We asked our worldwide network of over 220,000 Veterinary Professionals a simple open-ended question “If you were fortunate enough to have two job offers where the salary, benefits and location were similar, what other things would influence your choice?” and as you can imagine the answers were wonderfully diverse. For some it was cookies at morning tea, others could be persuaded by team massages and one very creative one had to do with the artwork in the practice. However, when we started to assemble the data we quickly began to identify five streams that stood out above snacks, kneading fingers and paint brushes…in this order of priority…

Like Liam Neeson in Taken, you have a very particular set of skills, acquired over your career, but unlike Liam, your skills make you a joy for employers and recruiters. But when they look for you on LinkedIn, as 77 percent of recruiters and employers do, you want them to find you and be impressed enough to reach out and connect. And when they do find you (and they will if you follow this advice), they will employ you…possibly not on-the-spot, but if you apply these tips, you will be well on the way to your initial interview…

Although you know that you are responsible for establishing a Veterinary Work+Life Balance that allows you to thrive, many of us don’t notice until it is nearly too late. So, it’s time for an Intervention. Here are 7 practical tips from Veterinarians, Veterinary Nurses, Veterinary Technicians and Hospital Managers from our Community that we approached for their advice and that may help you to get started on establishing your own Work+Life Balance…

Whether you’re a fresh-out-of-university graduate Vet, an experienced Emergency Veterinary Surgeon with decades of expertise or a Vet Technician with oodles of practical knowledge, when it comes time to make your next career step, your Resume* must include these 5 critical elements. Just like any form of advertising, you only have about three  seconds to engage your audience and get them to explore further, so your Resume has a lot of work to do in a very short time. Including these 5 key components will help you clarify your approach, ensure that you focus on your key skills and accomplishments, and craft a CV* that will make sure you stand out from the crowd…

Nobody really saw it coming…a pandemic…there were rumblings and mentions but it’s a shock to anyone’s system when it really happens…but once we get over that initial world-altering jolt, therein lies opportunity and optimism. Not the hand wringing, unscrupulous kind…more like the “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade” kind. If you think, “well, I made my bed, so I guess now I have to lie in it,” think again – this pandemic, as awful as it is, brings with it the prospect of diversification and new opportunities in a post-COVID-19 world. You’ll find a host of interesting (and in some cases surprising) veterinary specialties that you may not have considered that may reinvigorate your veterinary career, including these…

So, you 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…and then there is a global pandemic…impossible to plan for, but with some extra effort not completely insurmountable. Finding a practice to put your newly acquired skills to work in an entry-level role is always a challenge, and now even more so, so here are five tips to help you secure your first job as a brand new DVM, Vet Tech or Vet Nurse in these challenging times…including always wearing pants for an online interview, always…

If the term “networking” makes you think of people in suits, all wearing “Hi, My Name Is…” labels, scanning the room for influential people to talk to, as you stand awkwardly in the corner,  you are not alone. However, modern networking is actually not a painful process, and it can have significant impact on your career prospects. Here are five easy ways you can boost your veterinary career without the awkwardness of name labels!

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…

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…