Can I Work for Two Travel Nurse Agencies at the Same Time?

Every travel nurse agency is different in some way. The perks and benefits vary. They have different organizational structures and operating costs. Company values span a wide range. Every agency does not have relationships with all hospitals and healthcare facilities in the country, making working with two travel nurse agencies or more than one recruiter make sense. So you may be asking the question "can I work for two agencies at the same time?"

Working with more than one travel nurse agency generally:

• ‍Increases the number of assignments available to you
• Ensures that you’ll be able to land a job quickly should a contract be canceled unexpectedly
• Enhances your bargaining position

While these benefits may have you eager to contact multiple agencies, there are some things to be aware of. Recruiters talk and most have relationships with recruiters at other agencies—and with hospital HR departments and other facility contacts. There’s a decent chance they will know if you’re working with other agencies. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but working with multiple recruiters could result in accidental duplicate submissions. This is where multiple recruiters can have negative consequences.

When submitted to a facility by more than one agency, a travel nurse may be removed from consideration or termination of your employment contract. In other cases, the hospital may have a policy that requires the traveler to work with the first agency that submitted them for the position, regardless of whom the nurse prefers. To make what could be a tricky situation much easier, consider the following.

1. Work with trustworthy, reputable recruiters.

If you work with honest recruiters, they will understand they may not always be able to offer the best compensation package on every assignment—or that they may not be able to get you to your dream destination—when ABC employer can. They may be disappointed if you take an assignment with a different agency, they won’t hold it against you, and will still do their best to find you that ideal job next time. This honesty will build a strong nurse-recruiter relationship in the future. Our recruiters will help you land your dream job faster when you travel with us. Getsubmitted quickly to top travel nurse jobs and be first in line for an interview.

2. Practice honest communication.

Honesty is key on both sides. Your recruiter is likely to find out that you are working with another company, regardless of whether that information comes from you or elsewhere. Give all your recruiters the courtesy of full disclosure when it comes to finding a new assignment or if you are currently looking for a second or remote job. If another agency has submitted your resume, let the second recruiter know. This will save time for both of you. They’ll both likely be even more motivated to land you that perfect job you’ve been hoping for.

3. Know which facilities.

In most cases, a recruiter will tell you which facility they are submitting you to when an assignment that checks all your boxes comes up. However, for some recruiters, their inclination may be to submit now and inform later. To avoid this scenario, ask them to contact you first, every time, just in case another recruiter has already submitted you for that position. Respond to messages quickly.

Keep track of your submissions and interviews on your own as well. This can help you avoid duplicate submissions and which jobs you may be interested in. In addition to tracking your job submissions, let your recruiter know that you may be open to remote jobs. This may open the door to more opportunities.

Our travel nurse recruiters understand that you need to choose the best travel nursing agency for you. They will help you get submitted to the jobs you want faster than your peers when you travel with us. We encourage you to be honest with recruiters and hope that, over time, you are able to build strong, professional nurse-recruiter relationships. Doing so will help you to focus on being the best nurse possible!

FAQs

Can I work for two different agencies at the same time?

The short answer is yes. As long as one agency or both agencies do not have a conflict of interest agreement to sign. Make sure to read your employment contract terms before making assumptions. 

Is working 2 jobs at the same time legal?

Working two jobs at the same time is legal. Many nurses work two jobs, where one is a primary job and the other is a part-time job. Some even work a full-time second job or have two remote jobs, depending on your specialty.

What are the Pros and Cons of Working for Multiple Travel Nurse Agencies?

There are several pros and cons of working for multiple travel nursing agencies. If you work for more than one agency, you will have a higher likelihood of finding a job assignment that meets your needs. If you are having difficulty finding agencies, ask your coworkers. They might know a fellow travel nurse who can make recommendations. 

When working for multiple agencies, it may be difficult to schedule your work day. This depends on the needs, demands, and flexibility of each job. A workaround for this would be to find a remote job or other agencies that offer asynchronous shifts. Also, before working for multiple agencies, it’s important to be transparent with your recruiter about your second job. This way, they can be more effective in selecting and providing you with job options.