March 3, 2021 | Vet Student | Vet Graduate

It seems like only yesterday when you were turning up for your first day of vet school. Then all of a sudden it’s not long until graduation and you realise it’s time to find your first graduate vet job. Its really important to have a set of questions ready to ask at your first Veterinary graduate job interview.

As a new graduate it’s important to find a job that suits you, an interview is a 2 way process and you must ensure you choose the right job as your first vet job.  At the same time as employers wanting certain traits from a graduate vet you need to ensure the practice is the right one for you.

Here’s a handy list of the questions you should ask in your first Veterinary Graduate job interview

  1. Ask about support

This is THE most important thing to ask about. Examples of things you could ask include:

  • Will I be allowed any extra time for consults initially?
  • What help would I get with surgery?
  • Would there be people I could speak to if I was unsure about a case?
  • What support will there be for me during out of hours? Would there be someone I could contact if I was stuck?
  • Will there be any periods of sole charge?
  1. How does the typical working day run?

This helps you to determine what would be involved in your average working day.

  1. What is the rota?
    • What hours are you expected to work?
    • What’s the out of hours rota?
    • How often will I have to work on weekends?
  1. How much surgery will I be exposed to?

This is an important question to ask in order to establish whether or not you will get your share of surgical experience.

  1. Ask current staff about their experiences

Ask if they’ve had new graduates before and whether you can speak to them about their experience. Try to speak to staff whilst the boss isn’t there to establish whether their experience is the same as what the boss is promising you.

Going for interviews to find your graduate veterinary job can be a daunting experience, but there’s no need to worry – just go in there and be yourself! If they don’t like who you are then it’s not somewhere you want to work. If you get a bad feeling about a practice and even if on paper it’s perfect – don’t accept!

If you would like to chat to us about Veterinary Graduate roles then please get in touch by ringing one of our team on 01423 813453 or email us at [email protected]

March 3, 2021 | Vet Student | Vet Graduate