Don’t Be a ‘Ghost’ When It Comes to Your Animal Health or Veterinary Career

by Stacy Pursell, CPC, CERS

The VET Recruiter®

Even though Halloween is over, and we are in the middle of a pandemic and quite possibly a recession, there is still “ghosting” happening in the employment marketplace, including in the Animal Health industry and Veterinary profession.

And when I talk about “ghosting,” I’m talking about a job candidate “ghosting” an employer and not the other way around. When a candidate “ghosts,” it means that they simply do not show up for something. Below are some common examples of candidate “ghosting”:

1. The candidate does not show up for a phone screen.
2. The candidate does not show up for a face-to-face interview.
3. The candidate disappears once they receive an offer of employment from an organization.
4. The candidate accepts an offer of employment, but they fail to show up for their first day of work.
5. The candidate accepts an offer of employment, shows up for their first day of work, but fails to come back to work after lunch.

Keep in mind, though, that “ghosting” is sometimes not an isolated incident. It can represent a pattern of behavior on the part of a candidate. For example, they could be slow in responding to communication during the hiring process—or they might not respond at all in certain instances when a hiring manager or practice owner reaches out to them.

Reasons not to “ghost” an employer

Unfortunately, “ghosting” has become so commonplace in the market during the past several years, there still might be some professionals who are not aware of how damaging this practice can be. That’s why I have seven good reasons to not be a “ghost” when it comes to your Animal Health or Veterinary career:

#1—You damage your personal brand.

This is the broadest, most general reason not to “ghost” on an employer. In fact, it affects all of the reasons listed below, in one way or another. You should treat your personal brand like it’s the “currency” of your career . . . because it is.

#2—Companies are merging and being acquired.

This is especially the case within the Animal Health industry. If you “ghost” an employer, and that organization is acquired by another, then the damage that you’ve done to your personal brand has now expanded to that company, as well.

#3—You might want to apply for another position at that employer.

You never know what the future holds. You “ghosted” for this particular position, but what if you come across another, better position at the same organization in the future? What then? The hiring manager is going to remember what you did previously, meaning that you chances of landing that job are next to zero.

#4—The hiring manager might move to another company that has an attractive position.

Once again, you don’t know what the future holds. The hiring manager that you just “ghosted” on might take a job at another employer within the Animal Health industry and Veterinary profession. Not only that, but it could also be an “employer of choice,” one that you really want to work for. Once again, the hiring manager is going to remember you (but for all the wrong reasons).

#5—You might want to work with the same recruiter (if you are working with one).

This is part three of “you don’t know what the future holds.” I can tell you from personal experience that if a candidate “ghosts” on one of our firm’s clients, we are going to be less likely to work with that candidate again.

#6—Your colleagues might stop referring you.

If your friends and colleagues are in the habit of referring you for positions and you are in the habit of “ghosting” on a consistent basis, there’s a good chance your friends will stop referring you. That’s because just as you’ve damaged the recruiter’s reputation, you’ve damaged their reputation, as well.

#7—It is a poor habit indicative of a negative mindset.

“Ghosting” is a poor habit, plain and simple, and the more that you engage in a habit, the more difficult it is to break it. If you want to grow your career and reach your full professional potential, then you must engage in more good habits than poor ones. (Ideally, you will have no poor habits and only good ones.) Good habits beget good habits, and poor ones beget poor ones.

The future of your Animal Health or Veterinary career

In the final analysis, “ghosting” is practice that is focused on perceived short-term gain over considering the long-range implications of your actions. Basically, people believe that they’re doing what is in their best interests in the moment, and they’re not thinking about the big picture. Based upon my experience as a recruiter and executive search consultant for more than 20 years, “ghosting” can prove to be very damaging to your career, both now and in the future.

While this year has been challenging for multiple reasons, the New Year is right around the corner and this is a great time to be proactive about exploring new opportunities to grow your Animal Health or Veterinary career.

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.

Copyright © 2020 The VET Recruiter 

The VET Recruiter is The Animal Health Executive Search Firm and The Veterinary Recruiting Firm

Stacy Pursell is an Animal Health Executive Recruiter and Veterinary Recruiter and Workplace/Workforce expert for the Animal Health Industry and Veterinary Profession.