Locum professionals are specialised freelancers, usually working in the medical industry. They are more than temp workers and less consistent than freelancers. Though this may make it seem like a transient option for your medical career, it can be the best thing for you.
In many countries today, working as a travel professional or a locum means working for higher rates at more locations. Do a great job and you are often invited back, again and again, to help cover sick employees or to help during boosts, like after an accident or during flu season.
There are many GPs, surgeries, hospitals, and private facilities out there that need temporary, specialised workers. By filling in these slots, you can enjoy higher rates, be in control of your own schedule, and expand your network. This can lead to better job opportunities in the future, or it can be a great career path on its own, depending entirely on you and your goals.
To help you get started with this new career path, you will need to prepare, and with this guide, you’ll be able to get started on the right foot.
Build Your Emergency Fund
While it shouldn’t take you long to start finding shifts on your own, it can be daunting to make the switch from a salaried position to working as a locum. The best way to confidently make that switch is to start building an emergency fund. This fund should cover your living costs for at least three months while you set up your new professional profile.
Find and Sign Up to the Right Platforms
There are many tools today that make it easy to find work, manage your schedule, and even send invoices. These platforms are used by both employers and locums, making it easy to find available work without much fuss. The only trick is finding the platform that is most used in your area. Once you find the top option, you can then sign up for alerts for a locum dispenser and start applying.
Start Applying
Once you are signed up, it’s time to start applying. Know that you might not get many bites in the beginning as employers will usually prefer to hire the locums they know and trust over newcomers. Those trusted locums, however, won’t always be available and that is your chance.
Impress Your Employers
Being hired once is not a guarantee that you will be invited back when that employer needs a locum again. That is why you always need to bring your best self to work. You don’t need to be friends with everyone, but you do need to be helpful and ready to do your best. If you find this difficult to do, again and again, make sure to schedule more breaks so that you can recover.
Stay on Top of Your Requirements
When you work as a locum professional, there are a few things that you need to stay on top of. The first is your schedule. The good news is that many of the same platforms that allow you to book work also make it easy to see your shifts in a simple format. You will also need to send off invoices regularly and keep track of who has paid you, what they’ve paid, and more, so that you can stay in the black and, most importantly, so that you can do your taxes correctly.
