Vetting the vets: 3 things that will put off employers

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As an aspiring veterinarian, you're probably focused on making sure you meet prospective employers’ standards by fulfilling all their requirements.

You might choose to plough your energies into obtaining extra qualifications for specific roles, or building up experience. However, it’s important to remember employers won’t just look at the things that make you suitable for your chosen role, they may also look for things that would make you unsuitable.

Any veterinary position is highly responsible and delicate, so employers won’t hire aspiring vets who don’t meet the vigorous personal standards demanded by the profession.

We’ve come up with a list of behaviours and issues that might affect your chances of being hired as a vet, so you can avoid them or, at the very least, prepare yourself to be probed about them in interviews:

Recklessness

Vets have to make careful diagnoses and carry out treatments with the utmost delicacy and precision. Recklessness is a highly negative characteristic in the veterinary profession and can lead to hasty diagnoses and wrong treatments.

If your social media feed is full of stories about the crazy, unpredictable and reckless things you get up to in your spare time, your prospective employers may not view you as favourably as another, more staid candidate. Similarly, if you have a history of professional recklessness (such as diagnosing animals too quickly), you can expect to face suspicion from potential employers.

Of course, it’s easy to clean up your social media feed before applying for a job, but the only way to avoid the consequences of professional recklessness is not to engage in it in the first place.

Poor people skills

Vets don’t just need to be good with animals, they also need to be able to communicate effectively with animal owners, who are likely to be stressed and worried about their pets.

As a result, if you find it hard to get on with other people, you may lose out to a more sociable candidate when you apply for a veterinary position.

It’s important to hone your people skills before your job interview so you can present yourself well. It’s also advisable to get rid of any negative, antisocial comments you may have posted online while having a bad day.

Lack of empathy

If you want to be a vet, it’s probably because you feel a great deal of empathy for animals and want to help them. However, being empathetic isn’t enough; your employers have to see that you’re empathetic.

After all, the ability to relate to animals is absolutely essential in a veterinary role, so candidates who seem too remote and emotionally unconnected are likely to lose out. Don’t be afraid to show your sensitive side during your job interview.

Don’t get tripped up by behaviours and attitudes that might make employers doubt your suitability. Be wary of the three factors we’ve listed in order make sure you demonstrate that you’re perfect for a veterinary role.

If you need any more information on getting hired as a vet, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us here at vet times jobs.