Per diem is latin for “by the day.” And whether you’re looking to pick up some extra cash or try something new, there’s a whole smattering of reasons to work per diem. 

What reasons you ask? 

Well, pard’ner, here’s a whole list for you!

—

> Set Your Own Schedule:

Make every weekend a three-day weekend. The flexible schedule is a massive per diem perk. You can pick up a few shifts to supplement your income outside of your normal 9 to 5, or work entirely per diem. You set your schedule. No asking for time off or having to get PTO approved. 

—

> Pick The Pay Rate:

With per diem, you pick the pay rates you want to work for. See a low rate? Don’t take it. See a high rate? Snag it! It’s that simple.

Most per diem positions pay more hourly than regularly staffed athletic training positions because employers are not spending money on benefits. 

One member of the Go4 community made an extra $44,000 during 2020 by picking up weekly morning shifts before their full-time job. 

To figure out how an hourly rate would translate into a year salary, use this formula:

(Hourly Rate X 40) X 52 = Annual Salary

—

> Try something new / Shake things up:

Working per diem is like popping into an ice cream shop and getting a taste of everything. Try some quidditch. Pick up a few shifts on an Air Force base. Work with trapeze artists. Yee-haw, let’s rodeo! Double scoops for everyone. 

—

> Experience:

If you’re just starting out, per diem is a great way to pick up some experience that you can put on your resume or Linkedin profile. So, when you go to apply for a full-time job and they ask if you have experience you can unequivocally say, “yes!” 

—

> Expand Your Network:

Working per diem puts you in front of potential employers and connects you with new colleagues. It’s a small industry. There’s about one degree of separation between every AT. (And even that number might be a little inflated.)

Also, per diem can function like an extended interview. A chance to showcase your skills in a way that you can’t in a half-hour interview answering questions like, “What’s your favorite color?” or, “Who do you think let the dogs out?”

—

> Keep Your Skills Sharp! 

If you’re in a teaching or research role, picking up a few per diem shifts here and there is a great way to keep those AT skills sharp and get back on the sidelines! 

—

Ready to pick up a few shifts? Just download the Go4 app and have at it.

.

Need an athletic trainer? Go4 is a nationwide app/platform that connects teams and organizations with per diem athletic trainers for games, practices, camps, clinics and tournaments.


For more information, or to find and hire an athletic trainer, visit GO4.


If you’re an AT looking to pick up a shift or two, click the links below to download the app.

   

Go4Ellis is the preferred per diem platform of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association.


Every sideline. Everywhere.