Vet School Diaries - Veterinary Graduate Job Search: Know what you bring to the table
With Anna Pill
Anna Pill, Final Year Veterinary student at Liverpool University, shared her job hunting journey with us and all our veterinary student population.
Over a series of blogs and videos she will dispel the myths of finding your first role and give you some top tips to help you make the right decision about your first graduate veterinary job.
Think of applying for your first vet job a bit like putting yourself on a dating app.
Every applicant will have their vet degree, 38 weeks of EMS and loves animals. It’s the baseline. It gets you in the door, or on the app. But the real question is: what makes you special? Why should someone swipe right on you over the other 200 new grads with the exact same credentials?
This is where your extra stuff comes in. Were you a society president? Did you organise the feral vet society night out or the annual ball? Did you juggle committee responsibilities or part-time work with your degree? That’s not just fun student life, those are transferable skills. Leadership, organisation, crisis management (because let’s face it, no ball happens without some drama), budgeting, and negotiating. In job terms, that’s basically relationship green flags.
And let me remind you (just like your mum probably does): you are the prize. Every new grad comes with the same technical training, same academic background, same “vet package.” What employers are really looking for is everything else you bring to the relationship, your personality, your skills, your ability to slot into their team and make life easier.
Here’s the trap: don’t fall into the cliché bio. You know the ones: “Hard-working, good communication skills and loves working as part of a team.” That’s the CV equivalent of a dating profile saying: “Sundays? Usually hungover and a roast”. Everyone says it, and it tells you nothing about who they really are.
Instead, get specific. Think about moments that show who you are and what you can do. Then, link them to actual skills. For example:
- You were the Ball Rep who managed to herd 200 vet students into tuxes and gowns, secure a top venue, scrape together a budget with an empty committee bank account, and still get your deposit back? That shows: responsibility, organisational wizardry, negotiation skills, and business awareness. Basically, you’re partner material.
- You did placement at a charity or volunteering clinic where resources were tight and communication was tricky across cultural or language barriers? That shows adaptability, problem-solving, and resilience under pressure. You’re the one people can rely on when things get tough.
- You’re the person who shows up every day with a smile, even after setbacks, lifting your peers’ spirits and bringing positive energy to the slog of vet school? That’s resilience, emotional intelligence, and teamwork all rolled into one. Who wouldn’t want that in their practice or their life?
And for those of you who are thinking: “But what else have I done apart from survive exams year after year?” don’t panic. Getting through vet school in itself is no small feat. The trick is framing the experiences you do have so that they shine. Employers aren’t looking for perfection; they’re looking for personality, potential, and proof that you can grow.
At the end of the day, just like dating, it’s not about pretending to be someone you’re not. It’s about being confident in what you bring to the table, knowing your worth, and showing your future employer why they’d be lucky to have you.
Because the truth is, there’s something special about all of us.
Follow Anna’s journey with our regular blog and video posts as she shares her top tips for finding your perfect veterinary graduate job.
Access our pre-recorded Veterinary Webinars
If you want help finding your perfect first veterinary graduate role or if you’re looking to move on if the first role you found wasn’t quite right, you can reach out to our specialist team, who are available to chat to you from 8am to 8pm about your specific requirements.
Keen to join our Veterinary CPD webinars? Keep an eye on our Instagram profile to keep abreast of the latest sessions and learn how to register.
You can call us on 01423 813453 or email us at [email protected]
You can also browse our jobs on our website: Veterinary Jobs
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Vet School Diaries Part 1 – The Vet Graduate Job Search
Anna Pill, Final Year Veterinary student at Liverpool University, shared her job hunting journey with us and all our veterinary student population.
Over a series of blogs and videos she will dispel the myths of finding your first role and give you some top tips to help you make the right decision about your first graduate veterinary job.
Talk to a specialist
Chris Ellerker
Divisional Director – Dentistry and Locum Vet Divisions
I have over 12 years of recruitment experience, working my way up from Candidate Resourcer, Recruitment Consultant, Business Manager, to Divisional Director. I manage/run our Dentistry and Locum Vet teams here at Prospect Health. I thoroughly enjoy finding candidates a rewarding position that meets their expectations and supporting them through the process of registration/compliance (the fun bit), as well as throughout their placement/booking…