by Stacy Pursell, The VET Recruiter®
People have different personalities. That’s a fact. Not everyone is a type-A personality. That kind of person is pretty much moving all the time. They typically have a lot of energy, but they’re sometimes high-strung.
On the other hand, type-B people are laid back. They move more slowly and methodically. They’re more likely to be introverted and introspective.
However, it doesn’t matter what type of personality you are, A or B. Everyone should act with a sense of urgency as a professional in the Animal Health Industry or Veterinary Profession.
Definition and benefits
Before we dive too deeply into this discussion, let’s define what it means to have a sense of urgency. Let’s start with what it is not. A sense of urgency is NOT panic. That’s because when you feel panicked, you often impulsively make poor decisions that are rooted more in fear than in focus. No, a sense of urgency is different.
When you have urgency, you act with more purpose, more focus, and more determination. You’re less likely to be distracted by outside forces. Avid football fans would probably agree that the team that plays with the most urgency usually wins the ballgame. However, it’s a different story for the team that plays with the most desperation. That’s because desperation is a close cousin to panic.
So for our purposes, what is a sense of urgency? Simply put, it’s a proactive attitude that results in consistent action toward a stated goal or purpose in an efficient or timely fashion. You might have heard the phrase, “[He or she] doesn’t let any grass grow under their feet.”That means the person is almost always moving or almost always taking action of some kind.
Let’s move on to the benefits of acting with a sense of urgency. There are many, especially in regards to your job search, the hiring process, and your career:
- You’re able to accomplish more.
- You gain a competitive advantage over others who do not act with a sense of urgency.
- You’re more engaged in your work, making you a more productive employee.
- You’re more engaged with other people, which improves your soft skill set and also helps your networking efforts.
There is another big benefit to acting with a sense of urgency, but I’m going to save that one for later. It’s the one that probably has the most impact on how successful you’ll ultimately be.
Examples of what NOT to do
“Now, Stacy,”you might be thinking. “Aren’t you about due to give us some real-world examples? Surely you’ve witnessed job seekers and candidates do things the right way and also do things the wrong way. How can we learn from their mistakes?”
And if that’s what you’re thinking, then you are absolutely correct. I’ve seen plenty of examples of poor behavior in this area, some of which has come back to “haunt” the candidates involved. Below are some examples of what NOT to do:
- Wait three days to respond to an interview request
- Be late to an appointment or interview (phone screen or face-to-face)
- Wait four days to call the recruiter after the interview to provide feedback and discuss the possible next steps in the process
- Wait two days after receiving an offer of employment, and when you finally do respond, say that you need more time to think about it
- Not respond to phone calls, emails, or other communication/correspondence in a timely fashion
Keep in mind that Animal Health and Veterinary employers try to move the process along. The longer that the position remains open, the more money the organization is losing. As a result, the hiring manager is more likely to respond quickly and positively to those candidates who DO act with urgency and don’t allow long lengths of time to transpire.
The aspect of personal branding
All of which leads us to perhaps the most important benefit of acting with a sense of urgency: personal branding.
This final benefit is especially important in terms of the hiring process. That’s because hiring managers like to see candidates who act with a sense of urgency. They believe if you act with urgency during the hiring process, then you’ll do the same when you become an employee. So when viewed in this light, acting with urgency can help you to secure an offer of employment.
When you do NOT act with urgency, it also brands you in a certain way. However, this branding is not positive in nature. In fact, you’re branding yourself as someone who shows:
- A general lack of interest in the position and the organization
- An inability to follow up or follow through in a timely fashion
- Unprofessional behavior
That’s just the starter list, but believe me, that’s plenty to convince the hiring manager that you are not a viable candidate for their position. Not only that, but if the hiring manager encounters you again in the future for whatever reason, they’ll still have these negative impressions about you in their mind. Perhaps you’ll apply for another job with the same company. Maybe the hiring manager will move to another Animal Health or Veterinary organization and you’ll eventually apply for a great job there, as well.
Even if you’re not sure how interested you are in the position and even if you’re interviewing with multiple organizations at the same time, it’s important to act with a sense of urgency. A person is defined by both their actions and how they perform those actions. Words are cheap, while actions speak volumes.
And remember that an experienced Animal Health Recruiter or Veterinary Recruiter knows what it means to act with a sense of urgency. They can coach you on what is expected and what is unacceptable during the hiring process. They know the ins and outs, the rights and wrongs, and the best practices for nailing every stage of the process, branding yourself in the correct fashion, and getting an offer of employment.
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.
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