Looking to expand your career opportunities with per diem work? If so, you may also be wondering just where to begin. Here's how to decide between working with an agency and as an independent contractor, and how to find the best per diem nursing agency to meet your personal and professional needs.
> Looking for new career opportunities? Search per diem jobs here
Why Use a Staffing Agency to Find Per Diem Jobs?
More nurses are working per diem jobs than ever before. And with good reason! Whether you're looking to work less or a maybe a little more, per diem jobs offer great flexibility. They're also a great way to build experience in new settings and make new connections — and potentially unlock new career opportunities — in different types of facilities and practice settings across the U.S.A.
> Read more about the many benefits of per diem work
What’s the difference between working with a per diem agency vs. as an independent contractor?
Whatever your reason for working per diem jobs may be, the first step is to figure out what opportunities are available to you. And for most nurses, that means working either as a freelance independent contractor or with a per diem staffing agency like HealthTrust.
What’s the difference? When you work independently, you’re responsible for managing your own career. And that includes every part of it, from finding and booking jobs to handling all documentation and paperwork around taxes and contracts to negotiating salary rates and contract extensions, to name just a few of the responsibilities.
When you work with an agency, though, all of this is managed for you, giving you:
- Fast access to hundreds of per diem job opportunities, all across the U.S.A.
- Easy credentialing, with all documentation handled on your behalf
- Faster processing of paperwork and paychecks
- Expert career management, including strategic future planning
Short version: Why work with a per diem agency?
Sometimes, per diem opportunities present themselves to you, whether it’s an offer to take on extra shifts for your current employer, or the chance to work weekends in a neighboring facility, for instance.
Those who don’t have access to those opportunities, though — and who don’t want to brave the gauntlet of finding jobs, negotiating a contract, managing documentation, and everything that else comes with contract work — can partner with a staffing agency to get connected quickly with hundreds of jobs, and apply for any of them with the click of a button.
Checklist: How to Find the Best Per Diem Agency
Knowing that you want to work with a per diem agency is one thing. Finding the right one is another challenge entirely! How can you be sure that they’re working in your best interests in terms of pay, location, scheduling, and other priorities? This handy checklist of per diem agency essentials is a great place to start.
☑ Exclusive jobs
The best per diem jobs can also be very competitive. And it doesn’t help your chances when so many jobsites simply refer you to another employer, where the position has already been advertised for weeks. So, start by choosing an agency that can connect you with exclusive jobs that aren’t available anywhere else.
- Did you know? HealthTrust is the exclusive provider for one of the country’s biggest health employers, offering early access to great jobs. Learn more here.
☑ Easy credentialing and pay
The best per diem nursing agencies will handle everything for you, gathering documentation like licensing and credentials and then submitting that info to employers. That makes it easier to land a job and quickly get to work — and to make sure you get paid promptly and without any issues, too. You’ll simply submit a timesheet and receive a paycheck like a regular employee.
☑ Priority access
Working with an agency that offers access to exclusive jobs mean you get first shot at some of the country’s best per diem assignments. But the best per diem nursing staffing agencies can do more than connect you with opportunities you may not otherwise find. They should also give you priority access to those jobs, as well as a chance to earn a higher wage when you book directly.
- Fun fact: At HealthTrust, we take the benefits of direct access even further, offering priority pay for select positions. Learn more here.
☑ Priority pay
Many nursing jobsites are really just aggregators, or lists of jobs republished from other places. That means they’re coming through a third party, which can lead to delays in processing your application and could even cut into your paycheck. The short version? When you choose an agency that offers direct access to jobs, you’ll cut out other parties and get more in your paycheck.
- Did you know? Our status as an exclusive job provider lets us offer priority pay for some of our per diem jobs. You can learn more here.
☑ An easy-to-use jobsite
Finding a great nursing or clinical job shouldn't be a hassle. After all, you're in demand, with employers across the country looking for people just like you. So, the first step in finding the right per diem agency is making sure they offer an easy-to-use jobsite where you can easily browse through hundreds of jobs across the country, and quickly get the details that matter most to you.
- #ICYMI: Have you seen the new HealthTrust jobsite, the best source for per diem jobs on the Internet? Check it out here!
☑ Career guidance
By serving as a single source for an ongoing series of jobs, per diem nursing agencies take the guesswork out of per diem careers. Even better, the best agencies will make sure you get not only the best opportunities, but plenty of expert career guidance to help you make the most of each one — and to make the best plan for what comes next.
- Pro tip: Per diem jobs can help you build the experience you need to work in other specialties, and your recruiter should help you work towards those goals.
☑ Complete transparency
Saying yes to the diem lifestyle means committing to what could be sporadic work and pay. For that reason, per diem jobs usually offer a higher hourly rate. And if you really want to get the most out of a per diem career, it’s important to have a clear understanding and full transparency into every detail of every job, before you even apply.
- What is it? Pay transparency means that every detail of each job is made clear on an up-front basis, with nothing hidden. Learn more here.
Looking for the Best Per Diem Nursing Agency?
As a per diem nurse, you're in demand — so why should you have to deal with hard-to-use jobsites or wait for lengthy application processing? With HealthTrust, you'll get fast access to exclusive opportunities across the country, along with the guidance you need to navigate the best career path.
Ready for a faster, simpler, more rewarding job search experience? Visit the new HealthTrust jobsite today.
