By Stacy Pursell, CPC/CERS
The VET Recruiter®
I’ve addressed the topic of resiliency in terms of a person’s Animal Health or Veterinary career on more than one occasion. The reason I’ve done this is because resiliency is an extraordinarily important attribute for everyone, including those who work in the Animal Health industry and Veterinary profession.
Resiliency is an attribute that belongs to a person or individual. “Durable,” on the other hand, is an attribute that can be assigned to a person’s career. So, in the case of the former, you might ask yourself “Am I a resilient person?” But in the case of the latter, the question becomes, “Is my career durable?”
Let’s start with a simple definition of the word “durable.” In essence, it means the ability to withstand wear, pressure, or damage. Of course, no one likes to think of themselves or their career having to withstand wear, pressure, or damage. However, these are realities of both life and the employment marketplace.
The bottom line is that there is going to be stress, there is going to be adversity, and there are going to be challenges and obstacles that you will have to face during your career. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you went to school, how many skills you have, or how much experience you possess. These things are inevitable. It’s not a matter of if, but when.
Building a durable Animal Health or Veterinary career
So not only must you work to be a more resilient person, but you must also work to ensure that your career is more durable. And with that in mind, below are five steps for building and sustaining a durable career:
#1—Recognize that relationships matter.
Relationships are a major key to career success because networking is critical to career success. And remember that when it comes to relationships and networking, the Principle of Reciprocity is of paramount importance. Always strive to give first in a relationship or networking situation. Don’t focus on what you want first, but instead focus on what the other person needs. That’s the way to build a productive and lasting relationship, both personally and professionally.
#2—Make adding value a priority.
The good news is that when you practice the Principle of Reciprocity and focus on what other people need first, you’re already making the value that you bring to the situation a priority. The more value that you can offer to other people (and to organizations), the more potential you have and the greater your chances for Animal Health and Veterinary career growth and satisfaction.
#3—Seek to make a difference in as many ways as you can.
Making adding value a priority is one thing but using that value to make a difference is another. And that’s what employers are seeking: professionals who can add value and make a difference within their organization. And it doesn’t stop there, either. Employers also want to hire people who can make a difference in the community, as well. That’s because professionals who add value and make a difference are leaders in the workplace, and organizations always want to hire leaders to be part of their team.
#4—Place a premium on being flexible and adaptive to change.
Another characteristic of leaders is that they’re flexible and they can adapt in the face of ever-changing circumstances. You’ve probably heard this before, but the only true constant is change. Like stress and adversity, it is literally unavoidable in your job and your Animal Health or Veterinary career. As a result, your focus must not be on attempting to avoid change. Instead, your focus must be on reacting and adapting to change in a positive way, especially in regard to how you provide value and make a difference to those around you.
#5—Make a commitment to always be learning and growing.
Because of everything we’ve addressed to this point, continuous learning and education is vital to making your Animal Health or Veterinary career more durable. Remember that there is no “standing in place” in terms of your career. If you’re not growing, then you’re actually falling behind. That’s because other professionals in the marketplace have made a commitment to learning and continuous education, and you must do the same thing in order to keep pace with them (and hopefully surpass them).
The benefits of a durable Animal Health or Veterinary career
There are many benefits associated with building and maintaining a durable Animal Health or Veterinary career, including the following three:
1. More employment opportunities and professional options
2. Less risk of falling prey to downsizing at your current employer in the case of a recession.
3. Premium positioning for future career growth in the interest of maximizing your professional potential and reaching your career goals
Becoming more resilient and building a durable Animal Health or Veterinary career is one way to help ensure long-term professional success. Another way is to build a relationship with a recruiter or search consultant who has a proven track record of placing people just like you. The right recruiter has the expertise and the experience necessary to provide you with valuable information about the top employers and can also offer advice and guidance about how to leverage this information to your advantage.
The VET Recruiter has been helping professionals within the Animal Health industry and Veterinary profession for nearly 25 years, and we can help you, too. We know what it takes to be successful and to maximize your career trajectory so that you’re both satisfied and fulfilled in the goals that you set for yourself and the path that you choose to reach those goals.
If you’re looking to make a change or explore your employment options, then we want to talk with you. I encourage you to contact us or you can also create a profile and/or submit your resume for consideration.
We help support careers in one of two ways: 1. By helping Animal Health and Veterinary professionals to find the right opportunity when the time is right, and 2. By helping to recruit top talent for the critical needs of Animal Health and Veterinary organizations. If this is something that you would like to explore further, please send an email to stacy@thevetrecruiter.com.