What should I consider when applying to work with clients?

Applying to work with Clients, Help for Allied Health Assistants

We encourage our allied health assistants to apply for 1 to 2 clients at first and get into a steady rhythm of working with them before taking on any more clients. Please only apply to work with a client if you think you can commit to working with them for at least 6 months.

Some things to think about before applying:

Placements (local and rural)
University holiday periods and travel plans
Exams and major assignments
Other jobs
Finishing your degree

If you are unsure about how long you’ll be able to work with a client but you would still like to work with them, we recommend being upfront and honest about your schedule from the beginning. When applying to work with a client, you can write a note to the client about your current schedule and how likely it is/ the timeframe in which your schedule might change.

For example: “I’m available anytime on Monday-Friday between 3-6pm from March until June as all my classes finish before 2 pm. However, as of July, I am unsure of what my university and placement schedule will be. If I am allocated to a placement, I will most likely only be able to work Monday-Thursday after 5 pm or on Fridays.”

This allows the client to make a well-informed decision before deciding to work with you and also prepare for a change in advance, i.e. they might start organising a replacement allied health assistant before you are expected to pause or cease working with them.

The most important thing is to be fully transparent with your client at all times.