Now that we are beginning to see some light at the end of the pandemic tunnel and we are settling into a ‘new normal,’ there are many opportunities to take your career in new and exciting directions. If it seems like every day is the same with that sneaky puppy who presents with a foreign body at closing time, the chronically vomiting cat, or the rabbit who is suddenly inappetent, it may be time to change things up. It’s not that you don’t care about these cherished pets, or about their owners’ peace of mind – we know that you always will. It’s just that, after years of the same routine, some vets find themselves wanting something new; different challenges, new procedures, fresh ways to learn and grow…and with that, maybe a little more balance in their work-life balance too! If you’re willing to explore new horizons with an open mind (which could be quite an adventure in its own right), you’ll find a host of interesting and surprising veterinary careers that you may not have considered, or maybe didn’t know existed, or didn’t even exist at all when you started…

Most veterinary practices are small to medium businesses that don’t run with much spare capacity. This means that things can feel pretty tight when you have a staff member away on annual leave or due to sickness! That’s where locum relief staff comes in. But how do you go about finding the right locum relief veterinary professional – be that vet, nurse, or tech?

Caring for animals as a Veterinary professional and traveling abroad are no longer mutually exclusive activities. Here are five ways to combine your sense of wanderlust whilst also advancing and diversifying your Veterinary career.

Like Liam Neeson in Taken, you have a very particular set of skills, acquired over your career, but unlike Liam, your skills make you a joy for employers and recruiters. But when they look for you on LinkedIn, as 77 percent of recruiters and employers do, you want them to find you and be impressed enough to reach out and connect. And when they do find you (and they will if you follow this advice), they will employ you…possibly not on-the-spot, but if you apply these tips, you will be well on the way to your initial interview…

Setting boundaries means being honest about what you can and cannot handle right now…and often that is a daunting admission…an admission that we are indeed human, have our limitations and need to be constantly balancing and rebalancing work, life and play. So, perhaps if we all learned how to set better boundaries, we could foster more mutual respect and compassion, rather than resentment and anger, and we might just be on the right path to improving the overall mental health of the veterinary profession. Here are some key steps towards setting mutually beneficial boundaries…

Here are a few of the many reasons veterinarians say practice ownership is not for them – I want work-life balance, I have a lot of student debt, I do not know how to run a business – sounds familiar? However, with recent advances in business processes, structuring, and technology, practice ownership is not only possible, it’s worthy of serious consideration. Here are some valuable insights for you to consider…

So, you’ve worked hard to pass all of your exams and obtain certifications to become a qualified Veterinarian, Veterinary Nurse or Veterinary Technician and you have just started in your very first job. Congratulations! But your first year as a brand new veterinary professional can be a bit like a roller coaster with many ups and downs, and with a global pandemic added to the mix, it all can seem a little intimidating at first. You may be feeling too overwhelmed to be planning what your next steps should be, but thankfully there are many kind and helpful fellow industry professionals and remarkable resources that you can call on to ease you through the transition. It’s time to remember all of the reasons why you chose this amazing career path and to get ready to kick start your veterinary career! You know you can, and will, succeed. And to assist you on your journey, here are a few essential early veterinary career tips that we sourced from Veterinary Professionals who have “been there, done that” and thrived…

So you have successfully started that professional veterinary career you worked so hard to achieve. You expected it would be a tough road getting there, but you persisted and you’ve made it and you are really enjoying being a practicing Veterinary Professional – Veterinarian, Vet Tech, Veterinary Nurse, and more. What you hadn’t anticipated was a pandemic – no one does – and it’s impact on how many weeks, months, or years may be being added to your journey until you can enjoy the satisfaction of making that final student loan payment. You are not alone. Student loan debt is now the second-highest consumer debt category, the first being mortgage debt. Here are some essential tips to help you successfully manage your Veterinary student debt in these challenging times…