If you have the opportunity to take a short-term nursing assignment, you should take it. Even if the assignment isn’t everything you’re looking for, the benefits of taking it are many. Here are the top four.

1. Learning and experience is one of the most obvious, yet overlooked benefits. Especially when working in a specialty different from your own, being in an unfamiliar facility will expose you to new protocols and procedures and different technology. You’ll have the opportunity to meet and work with people in that area who can teach you new techniques and information while introducing you to new information technology software.
2. Networking is another overlooked benefit that is just as, if not more important than the experience you gain from taking a temporary assignment. You’ll want to connect with professionals in that facility and pick their brain. By expressing interests in the work and leaving a positive impression, you’ll establish a connection with them.
   Even after leaving the assignment, it’s a good idea to stay in contact with the people you worked with, which is easy to do with email and social media sites such as LinkedIn. Those contacts can give you some leads as to openings and opportunities within the job market.

3. Improving your resume is something that should always be considered no matter where you are in your career. Whether you are waiting to find something more permanent or you want to try a new area of nursing, taking a temporary assignment allows you to build your resume. It’s always best to continue your education and stay up to date on trends within your career field.
4. A possible job may come from your temporary assignment. Depending on a variety of factors (Is the facility you’re working at looking for a full-time position? Did you leave a positive impression and perform well during your assignment? Did you fit within the company’s culture? Etc.), your temporary assignment could turn into something more permanent. Even if nothing materializes immediately, don’t write the experience off as a waste of time. You may be at the top of the list of those considered if an opening does occur down the road. Regardless, thank your manager for the opportunity to work at the facility and for the experience you gained.

You should never think of a temporary assignment as a possible detour to your career goals. Instead, look at it as something that will help you achieve your goals by furthering your skills, knowledge, experience and contacts.

Team1Medical Staffing has been a reliable source of allied health professionals for many of the best medical practices in Houston for more than 20 years. We give each of our candidates personalized service, reviewing his or her background and learning about the candidate so that we can find out where they would fit best. Call 713-590-2980 or apply online today, and find out why we have earned our reputation as one of the best medical staffing firms in the Gulf Coast Region.