New Grad- Job Search Advice

[greeneyegal92]

Hello everyone!

I am graduating this upcoming May and I already know that the internship residency route is not for me. My ultimate career goal is to be ABVP board certified in Feline Medicine which I can begin out in practice, preferably with a mentor.

I am looking for my first job as a veterinarian but my situation is less than ideal. My husband and I would ideally like to live together. He coaches colligate cross country/track and field and job opportunities are much more limited for him versus for veterinarians right now. Majority of his applications for a position will open in August/September in which there is a strong possibility we may move away from Minnesota. All fine and dandy, except what do I do for 3-4 months before that time???

I need to work somewhere because we will have bills piling up, but I don't want to start a position then have to leave so soon, especially if they are investing the time to mentor me. Technically, I am not responsible for "predicting my future" (I could be staying for a full year who knows) and sharing this with employers, but I also don't want to blind side anyone. This dilemma has stopped me from applying to any jobs all together.

Has anyone been in a similar situation? What options do you think I have?
Any advice greatly appreciated!

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[JustPaws]

Hey stranger, long time no see!

 

[greeneyegal92]

Hey stranger, long time no see!

Howdy! Been a long time for sure

 

[JustPaws]

I guess my thoughts on your question is apply somewhere you see yourself staying if it works out for your SO... but that does not screw you over with a non compete. I would not be telling them that you may leave but that's just me

 

[TheGirlWithTheFernTattoo]

I'm in a similar situation, except I am going the internship route. I have 2 months between finishing rotations and graduation/moving for internship, and originally I was going to spend that time traveling. Thanks to Covid, I had to cancel all of those fun plans.

I reached out to the ERs in my hometown I worked in previously with my situation and got offered a short term contract ER contract at both of them (hopefully going to do part time at both hospitals). Enough places are hurting for vets and they know me so they were happy to take me (although since I won't be formally graduated or licensed I do need to be supervised and work under the license of someone else).

You could always reach out to somewhere you worked previously and see if you can have a short-term contract off of the bat. I think ER is easier than GP for that sort of thing since long term client relationships aren't really a thing in ER, but it is worth a shot.

 

[greeneyegal92]

Honestly, that is where I was leaning too. For some reason I just feel really guilty about it...

I guess my thoughts on your question is apply somewhere you see yourself staying if it works out for your SO... but that does not screw you over with a non compete. I would not be telling them that you may leave but that's just me

 

[greeneyegal92]

I'm in a similar situation, except I am going the internship route. I have 2 months between finishing rotations and graduation/moving for internship, and originally I was going to spend that time traveling. Thanks to Covid, I had to cancel all of those fun plans.

I reached out to the ERs in my hometown I worked in previously with my situation and got offered a short term contract ER contract at both of them (hopefully going to do part time at both hospitals). Enough places are hurting for vets and they know me so they were happy to take me (although since I won't be formally graduated or licensed I do need to be supervised and work under the license of someone else).

You could always reach out to somewhere you worked previously and see if you can have a short-term contract off of the bat. I think ER is easier than GP for that sort of thing since long term client relationships aren't really a thing in ER, but it is worth a shot.

That's definitely a unique option I haven't heard yet!

However, I don't really have ER connections specifically since I've always been drawn to GP and long-term client contact. The clinic I currently as a technician is a 1.5 doctor practice, so I would probably be flying solo quite a bit, not sure how I feel about that right after graduation...

Great idea! But logistically probably ruined that option for myself.

 

[SkiOtter]

Hiii!!!! We’ve missed you in here!!!
If you do find a place to sign a contract, make sure you wouldn’t have to pay back any sort of singing bonus or anything if you break your contract and leave early.
You could also consider the unfortunate possibility about long distance for a few months until a 1 year contract would end for you, even though it’s way less ideal.

 

[greeneyegal92]

Hiii!!!! We’ve missed you in here!!!
If you do find a place to sign a contract, make sure you wouldn’t have to pay back any sort of singing bonus or anything if you break your contract and leave early.
You could also consider the unfortunate possibility about long distance for a few months until a 1 year contract would end for you, even though it’s way less ideal.

It's crazy yall still remember me, I feel like it's been a whole lifetime since I've been here

Being apart is a possibility and it probably will happen for at least a couple months. Just sucks paying for 2 different places to live at the same time, and of course the just being apart portion of it all. I'd also feel just as guilty leaving at 6-8 months as I would a year idk I'm probably too sentimental

Also when are you/ did you go to ASPCA??? I'm leaving for there the 17th of this month!!

 

[SkiOtter]

Also when are you/ did you go to ASPCA??? I'm leaving for there the 17th of this month!!

I went there at the end of October!!!! I loved it!!! Tons of breweries if that’s your thing and I’m sure @Barkley13 and @Doggo Labs would be far better at giving recommendations of the ones we went to than I would be 😂😂

 

[that redhead]

Hello everyone!

I am graduating this upcoming May and I already know that the internship residency route is not for me. My ultimate career goal is to be ABVP board certified in Feline Medicine which I can begin out in practice, preferably with a mentor.

I am looking for my first job as a veterinarian but my situation is less than ideal. My husband and I would ideally like to live together. He coaches colligate cross country/track and field and job opportunities are much more limited for him versus for veterinarians right now. Majority of his applications for a position will open in August/September in which there is a strong possibility we may move away from Minnesota. All fine and dandy, except what do I do for 3-4 months before that time???

I need to work somewhere because we will have bills piling up, but I don't want to start a position then have to leave so soon, especially if they are investing the time to mentor me. Technically, I am not responsible for "predicting my future" (I could be staying for a full year who knows) and sharing this with employers, but I also don't want to blind side anyone. This dilemma has stopped me from applying to any jobs all together.

Has anyone been in a similar situation? What options do you think I have?
Any advice greatly appreciated!

Does your husband currently have a job and is looking for a new one, or is he going to be entering that job market? Are there any positions open now that he could apply to and hear from within a relatively short time-frame versus waiting until the fall?

I ask because it may require that he make the sacrifice of staying with his current program or applying to a not-dream-job location so that you can start working and establish income. He can always apply elsewhere when the majority of places accept applications and see if there’s something better, or wait until the following year (fall 2023) to look elsewhere.

 

[battie]

In regards to the feelings of guilt about leaving. I understand; I fully intend to leave my current hospital a little under a year from now. The only reason I'm staying is maternity leave and healthcare while I'm pregnant. I'll be filling out the application for where I want to go the month I'm back at work and giving notice likely 8-10 weeks after starting again.

It sucks cause the people are nice and it's a good hospital overall. It's just not what I want to do with my life. You gotta take care of you and your family first, though. At the end of the day, you don't owe the practice anything in regards to staying. You definitely should give adequate notice (so that they don't schedule you appointments and such). But if a workplace isn't going to work for you, then move on.

 

[that redhead]

In regards to the feelings of guilt about leaving. I understand; I fully intend to leave my current hospital a little under a year from now. The only reason I'm staying is maternity leave and healthcare while I'm pregnant. I'll be filling out the application for where I want to go the month I'm back at work and giving notice likely 8-10 weeks after starting again.

It sucks cause the people are nice and it's a good hospital overall. It's just not what I want to do with my life. You gotta take care of you and your family first, though. At the end of the day, you don't owe the practice anything in regards to staying. You definitely should give adequate notice (so that they don't schedule you appointments and such). But if a workplace isn't going to work for you, then move on.

While I agree 10000% (I gave notice at my job literally 2 months after coming back from maternity leave in a similar situation to you - nice people, nice place, just not what I wanted to do with my life), I think that’s different than signing on knowing you definitely will not be staying for any length of time. The time and energy that will be spent training you, introducing you to clients, establishing you in the schedule, etc. is no small beans for a clinic. On the other hand, I don’t imagine a lot of places would agree to hire someone on for such a short time if you were honest with them about the situation. But maybe places really are that desperate.

I would say look into relief work but I think that would be really tough as a new grad for many reasons. You could always reach out to one of those relief vet coordinating companies and ask, or to a local recruiter and see what they could string together

 

[greeneyegal92]

I ended up working with a VetCor recruiter who will be reaching out to clinics on my behalf in their Minnesota network. They have helped a few island students, who graduate times other than May, find temporary work until their internship programs started. Some clinics apparently are that desperate now 😅 So fingers crossed they find something for me and the clinic already knows what they're getting into up front 🤞