The employment outlook for veterinary nurses, technicians, and technologists is bright, with a predicted 20% increase in job openings over the next decade.
This bodes well for a wider variety of high-paying career openings in the future. This, however, necessitates that you practice for employment interviews.
We’ve produced a list of the top 6 interview questions and answers for veterinary nurses to help improve your chances of getting recruited.
1.Do you own any pets?
A veterinarian or veterinary technician probably has a pet at home. But if you don’t, then what? Don’t worry; that isn’t always a deal breaker. But be ready to explain why you don’t.
If a recruiting manager asks a question like this, it’s because they want to know if you care for animals outside of work.
Use the knowledge you’ve gained through being a pet owner. Tell them you don’t have time for one due to your hectic schedule.
2. Do you feel at ease interacting with a wide range of animal species?
The reason clinics ask this is so they can gauge your flexibility in dealing with a wide variety of animal personalities. They want assurance that you won’t bring any preconceived notions or prejudices into your treatment decisions.
In response, please reaffirm your dedication to providing care without bias. Make use of specific instances from your own life as examples.
3. Which procedure did you enjoy assisting the most?
Hiring supervisors often inquire about previous work experience in this way. Finding a candidate who can keep their cool under pressure is an important aspect of any hiring process.
Your answer should reflect your individual circumstances. Always keep an end goal in mind, and demonstrate the good effect this experience had on you. Introduce the context, demonstrate the steps you took, and highlight the beneficial outcomes.
4. How can you keep animals remaining calm during a procedure?
Even the most skilled veterinary technicians may struggle to calm a distressed animal. Animals can be very relaxed in the company of their owners, but quickly become anxious when meeting new people.
The interviewer wants to know how you’ll react under pressure and if you have a firm grasp on proper animal handling procedures and common animal behaviors.
Emphasize your familiarity with safe handling procedures and how they apply to the clinical setting.
5. What abilities do you possess that make you an effective veterinary nurse?
Hard and soft skills are both important for veterinary nurses. Care for patients and familiarity with medical tools, procedures, and therapies are essential in terms of concrete abilities. Compassion, communication, and the ability to think creatively are all examples of soft skills.
You can tell if you’re a good fit for the position based on how you respond to this question. It’s unlikely that they care how skillfully you play the flute. But if you can prove that you composed music for the flute that helps cats relax, then by all means, share your work with them.
Bring attention to both your technical and interpersonal abilities. Showcase your most impressive qualities (as they pertain to the advertised position) here.
6. How to avoid compassion fatigue?
Any profession in medicine should include compassion. But it can be mentally and physically draining to help other people. Over time, events like these might lead to exhaustion.
Recruiters may be interested in learning how you plan to stave off compassion fatigue and emotional exhaustion. They can’t afford to hire someone new only to have them fail miserably.
Keep in mind that the interviewer is reading your every move and word. If you’ve ever struggled with compassion fatigue, experts recommend keeping your cool, avoiding prolonged periods of stillness, and projecting an air of confidence at all times.
The purpose of this question is to gauge how passionate you are about animals and to help the hiring manager learn more about you. Do you recall our discussion of implicit bias? They want to know that you can put your personal preferences aside and work well with others.
Be truthful, but demonstrate your flexibility.
Concluding Ideas
It’s possible to make a good living working with animals. Working at a veterinary clinic can be emotionally and physically draining, but it can also be rewarding.
You’ll need to be clever, confident, and competent as the need for veterinary professionals rises and the pool of potential candidates narrows. It’s time to make an impression throughout the interview process and have that uncomfortable conversation regarding your wage requirements.