My name is Stacy Pursell, and I’m the founder and owner of The VET Recruiter. I’m a Certified Personnel Consultant (CPC) and a Certified Employee Retention Specialist (CERS), and I’ve been a workforce and workplace expert in the Animal Health industry and Veterinary profession for more than 25 years. In this article, I’m going to address how you can find the right Animal Health or Veterinary job, including the steps involved and what you can do to continue growing your career.
The WHY of a new Animal Health or Veterinary job
Specifically, I’m going to discuss five questions: they are WHY, WHEN, WHAT, WHERE, and HOW of finding the right Animal Health or Veterinary job. Let’s start with our WHY question: “Why should you look for another employment opportunity?”
Everyone’s employment situation falls into one of two categories.
- You’re going to retire with your current organization.
- At some point, you’re going to eventually make a move and take a position within another organization.
If you don’t plan to retire with your current employer, then you’re going to go somewhere else. Not looking for other opportunities or even not being open to considering them is a mistake. It doesn’t cost you anything to consider these opportunities. If they turn out to not be what you want, then you can simply stay where you are right now. Just because you consider an opportunity doesn’t mean that you’re obligated to take it.
The WHEN of a new Animal Health or Veterinary job
Now that we’ve addressed WHY you should look for or be open to another Animal Health or Veterinary job, let’s move on to WHEN you should do so.
The best time to look for a new employment opportunity is when you already have a good job now, so you can be strategic about growing your career.
You might be thinking that doesn’t make any sense. If you already have a good job, then why would you be looking FOR a job? Consider this fact: people who change jobs every three to five years earn more in compensation and benefits than people who stay at the same employer for 10 to 15 years. How can this be the case? It’s a matter of motivation.
In order to hire the candidates they want for their open positions, employers must make those positions attractive. This includes offering a salary and compensation package that is more than what the candidate is earning at their current employer, and in some cases, significantly more.
Not only that, but let’s say that someone changes jobs on a consistent basis, about every three to five years, in search of better opportunities. Each time they move, they receive a salary increase from their new employer. That has a cumulative effect throughout their career.
What does that mean? It means the “job hopper” could be earning $20,000 to $30,000 more per year in salary after making four job changes in 20 years than someone who’s worked at the same organization during those 20 years.
The WHAT of a new Animal Health or Veterinary job
So we’ve addressed the WHY and WHEN of looking for a new Animal Health or Veterinary job. Now we’ll move to the next question, which is the WHAT. Specifically, what opportunities should you be seeking?
There are four main things to keep in mind. They are:
#1—Doing what you love to do
If you’re not passionate about what you’re doing, then how can it be the right job for you? Let’s start with your current job. Are you passionate about what you do right now?
#2—Your core values
Obviously, you can’t get a job with an organization that has the same core values that you have unless you know what your core values are. So when you’re looking for the right job, that position should be with an organization that holds the same values and beliefs that you do.
#3—The company culture
The actual job is only one part of the overall opportunity. Another important part is the company culture, including your potential co-workers and colleagues. What kind of culture do you enjoy working in? A structured atmosphere? A more relaxed one? Do you like working for a large organization? Or a smaller one? Once you’ve identified exactly what you’re looking for, then it will be easier for you to search for it and find it.
#4—Compromising (or NOT Compromising)
Do NOT compromise or sell yourself short. If you’re in a job that you don’t particularly like, it might be tempting to jump at any job you think will relieve your current situation. If you do that, you might find yourself in basically the same boat at another employer. Create a checklist for what you want in a new position and don’t deviate from it.
Our next stop is the WHERE of your job search. Where should you look for your next employment opportunity so that you can get one step closer to finding the right job?
#1—Job boards
There are many different job boards on the Internet. You’re certainly familiar with some of the bigger ones, such as CareerBuilder, Monster, and Indeed. However, there are also industry-specific and niche-specific job boards available as well.
#2—Company websites
Nearly all organizations post-employment opportunities on their website. This is why it’s important to know the top employers within your industry. That way, you can visit their website, learn more about them, keep tabs on what they’re doing, and also find out what opportunities they have available.
#3—LinkedIn
LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network, with hundreds of millions of members. LinkedIn is a good way to get found by recruiters and employers. That’s because it’s used by 98% of recruiters, and 48% of them use LinkedIn exclusively. With LinkedIn, you can build both your credibility and your personal brand.
#4—Conferences and trade shows
There are a number of conferences and trade shows every year, like the one we’re currently attending. These events are great opportunities for not only training and education, but also for networking. When you take the time and make the effort to network with others in our profession, you’re actually investing in your future. You never know what another person knows or who they know.
#5—Search consultants/recruiters
Search consultants or Animal Health or Veterinary recruiters are a great source for gaining access to job openings. Keep in mind that employers typically do not post all of their open positions online. That’s because they often use Executive recruiters to conduct covert searches when filling their most important high-level positions. Executive Recruiters have access to what is referred to as the “hidden job market,” which is why you should consider aligning yourself with an experienced and successful recruiting firm.
The HOW of a new Animal Health or Veterinary job
Okay, so now HOW can you grow your professional network in search of the right Animal Health or Veterinary job for you? I have six activities that can help.
#1—Attend industry trade shows.
I’ve already mentioned this, so that should tell you how important it is. When you attend these events, network and meet people. Don’t have your head down the whole time, but make sure that you build relationships with people. Put yourself out there!
#2—Be active in industry associations.
Once again, knowledge and networking should be priorities when joining these associations. You should have a plan for maximizing your membership. There are numerous opportunities for networking at conferences. Hopefully, you will do some networking while you’re events.
#3—Be a speaker for industry events.
This also helps to position yourself as a leader in your field. If you have extensive knowledge about a subject, then it makes sense to share that knowledge and raise your prominence.
#4—Write papers and publish blog posts or articles.
This is another way that you can position yourself as an expert. There are a number of sources within the Animal Health industry or Veterinary profession where you can publish content. It would be wise to identify them, seek them out, and inquire about how you can contribute.
#5—Produce content on social media.
If you’re already writing papers and publishing blog posts or articles, then it makes sense to also share these things on social media. It helps to brand you professionally in a positive way. Once again, LinkedIn would be the best place for this type of activity.
#6—Be willing to take risks.
You have to overcome fear and uncertainty in order to take risks. I have an acronym I use for effectively dealing with fear. That acronym is:
Fear = False Evidence Appearing Real
So instead of looking at a situation with fear, look at it as an opportunity. It’s an opportunity to do something great that will lead to career growth. No one ever grew their career by leaps and bounds by playing it safe all the time.
The VET Recruiter has more than 25 years of experience working with job seekers, candidates, and employers in the Animal Health industry and Veterinary profession. If you have experience in the Animal Health industry or Veterinary profession and believe that you’re ready to make this move in your career, we would love to consider your qualifications for Animal Health jobs and Veterinarian jobs that we are hired to fill.
Click here to see examples of The VET Recruiter’s placements. These are all examples of real positions we have filled in the Animal Health industry and Veterinary profession.
We’re eager to hear about your needs and how we can help you. Contact us today for more information about The VET Recruiter’s services for candidates by calling (918) 488-3901 or (800) 436-0490 or by sending an email to stacy@thevetrecruiter.com.