You have successfully completed your studies and practical skills placements, and gained your Degree or Certification and you are actively networking and applying, and with good interest being shown…but even though there is a recognized shortage of veterinary professionals across all levels, despite popular opinion, you need more than a pulse, a degree and state registration to get your first veterinary job. And then there is a global pandemic causing all kinds of uncertainty. Finding a practice to put your newly acquired skills to work in an entry-level role has always been a challenge, and now even more so, so here are six proven tactics to help you secure your first job as a brand new Veterinarian, Vet Tech or Veterinary Nurse in these challenging times…
Love to Learn, Learn to Live – 5 Ways To Stay Ahead of the CE Curve
Before you know it, you’ll be 5 years post-matriculation from veterinary school or veterinary nursing school. Then 10 years. Then 15 years. It flies by! And with that rapid passage of time comes change. New drugs. New parasiticides. New diseases (we didn’t learn about feline pancreatitis when I went to vet school!). New surgical methods and techniques. You have to not only just keep up with these innovations and protocols, you have to get ahead of them in order to deliver best practice Veterinary Medicine. You need to love to learn and learn to live, so here are 5 great ways to get ahead, and stay ahead, of the Veterinary Continuing Education learning curve…
5 Signs You’re Not Cut Out to be a Veterinary Technician
If you are looking for a new job working with animals, then becoming a veterinary technician may be the perfect fit for you. But, before you jump in with both feet do your research and make sure it’s a good fit for you. Here are five signs that becoming a vet tech may or may not be the best career choice for you…
8 Essential Tips for Travelling Locum Relief Veterinarians
In an ideal world wouldn’t we all like to spend three months employed by a clinic in London, four weeks exploring your favourite vacation spots in Asia, and a month working part-time in Canada followed by three months soaking in the California vibe? Or perhaps you simply want more control over your schedule so you can spend more time with your kids, conduct that research you have always been putting off or you want to be entrepreneurial. Or you might just thrive on variety, enjoy meeting fellow industry professionals or want to broaden your experience and expertise. Whatever the reason, all is possible if you’re a professional, full-time Locum Relief Veterinarian…
Practice Ownership v Salary Security: Head to Head
Here are a few of the many reasons veterinarians say practice ownership is not for them – I want work-life balance, I have a lot of student debt, I do not know how to run a business – sounds familiar? However, with recent advances in business processes, structuring, and technology, practice ownership is not only possible, it’s worthy of serious consideration. Here are some valuable insights for you to consider…
9 Tips For Overcoming Veterinary Technician or Vet Nurse Burnout
Research indicates that over 25% of workers report experiencing high levels of burnout as a result of their jobs. And the field of veterinary medicine is not immune to this trend. Vet Nurses, in particular, are subject to burnout as a result of the daily stressors you face. Failure to address burnout head on can lead to serious problems such as depression, stroke, and other serious health complication, and is a primary cause of veterinary professionals leaving the profession that they love. Fortunately, there are some straightforward measures that you, your work mates and your hospital or clinic can take to recognize, prevent or manage the symptoms of burnout in the nursing team. Here are nine tips that we can all implement to prevent or overcome burnout…
Casting Call – Relief Vets
We have partnered with Double Act TV to share with you an opportunity to be in their new production, a TV series with NAT GEO WILD focusing on the world of Relief Vets. Double Act Productions create documentary and factual entertainment series for top US channels, including Animal Planet and Nat Geo Wild. They are casting now and looking for experienced, ambitious Relief Vets across the USA to share your experiences and expertise…and no prior TV experience required!
The Best Online Resume Solutions for Veterinary Professionals
Successful veterinary professionals know that having a standout Resume (or Curriculum Vitae or CV) is a vital element in securing the very best veterinary jobs. Your resume is arguably the most crucial tool in your job search because in most cases it creates that all-too-important first impression. A document that is often the first opportunity you have to introduce yourself to a prospective employer. So, where do you turn to when it’s time to create or polish up your resume? Here are a few great places to start…
7 Essential Tips for New Nurses & Techs from Experienced Nurses & Techs
Even this early in your career, you already know that being a Veterinary Nurse or Vet Technician is a very rewarding career. We also know it is not an easy job. The hours are often irregular. Continuing Education continues relentlessly. There are days when you don’t have any appointments for a while and you can take a moment to think and plan; then you have several patients walking in at once plus an inbound emergency on the way. There are days when you bounce out on time and days where you stay hours after you close the hospital doors to “just make sure”…and as your experience grows, you also start to grow your own insights and tips that you share with the next generation of Nurses and Technicians. So, we asked a variety of Vet Nurses and Techs from around the world what they wish they had known on Day 1, Week 1…and from the practical to the tactical to the philosophical, here are their answers…
