As lockdown restrictions slowly begin to lift, we are heading towards a new normal, a normal, which will directly impact the veterinary profession. For the last 10 years or so veterinary professionals have been in high demand, a situation that we believe is subject to unexpected change – we remain at unprecedented times.
As the lockdown eases, our industry is slowly resuming previously restricted services. Our agents at VetMatch have successfully managed to place a surprising number of permanent and locum vets across the country throughout the COVID-19 lockdown. We expect the situation to continue improving over the coming weeks and we are already seeing some great opportunities coming through once again.
Progressive positions across the veterinary job market are harder to find than pre-Covid, but they are still out there, and our experienced agents are on hand to help you secure your ideal match. To support you in your search, we have put together some advice and a few handy tips on how to move into your ideal position in the current veterinary job market.
Position options
Although many veterinary surgeries have had their hiring capacity reduced, some corporate and independent surgeries are ready to hire again. With increased consulting periods and social distancing, many practices are finding the workload too much, but it varies significantly from practice to practice and from area to area.
Bear in mind that many of the available roles are snapped up even without ever being advertised – it’s tough out there! We remain here to help and as more and more vets start looking for a new permanent or locum position, post-Covid the competition is hotter than ever. It has never been more important to send your CV and requirements over to us so that we can get you through the door into the best roles.
Our expectation is that over the next few months more and more veterinary practices will start looking to recruit, so keeping in touch with our agents and our website jobs wall plus engage with our social media for the most up to date positions!
Locum Vs Permanent role
Is it an ideal time to consider taking a permanent role or does the flexibility and higher rates of locuming make that a better option? Here is a helpful chart with some things to consider when applying for a position.
Sort out your CV – We are here to help
Now! There has never been a better time to review your CV and cover letter. There are plenty of applicants out there all looking for their next role, so it is essential to put yourself forward to the best of your skill and stand out from the competition – a nicely worded cover letter and an easy to follow CV is critical – our agents are more than happy to help you with this. Did you know that a CV spanning more than 2 pages rarely gets read! Selling points first!
Be clear on your expectations
Let us know in detail your wish list for your ideal job. The better we understand your requirements, the easier it is to find your perfect match. We will conduct a detailed discussion with you so we can match your valuable skill with the ideal employer.
It is important to note that a greater degree of flexibility may need to be extended to really put yourself forward to those great surgeries looking to hire through this economically tough time. Some compromise on travel distance or rota may be required to make you stand out of the crowd.
Interview skills
Now more than ever, it is important to impress the interviewer. Interviews by Zoom are not something most people are familiar with so please check our Tips for Successful Remote interview.
There may be several strong candidates for each position, so it is imperative to be prepared by reading our top tips to ace your interview. Above all else, research the surgery for which you are interviewing and think to impress with how you would be the ideal fit for their team!
Let us know any way you feel we can help you… For more information on how to work in a safe environment, check out our guide to safe working during the corona crisis.
Good luck with your search.
Stay Safe & Well.