News & Views

So, you’ve worked hard to pass all of your exams and obtain certifications to become a qualified Veterinarian, Veterinary Nurse or Veterinary Technician and you have just started in your very first job. Congratulations! But your first year as a brand new veterinary professional can be a bit like a roller coaster with many ups and downs, and with a global pandemic added to the mix, it all can seem a little intimidating at first. You may be feeling too overwhelmed to be planning what your next steps should be, but thankfully there are many kind and helpful fellow industry professionals and remarkable resources that you can call on to ease you through the transition. It’s time to remember all of the reasons why you chose this amazing career path and to get ready to kick start your veterinary career! You know you can, and will, succeed. And to assist you on your journey, here are a few essential early veterinary career tips that we sourced from Veterinary Professionals who have “been there, done that” and thrived…

In this era of unusual supply and demand for Veterinary team members, if you want the best then it’s time to become a great storyteller. We’re not talking about fibs, stretching the truth or outright lies. What we do mean is that in a market where demand clearly is outstripping supply (at a ratio of almost 2:1) Veterinarians, Veterinary Technicians, Veterinary Nurses and nearly all Veterinary Professionals are being highly selective about choosing their next career step…and it starts with your Job Campaign. You have 3 seconds. That’s it. In today’s attention-span-challenged world, if your Job Campaign does not attract, engage and draw readers or viewers into your story in the first 3 seconds then you have failed – and having captured their attention you must keep their interest right to the very end. And if you are a Job Seeker, you want to know your potential new employer’s story too. Find out how and why…

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…

So you have successfully started that professional veterinary career you worked so hard to achieve. You expected it would be a tough road getting there, but you persisted and you’ve made it and you are really enjoying being a practicing Veterinary Professional – Vet, Vet Tech, Veterinary Nurse and more. What you hadn’t anticipated was a pandemic – no one does – and it’s impact on how many weeks, months or years may be being added to your journey until you can enjoy the satisfaction of making that final student loan payment. You are not alone. Student loan debt is now the second highest consumer debt category, the first being mortgage debt. Here are some essential tips to help you successfully manage your Veterinary student debt in these challenging times…

Given the generally recognised shortage of Veterinarians, Veterinary Technician and Vet Nurses, particularly in regional areas, attracting, retaining and developing your team has never been more important. Whilst focusing on retention and development is essential, when it comes time to recruit your next team member, as an Owner, Partner or Practice Manager, today you have to pitch yourself and your practice to potential candidates. An effective job ad, or Job Campaign as we prefer to describe it, is not just a job description and a list of equipment. Today it must be a carefully crafted message aimed at reaching, attracting and engaging the best qualified candidates for your job.

Sometimes changing jobs is inevitable. There are a myriad of reasons – your partner may have secured an opportunity of a lifetime elsewhere, you may need to move a little closer to family as they need extra care in these trying times or you decide that now is the time to step up, move ahead in your career and changing jobs is the most viable option. So, having made the big decision, it’s now time to start working on your Social Media Veterinary Career Strategy…

As the world starts taking puppy and kitten and duckling steps back toward some semblance of normalcy in varying degrees around the world, for many the challenges have been a wake-up call. Veterinary nursing is a calling and the passion and care that our Veterinary Technicians and Nurses display, often the front line of veterinary care, is to be admired. No practice can exist without your compassion, commitment and knowledge. The personal rewards are to be cherished, but the reality is that we all have to live in an ever-expensive world. It’s not until you step up a few rungs that your income starts to meet your lifestyle and gives you that little bit more to build a buffer for the unexpected be it car repairs, family support or yes, a pandemic. So to help you make that next step or three in your career, we asked some of the leading Vet Nurses and Technicians around the world who have achieved personal, professional and financial success, to share their advice on accelerating your career.