak highly of you and your skills and present you in the best possible light.
• Be honest when completing your clinical skills checklist. Base your self-report on how you currently rate yourself, not how you think you'd perform in a new setting. Your travel company will use this checklist to match your skills with an appropriate assignment.
• Refine your interviewing skills. Whether it's conducted over the phone or in person, the initial interview is your chance to create a lasting impression. To ensure that you do your best, create a 30-second presentation about your self. Then practice it until you feel comfortable. Anticipate the questions a recruiter may ask you and prepare your responses.

To make things easy on yourself once you've signed on with a travel company, request only assignments that match your skills and experience. This will minimize stress and help ensure that you're comfortable with your first few assignments.

If you follow these tips and have the right experience and disposition, you're sure to be a solid candidate for any travel nurse company.

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