11 veterinary grad first job interview questions new grads should ask at job interviews

Being interviewed for your first job straight out of vet school and university isn’t the same as being interviewed for your second or third job.   

Here’re 11 questions for new grads to ask at your first job interview and for clinics to think about when they’re interviewing new grads.   These 11 questions apply pretty equally to vets, nurses and techs.

Get yourself an agent to represent you

Someone who knows:

• employment law
• the veterinary sector in your area
• the good and not-so-good vet clinics
• how to negotiate
• about clinic culture
• salary expectations for new grads

If a clinic pushes back and tells you they'd rather invest a recruitment agency's fee into your career ask them what that would look like.   I (Julie South) haven't ever seen a new grad earning a salary that's reflective of a recruiter's fee being added to it!

1.  support - what does this look like and mean?
2. reasonable time - what's their definition of this?
3. sole charge - when?  what does that look like?
4. roster
5. surgery and surgical experience / support
6. other employees' opinions
7. why the vacancy?
8. new grad goals?
9. performance evaluations?
10. clinic growth plans?
11. team diversification?

Enter our two surveys and go in the draw to win great prizes:

For New Zealand veterinary sector professionals - Veterinary Sector State of the Nation 2022 Survey

For overseas veterinary professionals looking to work in New Zealand - Vets on Vacation or Relocation to New Zealand Survey

Companion Animal Vacancy at Vet Marlborough - contact Julie South or Isobel Cooper for more info.

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