Traveler Kimberli
+ Recruiter Ryan
The recipe for an award-winning medical staffing agency? Ingredients include:
- Reliability
- Respect
- A dash of humor
- A heavy hand of candor
But the real meat of the sandwich? Our recruiters. Just read a few traveler reviews and you’ll notice a reoccurring theme—that traveler/recruiter relationship is the secret sauce and why travelers choose us over ‘the other guy.’
We decided to highlight that connection this year with our “Secret Sauce” blog series. This month, read about CT Tech, Kimberli and her recruiter, Ryan Rolfzen.
How did you meet your recruiter, Ryan?
Kimberli: I was with another company and was telling a fellow travel tech I was working with how unhappy I was with my recruiter. She was/is with Triage and suggested I talk to them. She spoke to her recruiter and I reached out to Triage as well. I honestly can’t remember from that point how I got connected with Ryan, but am so glad I did!
What do you like most about him?
Kimberli: I know that he has my back no matter what. This became really apparent to me when I had an assignment that didn’t go well. He listened while I vented (alright, cried), guided me on what steps to take and encouraged me to hang in there. His support made it much easier to deal with.
I know that he’s transparent about what he can/can’t do for me as far as pay, etc. He is prompt to answer any questions or concerns I have. Add to that, he checks in every week without fail. That’s a good feeling to know he cares!
What do you like most about her, Ryan?
Ryan: She is always putting her best foot forward and putting on the best image for herself and Triage. She has been extremely flexible on contracts when things didn’t always go as planned. She saw the best in the tough situations and made the most out of it. If there is ever an issue, she lets me know right away and is willing to help out in resolving anything that may be going on.
As an added bonus, she is always great to talk to on the phone, even if I do wake her up when I call her at 6 AM local time while on contract in Hawaii!
What is one word that best describes your recruiter/traveler and why?
Kimberli: Unflappable and Upbeat. Okay, that’s two, but they both apply. No matter what, he’s always calm when looking for ways to get answers/fix things when I need. During his weekly calls he’s always cheery which makes me smile!
Ryan: Distinguished. Kim has distinguished herself from other travelers in the medical field by her hard work and charisma. She seems to get along with everyone that she works with and always makes a positive impression on them.
Her references are always glowing no matter how difficult the assignment may be. She is willing to go to that hard assignment that no one else may want to do because of the hours, the call schedule, or whatever it may be.
She is also always challenging herself to get better as a technician by taking on the Level 1 trauma center that she has never been at before then so she can keep growing her resume and her skills.
Breaking it up a bit; let’s see how similar these two are:
Mountains or beach?
Kimberli: Beach
Ryan: Mountains
❌ Whammie
Relaxing or exploring?
Kimberli: Exploring
Ryan: Relaxing
❌ Whammie
Fiction or nonfiction?
Kimberli: Nonfiction
Ryan: Nonfiction
⭐ Match
Big city or small town?
Kimberli: Big city
Ryan: Small town
❌ Whammie
Mexican or Italian food?
Kimberli: Italian
Ryan: Mexican
❌ Whammie
Our first-ever more whammy than match! That’s okay, you know what they say about opposites.
Spill the beans—any funny, interesting or out-of-the-ordinary stories?
Kimberli: I usually work evening or overnight shifts since I’m a natural night owl. Ryan tries to time his weekly check in calls so that he doesn’t wake me. He still usually does and is always so apologetic about it. I keep telling him not to worry since I go right back to sleep. I can tell he still feels bad every time, though. LOL!
I got to meet Ryan last year while on assignment in St Paul, MN. He was up for the weekend to visit family and we had lunch. It was great to finally meet him and his wife. I was honored he took time away from family to do that. I was gobsmacked when he told me I was his first traveler he had ever met in person! Makes me the OG, right??
Ryan: Kim used to work at the Anheuser-Busch brewery prior to working in the medical field. This is something I found out after she completed her first contract with Triage in a random conversation one day. As someone who enjoys beer, when we were finally able to meet in person while she was on contract in Minneapolis we had to meet up over a good beer at a local English Pub.
What’s the most important thing to you when deciding to work with a recruiter/traveler?
Kimberli: Honesty and caring. Without those two traits, I don’t see how they can do what’s best for their travelers, themselves and their company.
Ryan: As a recruiter, I want a traveler that is open and honest. I try to be the same way with the travelers I work with. I also try to be as responsive as possible at all hours for the travelers that work for me, and I like when travelers are the same back to me if I need them to do something or if they need something from me.
Growing up, what did you want to be?
Kimberli: A nurse or a doctor. After previous careers in cosmetics manufacturing and brewing, I finally made it into the medical field. LOL!
Ryan: Meteorologist.
What’s the biggest misconception people have about your job?
Kimberli: That’s it’s just one big vacation. Bottom line is that we are at these facilities to fill a need and work.
Ryan: That we, as recruiters, are just lazy and money hungry. I work as hard as I can to find every traveler the job that they want. Sometimes it works out and sometimes we have to compromise and maybe get the perfect job on the next contract. This is a partnership/relationship, so both sides need to be able to work together and get along in order to be successful.
Why did you decide to become a traveler, or recruiter?
Kimberli: Travel has always been my passion. I’ve been fortunate to travel extensively for leisure. Have been to 28 different countries and have only three states and one continent left to visit.
When the dust settled from my divorce, I was ready for a change and thought, “Why not get paid to do what I love?” That was almost five years ago and I’ve never regretted my decision.
Ryan: At my old job, I trained Wally (Don Wallingford) in nursing, and one day asked him what he did. It was time for a change so I decided to apply. The rest is history.
What’s the best part of being a traveler, or recruiter?
Kimberli: Getting to go places that I normally would not travel to. Becoming a better tech by seeing different ways of doing things at each facility. Most importantly, meeting new people and making new friends!!
Ryan: The stories that you get to hear from your travelers, and the things they get to experience is always really cool. Yes, they are working hard, but when they have time to let their hair down and have a little fun, it is really cool to hear the stories of the things they get to see and experience around the country.
What’s one thing you wish you would have known before traveling?
Kimberli: I wish I had had a better understanding of how the whole billing rate works. It took me a bit to understand how that pie gets sliced up between the agencies and myself.
What motivates you?
Kimberli: The realization that life is just too damn short. Keeps me focused on telling the people in my life that they’re important to me and not putting off doing or seeing things.
Ryan: Winning. Growing up playing sports, it is fun for me to find the competitive aspect of anything. Working harder than another recruiter that someone may be working with and winning over their trust to trust you with their livelihood, while also building a personal relationship with that person.
What traveler gear can you not live without?
Kimberli: I know this sounds cliché, but my phone. First, GPS/Google Maps is invaluable going to a new place every few months. Secondly, I have important documents you need as a traveler stored on it. Finally, gotta’ have the camera to document all the people, places and adventures you experience as a gypsy!
Why Triage?
Kimberli: I was unhappy with my previous recruiter/agency. Was steered to Triage by another traveler I was working with. Once with them and having Ryan as my recruiter, I realized what a good fit it was.
Ryan: Honestly, I didn’t know of any other company going in to the industry. I only learned of the other players after I applied and began to interview.
However, after being here for all of four years, hearing what other people say of other staffing companies they have worked at, I know I made the right choice.
Ready to make your dreams of being a medical traveler come true? There’s no time like the present. See what other travelers are saying about Ryan and set up a time to chat about your travel opportunities in radiology.
If you’re a healthcare professional who’s ready to go after it, apply today or email us ([email protected]) with any questions you have about traveling with Triage.