Much of the appeal of being a traveling nurse is the chance to meet new co-workers with each assignment.
For better or worse, your success with fellow employees may be highly dependent on your ability to make good first impressions. Everything from your smile to your clothes to your opening words will make an impact that could affect working relationships through the life of your assignments.
Follow these tips for helping others look forward to working with you.
- Arrive early, stay late. Those extra minutes give the impression you’re organized, respectful of others’ time and there for more than the paycheck, while providing extra time to prepare for and wrap up the day’s tasks.
- Model positivity. Be upbeat and friendly with everyone, avoiding negative commentary of any kind and tackling all assignments with enthusiasm. Keep personal problems to yourself, and err on the side of listening more than talking about yourself.
- Follow dress codes. Now isn’t the time to debut a new form of self-expression. Study the the employee guide and lean toward a conservative, non-controversial, apolitical appearance.
- Admit you’re not perfect. You’ll earn respect from co-workers if you’re honest when you don’t understand something or need a refresher on completing a task. Admitting mistakes and staying open to suggestions is preferable to being a know-it-all.
- Stay busy. Dig in and share the workload with co-workers by asking for tasks (or simply moving forward) instead of waiting to be assigned.
- Socialize. Build rapport by accepting offers to join staff softball teams, bowling leagues, potlucks, lunches out and/or happy hours. In conversation, avoid participating in office gossip or trash talk, and instead display an attitude of gratitude about your job and co-workers.
Pullout: "Keep personal problems to yourself, and err on the side of listening more than talking about yourself."