One of the primary goals of the recruitment process is to get an interview at your dream practice… but it is often the most daunting, scary part of the process. This can be for many reasons and we are here to try and help overcome these fears. When you’ve completed your interview it should be easy sailing from there – even if it doesn’t go as you’d like, it is always a great learning experience.

An interview has various stages: the preparation, the interview itself & the outcome.

Preparation

This is key! You can never over prepare. You need to remember you’re likely to not be the only one being interviewed – with good preparation you are way more likely to have your personality and key skills shine through effectively.

  • Plan your journey and make sure you arrive in plenty of time
  • Fully research the practice (its history, its ethos, its current team, social media etc)
  • Come up with questions that you can ask your interviewer, the interview itself is as much for you as it is for them! Remember to avoid topics such as salary (unless they bring it up) but to have some questions ready for them (e.g. what type of person are you looking for?)
  • Make sure you have everything with you that you need – from water to scrubs to ID documents (if necessary)
  • Dress appropriately and present yourself well
  • Practice, practice, practice…

With this in mind, here’s some example interview questions:

  • Why would you want to work with us? What do you know about our team and our practice?
  • Why did you choose to work in the veterinary industry?
  • Where do you see yourself in 1/3/5 years’ time?
  • What are your long-term career goals?
  • What interests do you have? Do you have a specialisation?
  • What could you bring to our team?
  • Give us an example of a difficult situation you’ve been in at work and resolved.
  • Give us an example of a time you have exceeded expectations.
  • What are your strengths and weaknesses?

Interview day

Firstly take a breath, make sure you eat and sleep well beforehand and are energised and the best version of you. After all, you’re amazing and deserve this chance!

  • Make sure you arrive around 15 minutes early. There’s no harm in sitting in the car park for 5 mins to gather yourself and then be a few minutes early! It gives you an extra chance to read through your notes and go in with clarity and fresh ideas in your mind
  • Be confident – keep eye contact, smile, give a strong handshake (pandemic permitting!)
  • Think before you speak – don’t rush into an answer. Do not worry about taking a second to think
  • Be yourself, after all you want them to want you for you!
  • Don’t underestimate yourself, reap the benefits of your hard work by showing your true skill set
  • Turn negatives into positives!
  • Make sure to finish on a good, strong note – thank them for their time, say you look forward to hearing from them and keep smiling until you’re out of the building
  • Be kind to EVERYONE you meet, everyone under the roof of the building is as important as the next

Interview outcome

Our main point is to not stress! We know sometimes it is ridiculously exciting post-interview, the buzz of adrenaline is amazing! However, surgeries normally have more than one interview, so no matter how well you think you may have done it could take up to a week to hear back.

  • Await feedback – this is always important, good or bad, to reflect, learn and move on
  • Try distract yourself with other things whilst waiting for the answer
  • Really think about if they are right for you – it has to work both ways!
  • Be confident in yourself – you deserve a new role if that is what you want
  • Don’t be disheartened if it doesn’t work out, onwards and upwards!

Overall, the process can be daunting but if you’re prepared and are confident in yourself your strengths will shine through. We are here to help you through the process with preparation calls and assistance with the feedback process – but we thought we’d put some advice in black and white!

We work together to make sure you interview brilliantly and feel confident in your skills and abilities to help you to find your perfect practice.

Any queries, get in touch with our team on 01904 471 400 or info@vnrecruitment.co.uk