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What is the Best Travel Physical Therapy Recruiter or Company for New Grads?
There’s no single “best” travel physical therapy recruiter or company for every new grad. Find out what factors actually matter when choosing a recruiter and how to find the right fit for you.
Mason Baker
10/24/20263 min read
There isn’t one travel PT company or recruiter that is universally the best for every new grad. What works well for one traveler may not be the right fit for another. Your goals, preferred setting and location, desired benefits, recruiter experience, and the jobs available will all play a role in finding the right fit.
What Should New Grads Look For in a Travel PT Company?
When comparing travel PT companies, there are a few things we recommend paying attention to.
1. Company Benefits
Benefits will vary between travel therapy companies. Specifics with health insurance, dental and vision coverage, and retirement plans can be different. Some companies will provide access on day 1 of contract for certain benefits while others may have a waiting period.
Some travelers may prioritize strong health insurance such as having access to a PPO plan or HSA, while others may care more about 401k match and vesting schedule.
Take time to figure out which benefits matter the most to you and have each company send you their benefits guide prior to submitting to any jobs.
2. Setting and Location
Not every company will have the same jobs available.
Some companies may have access to a particular facility or health system that another company does not. You may also find that one recruiter has more opportunities in your preferred setting or location at a particular point in time.
3. Recruiter Experience
Your recruiter will have a major impact on your travel PT experience, especially as a new grad.
We recommend looking for someone who has significant experience working specifically with travel physical therapists. There are plenty of good recruiters out there, but we would be cautious about working with someone who is brand new to the travel industry and still learning the process themselves.
As a new grad, you will probably have a lot of questions about things like pay packages, stipends, housing, tax home compliance, licensing, contracts, and the overall process. Having an experienced recruiter who can explain these things clearly will make the process a lot easier.
Should You Work With More Than One Company?
We generally recommend that new grads work with 2–3 travel PT companies during their job search.
Using a few reputable companies allows you to compare:
Available jobs
Pay
Benefits
Recruiter communication
Overall fit
You may find that one company has your ideal location, while another has a better opportunity somewhere else. Having multiple options allows you to make a more informed decision.
Why Not Just Fill Out a Random Travel PT Job Form?
This is something new grads should be especially careful about.
There are large job platforms and websites where you can enter your information to “find travel jobs.” The problem is that your information will then be distributed to a large number of recruiters and companies. Suddenly, instead of having a few recruiters reach out to you, you may have recruiters from all over the industry contacting you.
You do not need dozens of recruiters contacting you to find a travel PT job. It will become a headache. In our experience, having a few experienced recruiters you trust is the best way to approach it.
What About Recommendations From Friends?
Your friends can be a great resource when you're starting travel PT, and we absolutely think you should ask other travelers about their experiences. Just remember that recommendations can be influenced by who someone currently works with.
If your friend has had a great experience with their recruiter, that's valuable information. But that doesn't necessarily mean their recruiter is the best fit for you. They may have different priorities, travel to different locations, work in a different setting, or simply have a great relationship with that particular recruiter.
How We Approach Recruiter Recommendations
At The Travel DPT, we take a unique approach that is much more traveler friendly.
We aren't tied to one travel PT company, so we're able to recommend companies based on our experience rather than simply sending everyone to the company we happen to work with. We have personally worked with numerous travel PT companies and recruiters over the years, and we have developed relationships with recruiters who we have had good experiences with.
That does not mean one company will always be the right choice for you. Your situation is different from ours, and the best fit can change depending on the job, location, setting, and contract timing.
So, What Is the Best Travel PT Company for a New Grad?
Instead of asking “What is the best travel PT company?”, we'd encourage you to ask: “What company and recruiter are the best fit for what I want?”
Look at the benefits, jobs available based on your preferences, recruiter experience, and overall pay package. Then compare your options.
Need Help Getting Started?
If you're a new grad and are not sure which travel PT companies or recruiters to reach out to, fill out our Travel PT recruiter matching form.
We'll use your preferences and our experience with different companies to help match you with recruiters who may be a good fit.
