by Stacy Pursell, CPC, CERS
The VET Recruiter®
Just recently, I received a phone call from a veteran of the Veterinary profession. This is a veterinarian who had been in the business for quite a while. He had seen a lot during his career, which has spanned multiple decades.
The reason he called me was a simple one. He wanted to tell me that we need more resilient people in the Veterinary industry and the Veterinary profession.
You might not think that such a thing would warrant a telephone call, but apparently this person thought that it did. And I must say that I agree with him. In fact, I have addressed this topic before in my writings and even on my podcast, and this was before there was a pandemic or a recession.
The Veterinary profession and the recession
There is a laundry list of reasons why resiliency is important in the employment marketplace and the job market. And I’m talking not just about in the Animal Health industry and Veterinary profession, but in every industry and profession that exists in the marketplace. With that in mind, I have a couple of questions that I would like to pose.
In 2019, if you thought that that resiliency was not that important in terms of your professional life and your career, what are your thoughts now?
In 2019, if you thought that resiliency was important in terms of your professional life and your career, how much more important do you think it is now?
These are fair questions, considering the current state of affairs in the country and around the world. On one hand, I can almost understand why some people might have dismissed resiliency during the past few years. After all, the economy had been “firing on all cylinders” up until just recently. It was a candidates’ job market, with plenty of job opportunities and employers willing to woo candidates with almost anything they wanted in terms of salary, benefits, and other perks.
Things, as you well know, are now much different. Tens of millions of people have lost their job and filed for unemployment benefits. The National Unemployment Rate, near historic lows one year ago, is now in double digits. And to top it all off, Congress continues to squabble over what should be included in the next round of stimulus measures, adding to the already unstable and uncertain nature of the economy.
I will be the first person to say that the Animal Health industry and the Veterinary profession have fared better than the economy and the employment marketplace overall. There are many other industries that have suffered and are suffering much worse, and the job losses are indicative of that. However, there is no guarantee that the Animal Health industry and Veterinary profession will continue to be shielded from the worst effects of the pandemic and the recession.
Three big reasons why resiliency is critically important
One of the aspects of resiliency that the aforementioned veteran of the Veterinary profession emphasized to me during our phone call was “pushing through,” or moving forward in the face of adversity and not giving up. As it turns out, the willingness to not give up is one of the top attributes of resilient people. The problem with the good times is that they don’t prepare you for adversity. Then, when adversity does strike, the temptation to give up is greater and more difficult to resist.
With all of this in mind, I have three big reasons why resiliency is critically important in the Animal Health industry and Veterinary profession:
#1—Resiliency will always be needed, no matter how good things seem in the present.
Adversity in life is unavoidable. It’s going to happen, both in your personal life and your professional life. And yes, there is more adversity during some times than in others. The year 2020 would definitely fall into that category. But there is no one on the planet who can avoid adversity, no matter how many advantages they have. So resiliency is trait that can provide lifelong benefits.
#2—Resiliency is ultimately the number-one factor in determining success.
It doesn’t matter how much talent you have if you can’t “push through” adversity. It doesn’t matter how many degrees and certifications you have if you quit and give up when things get tough. Many times, the people who are the most successful are not the ones who are the most talented or who went to the best schools. They’re the ones who absolutely, positively refuse to give up.
#3—Resiliency is one of the best forms of value that you can offer to an employer.
I know this for a fact because hiring managers have told me this! Hiring managers have said that resiliency is a trait that is sadly lacking in the employment marketplace these days . . . and they told me that before the pandemic and the recession started! If it was that important to hiring managers then, how important do they think it is now? Once again, a fair question, one to which you can probably guess the answer.
Resiliency is not something that’s “nice to have.” It’s something that you “must have,” both in your personal life and your professional life. Don’t underestimate it and don’t overlook it. Instead, look for ways to become more resilient in the face of adversity. That way, you can position yourself for greater career success and give yourself a chance to reach your full potential.
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.
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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.