Locum Tenens are also known as locums. For those who don't know what they are, a locum is like a temp for jobs that require special training, like a doctor or a lawyer. If a professional is forced to be out of the office for a long time, the company may attempt to find a locum--someone who is willing to sub for the absentee for as long as he or she is needed. Vacations and maternity leave are the number one reasons to hire a locum, although sometimes if someone quits a locum is needed right away until a new person is hired.
The term locum changes based on the industry. For education, there are substitute teachers, which is probably the industry with the highest level of locums. One might think of seasons help in stores and malls, but this does not qualify a person as a locum. There is a difference.
People who work in stores to help with the holidays and make a little extra Christmas cash are not locums because no special education or training is needed to work in a store. There is no union they report to, they are probably not part of any agency, and they do not hop from store to store as they are needed. With substitute teachers, the have to report to the local education authority and have the proper certification.
If the life of a locum sounds good to you, but you don't know where to begin, check into private agencies. They are good because they are easily adaptable for the changing status of the industry and they don't have to worry so much about government involvement. Private agencies can control their marketing and be more aggressive about it to form good reputations.
Being a locum is great if you're looking to get a lot of fast work experience. It is often hard to get experience because any job in which you might gain it requires that you have experience in the first place before they hire you. Locums are highly desired and agencies are always hiring them. It really gives you a chance to network with all of the major people in your field, too.
If you work hard and are able to fill in when a company is desperate, you can gain that company's gratitude and hold onto a strong working relationship, even if you do not end up settling down with that company. By meeting so many people and working so many different places, you will quickly become an expert in your field by learning all the different ways of doing your job.
You can make a much higher salary as a locum because your job has so much additional stress. Switching offices all the time is a hassle; there is much you have to re-learn each time you start a new job, and you may even have to move. Personal lives of locums are not known for being the greatest. You also may not work for long stretches of time, followed by a constant stream of work with no time to rest. It is unpredictable.
You may also have your self-esteem lowered if customers do not like you. It is difficult to step into another person's shoes, especially if that person has worked with his or her clients for years. The clients may feel like you are intruding on their personal information or may not like the way you work because "it's not how the regular person does it." You have to be very careful as a locum that you do not push any customers away and force them to give their business elsewhere.
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You can gain lots of valuable experience through working Locum tenens USA jobs in professional fields. By working hard and making the right connections, your employment opportunities may extend to RN jobs and SLP school staffing jobs in the future.
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