Career advice for newly qualified vets

In your final year of veterinary school? Perhaps you’re starting to consider what your first role is going to look like. It’s an exciting time, but it’s important to keep these things in mind before you dive into the veterinary world. Here are five tips for our soon-to-be qualified vets who are thinking about their first role and what it might look like. 

Your first gig probably won’t be your dream job…

 

As a newly qualified vet, you probably won’t know exactly where your passions lie and what direction you want to take in the future. Therefore, it is important not to place too much emphasis on the practice you choose but rather, look for the team you feel most at home with. Find out what learning resources they have for new graduates. Have they hired grads before? What is the mentoring/support like? These are all important aspects to consider when choosing your first workplace. 

 

Ask for support

 

Don’t suffer in silence, there is always someone there to help you should you need some guidance or advice. Nobody starts off as the perfect vet and there will always be bumps along the road to success. 

 

Patience is a virtue 

 

As emphasised in the previous section, patience is paramount to your success as a newly qualified vet. You will learn a LOT in a short amount of time so it is completely normal to get frustrated but hang in there! We promise over time it will get easier and soon you’ll be sharing your top tips with newbies. 

 

Have some fun

 

It doesn’t have to be all work, work, work, work, work, work…(sorry, Rhianna). Make sure you still make an effort to spend time with your friends, practice self-care and do things you enjoy. Remember, work-life balance is crucial to career longevity and job satisfaction – in this industry especially!

 

Work with an agency 

 

By working with an agency, you can take the stress out of the job hunt and let the experts find a role that suits your unique needs and expectations. Specialist recruiters also have a wide range of contacts within the veterinary industry, as well as access to opportunities that may not be advertised to the general public. 

Here at Choice Vets, we support all of our candidates throughout the job hunt and beyond! Get in touch on 0203 9784 104 to find out more about our current opportunities or register as a candidate to receive the latest job openings, directly.