When it comes to recruiting veterinary talent, it’s a dog-eat-dog world. There are far more open positions than veterinarians to fill them—which means, if your practice is like most others, you’re struggling with recruiting. With such fierce competition, how can you set yourself apart?
Some super-successful veterinary practices do so by showering candidates with fat signing bonuses and top-tier compensation. Some are even paying off their new hires’ student loan debt! But if you’re like most animal hospitals and clinics, that’s simply not an option.
Fortunately, you can differentiate your veterinary practice without spending a fortune or trying to be something you’re not. It’s straightforward, commonsense, and most-likely second nature: simply give your candidates what they want most—hint: it’s not money!—and deliver it with a warm human touch.
The life of a veterinarian can be extremely gratifying, but it will never be classified as easy. Vets work long, fast-paced hours and face emotionally difficult situations, from suffering animals to distraught and difficult pet owners. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), burnout and turnover is very high right now—in fact, the highest of any medical specialty.
Even more alarming, according to a CDC study, veterinarians are at an increased risk of suicide. Compared to the general population, male vets are 2.1 times more likely to commit suicide and female vets are 3.5 times more likely. No wonder the veterinarian turnover rate is twice that of physicians, with roughly 2,000 vets retiring every year.
Medical professionals are people who choose to take care of others, whether human or critter. But in this environment, vets desperately need to take care of themselves as well.
That’s why a veterinary practice that goes out of its way to care for its people—that prioritizes a healthy work-life balance and invests in its staff’s well-being—has a very compelling story to tell. This is something you can offer new hires that goes far beyond dollars and cents.
Actions speak louder than words. It’s not enough to say how much you would value and appreciate your new employee; you need to show them, right from your earliest conversations. How do you do that? Well, during the recruiting process, you might choose to:
In a 2020 AVMA survey, 30% of veterinarians expressed the desire to work fewer hours, up from 23-24% in 2017-2019. Their stated reason: to achieve better work-life balance and improved mental health. Veterinary practices that offer their staff lighter schedules may not only reap the benefits of happier, healthier employees, but gain a tangible recruiting edge.