There has never been a better time to be a job seeker in veterinary medicine. Everywhere you look, practices are offering sign-on bonuses, better benefits, and better pay. Talent is more in demand than ever. The market has flipped. It’s now an employee’s market, and practices know it.

But, when it comes to finding that dream job, what should you *really* be looking for? Because good pay is great, but if you’re going to be spending upwards of 40 hours a week at a practice, you should *like* working there. 

We asked some of our community members what they would look for in a new veterinary job. Here’s what they said:

Top 5 things you should look for in your next veterinary job:

1. Look for a practice that holistically values their people

“The things I would look for in a practice are the longevity of the employees, pay scale and structure, community outreach, activity on social media, high-quality medicine practiced, and a mission statement that aligns with my own values.”

- Sydney Pokard, DVM

2. Look beyond what’s on paper

“I think it's important to look beyond just what a practice lists on paper. Your salary, schedule, benefits, and whether the practice has fancy equipment or not are all important, but above all, you need to make sure your values are aligned.”

- Danielle Alleman, DVM & Founder of Empathos Veterinary

3. Look for a practice that shares your core values

When looking for a practice, it's helpful to ask what a practice’s core values are. Having core values in a practice shows a snapshot of what the business feels is important and what they want team members to emulate. If your core values don't match your employer’s, working in that practice may cause friction, frustration, and ultimately resentment from either party. 

- Jade Velasquez, Vet Tech, Practice Manager, & Moderator of Veterinary Support Staff Unleashed

4. Look at how they treat their employees

First and foremost, always look for a practice that holds proper and ethical values. You should also look for a practice that offers competitive pay, benefits, room for growth and advancement, paid sick/vacation time, paid continuing education, and above all, a practice that puts its employees first. After all, a practice is only as good as they treat their employees ❤️

- Shena Humbert, Vet Tech & Founder of Not Another Vet Nurse

5. For pre-vets, look for a strong team

Pre-vets looking for a job before vet school or a shadowing opportunity should look for a veterinary practice with a strong team. This is important because they will understand that it’s essential to have a solid foundation to accomplish the established goals as future veterinarians.

- Gabriela Medina, Pre-Vet

Are you spotting a pattern here? 

For our community, it’s all about a practice and team that supports each other and shares their unique core values. Something you would add? Follow us and let us know on Instagram!

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