If you are looking at vet clinic jobs you'll want to know how to stand out and excel in your position!
Whether you want to work as a vet, veterinary technician, receptionist, or a veterinary assistant, a job helping animals in a veterinary setting is so rewarding.
No matter what job you're headed for, most clinics look for a good fit for their team. In this article, you'll learn six soft skills for what it takes to stand out as a candidate and to excel as an employee.
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Vet Clinic Jobs
1. Self Awareness
The biggest mistake new techs, assistants or even receptionists make is that they assume they know the answer or guess because they don't want to ask for help. This is how people get fired.
When you are in a good, supportive work setting, coworkers, doctors and management will never get mad for asking for help or asking the same question literally 500 times as you're learning.
If they do, then they are not actually interested in your growth as a veterinary professional and maybe consider sending your resume to a clinic that actually values you!
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2. Flexibility
Veterinary medicine is not an industry where you can expect your shift to end on time or your lunch break is reliable.
You simply can't leave your patients in the middle of an exam, surgery or procedure just because your shift is over.
Even if you work at a routine care clinic things change all the time. Clients cancel, emergencies walk in or a routine appointment becomes a complicated case.
You'll need to be flexible to triage and multitask as the day changes.
This shouldn't mean there's no flexibility. Your staff should be supportive if you have an appointment or other obligations- just communicate that as soon as you possibly know.
3. Love for Animals
Okay.. obviously.. While the passion for helping animals can be what drives you, it can also be the source of frustration on the job.
In my experience, 99% of people in veterinary medicine are in the industry for the animals, so you'll work alongside people who have similar goals and values.
Vet Receptionist Job
4. A Like for People
Yes, you're in the animal industry, however, if you can't get the owner on your side, you're not going to be able to do much for the animal.
You're not always going to agree with the human. In fact, they will frustrate you to no end by waiting too long to bring their animal to the vet, trying a DIY fix it at home, or just not taking any recommendations from you or the vet.
Related: Should I Be A Vet? | 5 Questions You Must Answer Before Picking a Major
Additionally, there are many different ways people show their love for their pets.
Some prefer to prolong life and take every measure necessary to keep their animals alive, others prefer to make decisions too quickly or decide not to make any decision at all.
You won't always agree with the human, but you'll have to understand they're doing the best they can.
Vet Assistant Jobs
5. Ability to work on your own or with a team
Vet clinic jobs offer a whole new level of busy. There are days when we work along side each other, constantly communicate, yet don't even feel like we see each other all day long.
Your coworkers are not there to babysit, boss you around, or micromanage you. They are there to support, encourage and help you.
However, if you can pick up a mess without being told, you'll have a job for as long as you want with most clinics!
6. Ability to handle emotional situations
Vet Clinic Jobs No Experience
7. Ability to learn on the job (and on the spot)
No one knows everything. And depending on your job, you could be nearly completely trained on the job. Veterinary assistants and receptionists usually don't need any experience in order to apply or be hired.
However, even with veterinary technicians and veterinarians, who require licensure, and education to be hired, you'll need to learn the policies, procedures and logistics of the individual clinic you're part of.
You'll need to be flexible to adjust policies, procedures and to retain information on the spot. This doesn't mean it's not okay to ask questions- you SHOULD ask questions. Lots of them.
Again, no one knows everything. Ask questions to your senior staff. Everyone has something to offer and to teach you. And, YOU have something to offer and teach your coworkers!
