Former travel therapist Laura Gregory, COTA recently joined Cariant’s therapy recruiting division. As a healthcare practitioner, we are excited about the clinical perspective Laura brings to our team. And as a world traveler, we are excited for the connection we know she will build with our wanderlust therapists. Having settled into her recruiting role, Laura has a new appreciation for how both sides of the business (traveler and recruiter) must work together for the best outcomes.
I have been a COTA since 1993, and the better part of my career has been in travel therapy. Most recently, I spent some years living, working and volunteering overseas before starting to re-credential myself in March. I fully intended to jump back into the travel world. I had everything planned out—what assignments I wanted, where I’d take trips overseas in between, and all the excitement that comes with being a traveler. Only to discover my timing lined up with the implementation of the Patient-Driving Payment Model (PDPM). Ignorance is not bliss, y’all!
There I sat in Texas, licensed, certified and ready to go. In good faith, I had come across the country with my daughter in tow. My recruiter (Tony Thoms, here at Cariant) and I had really bonded. He was going above and beyond to advocate on my behalf, but to no avail. Were the good old days of bourgeoisie travel gigs with all the sprinkles and a cherry on top gone?
When Cariant had a job opening for a therapy recruiter, Tony immediately called me and asked if he could submit my resume. I’d never thought of working as a recruiter. But I did think it had to be easier than building barbed wire fences (which is what I was doing in the meantime) in the hot Texas desert!
Now having transitioned from travel COTA to recruiter, I know it is way more difficult than what I had envisioned from the other side of the phone. It’s not cut-and-dry, fill-in-the-blanks and relax for 13 weeks. It’s not lazy, pencil-pushing-keyboard-peckers sipping pumpkin spice lattes and laughing all the way to the bank.
Having experienced both sides of the recruiter-traveler partnership has given me a healthy perspective on the hard work it takes from both parties to be successful. There are a ying and yang needed to create a whole picture. I look forward to using my unique viewpoint to help fellow therapists get to those great places they love and deserve.