The evolving healthcare landscape has created ample opportunities for nursing and allied health professionals to explore travel opportunities. Due to a general rise in demand for health services magnified by other factors such as staff shortages, seasonal projects, and changes to departmental alignments, healthcare professionals who take on these travel assignment are in a unique position to explore new cities while building upon their experience and professional marketability.

However, those unfamiliar with this type of work might experience some apprehension.

“Due to various misconceptions of what travel entails, many often express concerns about making the transition,” says Anida Fregjaj, a Senior Account Manager within The Execu|Search Group’s Health Services division. “Without fully knowing what to expect, there’s a tendency to rely on unfounded information about this kind of work.”

If you’re considering pursuing a travel role in the future, don’t fall victim to these 5 myths:

“Travel jobs have no stability”

Due to the nature of travel roles, where assignments are a standard of 13 weeks, it’s normal for candidates to be nervous about job security and the possibility of having to constantly look for new opportunities. In reality, it’s quite the opposite. “For in-demand allied professionals and nurses, there is no shortage of facilities that need additional help,” says Anida. “Many travelers are asked to extend their time or return to the facility in the future.”

“If I travel, I have to go alone”

“When we talk to candidates about potential travel opportunities, they often raise concerns about leaving their families or pets behind,” says Anida. “However, most staffing firms have established relationships with housing vendors that understand these challenges and offer the option to bring others along.” The decision often lies with the job seeker and whether or not they want to go through the process of moving to a new area.

“Travel assignments look bad on a resume”

It is a common misconception that having numerous positions within a short time span can deter you from landing future jobs. However, due to the unique nature of travel positions, multiple short assignments can actually serve as a benefit. In the eyes of a hiring manager, numerous travel healthcare opportunities signify diverse experience, comfort with handling multiple responsibilities, and the ability to adapt to various settings quickly and efficiently. While job-hopping was frowned upon in the past, employers currently seeking out travel candidates prefer to see a variety of roles on a resume.

“There are few options in terms of job setting”

The majority of healthcare roles posted on job boards and other social media platforms are advertised within hospitals and other large settings, which leads to the misunderstanding that these are the only facilities looking for travelers. However, almost every healthcare setting, including skilled nursing facilities, schools, home care companies, and outpatient clinics have needs for travel professionals. Travel assignments provide a wide array of options and professionals are encouraged to branch out and compound on their clinical experience by working in multiple settings through the course of their career.

“Having to obtain multiple state licensures is time-consuming and expensive”

Unfortunately, licensures for nursing and allied positions are not a one-size-fits-all type of situation. Depending on where you travel to, you will most likely need to obtain a new license to legally work in the state. However, there are endless resources available to job seekers looking for assistance from staffing firms who specialize in these types of placements. “Many of these firms provide reimbursement for travelers looking to gain new state-specific licenses,” says Anida. “They will also actively look to find employment for travelers in a state where they already have a license while they’re working on obtaining another.”