Vet School Diaries - Veterinary Graduate Job Search
Putting yourself out there & making connections
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.
In Anna’s next blog she chats about making connections and putting yourself out there to find yourself a great new job as a graduate veterinary surgeon.
Now that you’ve crafted your “dating profile”, aka polished your CV and perfected your LinkedIn, it’s time to start looking for potential dates. Careers fairs aren’t just an opportunity to collect pens, a tote bag or five, endless sweets, or maybe even a can of beer if you’re lucky; they function much like structured speed-dating. The value is in those quick, meaningful conversations: short interactions that help you compare practices, ask about new-graduate support, development opportunities, rota balance and salary, and get a feel for workplace culture. A few focused questions can tell you a lot, and help you identify who’s worth a second conversation.
Staying connected with previous EMS placements isn’t clinging to old flames – it’s maintaining valuable professional relationships with people who already know your work ethic and potential. A brief check-in email now and then keeps the door open, demonstrates enthusiasm, and ensures you remain on their radar when opportunities arise, because no one enjoys being ghosted in dating – nor in early career networking.
LinkedIn might not have the same matchmaking reputation it holds in other professions (hello, finance bros), but it is a highly effective tool for quiet research and career planning. Explore the paths of vets in roles you admire, see where they began, and follow practices or organisations you’re interested in. A little strategic browsing can be genuinely inspiring and help spark ideas for the directions you may want to explore.
For anyone who trusts in-person chemistry over online first impressions (maybe you’ve been catfished one too many times), arranging informal visits to potential employers or a type of practice you’ve yet to experience on EMS can be hugely beneficial. It allows you to make the introduction, become a real face behind the name/ CV and get a true feel for the workplace culture before committing further or wasting energy with applications.
And remember, just like in dating, putting yourself out there can feel daunting, but you’ve done the groundwork. Now it’s the time to connect, explore, and take the next step towards the role that feels right for you.
And don’t forget that Prospect Health can help too! An agency with 10 years experience helping Veterinary Surgeons find roles across the UK. We help you hunt for a role, prep you for the interview and help you negotiate a package that you deserve.
You can view all our Veterinary Jobs here.
And if you want to arrange an informal chat with the team about what you are looking for in a role once you graduate, why not give them a ring at 01423 813453 or email us at [email protected]
Missed the first post?
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…