by Stacy Pursell, CPC, CERS
The VET Recruiter®
You’ve probably heard or read about what is referred to as the “new normal.” Or at the very least, the normal that will be in effect until the COVID-19 pandemic is brought under control one way or another.
As you can imagine, some Animal Health and Veterinary employers—and some other employers in the marketplace, really—have suspended in-person interviews considering the virus and the resulting pandemic. That, of course, makes sense and is the right thing to do. However, you might draw the incorrect conclusion that employers have stopped hiring altogether. That is NOT the case.
Not only have some Veterinary practices not experienced a decline in activity, but some are busier. In fact, one practice told me that they’re 25% busier than usual. In addition, Veterinary practices are considered essential businesses. At the end of last month, the Department of Homeland Security issued something called the “Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce.” This document listed workers who are deemed essential to infrastructure, and Veterinary clinics and pet stores were included on the list.
Animal Health and Veterinary jobs in the current marketplace
In a recent article, I addressed video interviewing, including the best practices for video interviews. A number of employers are opting for these kinds of interviews, and if you’re looking to explore the opportunities that exist in the marketplace, then you should be proficient with them. And if you’re exploring opportunities and participating in interviews, then you should also be willing to accept an Animal Health job or Veterinary job offer without meeting the hiring manager—or anyone else, for that matter—in person.
Now, you might think that’s a bit unorthodox, but you would probably agree that we’re living in unorthodox times. The best companies and organizations in the marketplace have always been those that are creative and innovative, and that includes when it comes to hiring. Just as video interviewing has become the “new normal,” at least for now, hiring new employees without first meeting them in person is also the “new normal.” One of our clients, an executive with an Animal Health pharmaceutical company, just recently hired one of our candidates and he said it was the first time in his career he hired a person without meeting them in person. All of the interviews with our candidate who we placed and other candidates were done virtually through video-based interviews.
In fact, it’s a good sign if you interview with an organization remotely and then they offer you the job, and there are two reasons why this is the case.
#1—It shows that the organization is forward-thinking.
No matter the situation or the circumstances, most professionals want to work for a top employer. By and large, top employers are creative and innovative. Just as employers want to hire people who are problem solvers, professionals want to work for employers that are problem solvers, as well.
When an Animal Health or Veterinary employer makes a job offer to someone without meeting them in person, it shows that the organization has grasped the current situation and they’re being proactive in dealing with the “new normal” or new reality. If you’re a candidate and an employer makes an offer to you without meeting you in person, then you should be encouraged by that. You should also be intrigued to work with an employer that is forward-thinking.
#2—It means that the hiring manager has a tremendous amount of confidence in you as a candidate.
After all, hiring a new employee is essentially a calculated gamble, and employers strive to reduce the amount of risk associated with a new hire. So, as a professional, you should be flattered that an organization would want to hire you without even meeting you. It must mean that you are doing something right with your professional life and with your career.
However, the bottom line here is the same bottom line for many things involved with the employment marketplace and advancing a person’s career. And that bottom line is fear.
The danger of succumbing to fear
It makes sense that people are afraid of situations with which they are not familiar. And there’s plenty of fear and apprehension right now already because of what’s happening with the COVID-19 pandemic. So I can understand why people might be afraid. And I can certainly understand why they might be apprehensive about accepting an Animal Health or Veterinary job offer without meeting the employer in person. Be that as it may, you simply cannot allow fear to rule the decisions that you make about your life and your career.
I’m not saying that you should be reckless, but just because you haven’t done something before or you’re not familiar with it doesn’t mean that you should be afraid of it. I have addressed the topic of fear numerous times during my career as an Animal Health Executive Recruiter and Veterinary Recruiter. Those of you who are familiar with my articles and blog posts can attest to that. So this is not a new theme, but it’s even more relevant with everything that’s happening in the world right now.
Even though there is uncertainty, there is also opportunity in the marketplace during times like these. There is an opportunity to explore other employment options and an opportunity to grow your career or position it for greater success in the future.
So recognize the opportunities that exist and be prepared to seize them!
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.