by Stacy Pursell, CPC, CERS
The VET Recruiter®
One of the problems in today’s society is the “immediate gratification mindset.” In other words, it has become commonplace for people to place a higher priority on what is short-term gain, as opposed to taking the long view and taking the “big picture” into consideration.
This type of mentality does not existing solely within the personal realm. It also exists in the professional world, including the workforce and the employment marketplace. Now, I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with doing what you consider is best for you and your Animal Health or Veterinary career. Actually, I have long advocated for people to do just that. However, it’s important to make sure that you do it the right way.
And in my career as an Animal Health executive recruiter and Veterinary recruiter, the right way does NOT involve sacrificing “the big picture” for what is essentially short-term gain.
Behaviors that can “bite you” in the long run
The problem is that when professionals engage in this type of behavior, they are often unaware of what they’re doing. That’s because they’re too focused on what they believe is the benefit to them or what they will gain. Because of that, they’re not aware of the potential risk and downside for them in the long run. The type of behavior to which I’m referring includes:
- Lying or being dishonest on your resume or at any other stage of the hiring process
- Being disrespectful during the hiring process, including during the interview
- Going around the recruiter’s back and contacting the hiring manager directly
- “Ghosting” on the employer (the interview, the offer, or your first day of work)
- Branding yourself in negative way, through whatever behavior results in that kind of branding
I have relayed scores of stories and case studies regarding this type of behavior and how it can ultimately hurt your Animal Health or Veterinary career. There are two ways I’ve used to describe how this behavior can affect a person’s career:
- “Burning bridges”
- “Closing doors”
Are you literally “burning bridges” or even “closing doors”? No, of course, the inference is metaphorical and not literal. However, in terms of the damage that could be done to your Animal Health or Veterinary career, the imagery is pretty much spot-on.
The reason why this is important is because your capacity to grow your career is tied to how many opportunities you have. Actually, it’s tied to two things: the number of opportunities that you have and the quality of the opportunities that you have. Ideally, you would want to have a lot of opportunities and the majority of the opportunities that you do have to be of high quality.
When you “burn bridges” and you “close doors,” you’re essentially eliminating potential opportunities that you might have in the future. And this is where the “immediate gratification mindset” can betray you, because you’re not really thinking about your opportunities in the future. You’re thinking more about the opportunities and options you have in the present . . . and often that is at the expense of the opportunities that you could have in the future.
The future of your Animal Health or Veterinary career
It is possible to focus on the short term while also ensuring that you still have more options and opportunities in the long run. I’ve said (and written) this before on numerous occasions, but the Animal Health industry and Veterinary profession are relatively small. They’re not like industries such as Manufacturing or Engineering. When you “burn bridges” or “close doors” in the Animal Health industry or Veterinary profession, word gets around. People are more likely to know what has happened.
Let’s face it: 2020 has been a tough year for everybody, although some have certainly suffered more than others. The good news is that the year is almost over, and the promise of a New Year filled with hope is just around the corner. As much as things have gone badly, 2021 has the potential to be a good one for your Animal Health or Veterinary career. However, to fulfill that potential and enjoy a good year in 2021 (and beyond), you must focus on the right things and make shrewd decisions regarding your employment situation and your professional life.
This is where an Animal Health executive recruiter or Veterinary recruiter can help, especially one that is experienced and has seen a lot in the employment marketplace. This includes sharing the knowledge of what can happen when a professional “burns bridges” and/or “closes doors.” If you want to make an investment in your career and in your future, your behavior and the nature of your actions are how you make that investment. Your personal branding efforts are instrumental to how much success you enjoy, and that includes both in the short term and also in the long run.
Why would you shut doors in your career rather than leave the door open to opportunities? Recruiters can bring great opportunities to you, sometimes opportunities you wouldn’t know about on your own. Why would you shut the door on potential opportunities that could move your career forward? The more opportunities you have, the more leverage you have throughout your career.
So as 2020 ends and get ready to welcome a New Year with new possibilities, abandon the “immediate gratification mindset,” brand yourself in the best way possible, and position yourself for growth and the best year of 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.