Interview Process
How to Prepare a CV
BODY
Contact Information – It is important to only include current contact information. It is a good idea to highlight the best way to reach you and if there are time/date considerations, that should be noted as well.
SUMMARY/INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH
This should be short but provide insight as to your career goals and interests. If you have had certain accomplishments throughout your career and they position you well to achieve future goals, this would be great to include.
EDUCATION
Academic institutions should be listed with the most recent/current institution first. It is important to list degrees received or expected and the relevant dates. Also, include any important accomplishments or specific focus under each school. Only include your GPA if it is above 3.7 and you have been at that school within the last 2-3 years. Class rank can also be included if impressive (top 10).
PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT
Start with your current or most recent position. List the name of the hospital or academic institution, location, and relevant dates. Below this list the title of your position. This should be followed by a brief paragraph that describes the scope of your responsibilities while in that position. Follow with bullet points describing contributions and accomplishments. If any of these can be quantified, this is a good idea.
PRESENTATIONS
List separately Abstracts and Lectures.
Include the title, the name of the conference or program, the location of the presentation and the date.
PUBLICATIONS
List separately Textbooks and Book Chapters.
Include the list of author(s) highlighting your name, title, publisher, and date.
HONORS AND AWARDS
Start with the most recent award.
Include the name of the honor or award, a brief description of the honor or award, where it was given, by whom it was given and the date.
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Include any leadership or committee positions. If the name of the organization is not self explanatory, include a brief description. Also, include a brief description of the scope of the responsibilities of the position and the dates.
VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE
Include experience which is relevant to your professional goals starting with title, organization, location, dates and description of responsibilities. It is best to stay away from religious or political volunteer work.
REFERENCES
If your references have agreed to be included on your CV, list their name, position, place of employment, the nature of their relationship with you, their email address, office phone number and cell phone number. It is best to include references from your most recent position and the past two or three positions. Professional references only. For candidates who want to keep their interest confidential, do not include any references nor mention that they will be provided upon request. This will be handled separately.
CV | Do’s and Don’ts
- Add a little personality where possible
- Make it readable by using a combination of paragraphs and bullet points. For each hospital or academic institution, provide a brief paragraph that details the scope of responsibilities. Then create bullet points with important aspects of the position. If appropriate, preface accomplishments with a heading such as Contributions or Accomplishments. Only include duties and accomplishments which support your professional goals and interests.
- Be consistent with formatting such as caps, bold, alignment, etc.
- Use no more than two fonts
- Have adequate white space i.e., create a three-four line between each section
- Use at least one-inch margins
- If you are interviewing for both academic and private practice positions, have two different CV’s prepared
- Have a colleague review your CV
- Be honest
Interview Tips
Advice from Laura’s Podcast
In this short podcast, Laura share’s her insights that she has gleaned from years of feedback from veterinary hospitals about what makes a great impression when veterinarians are interviewing. She also shares insights as to what gives a negative impression.
Tips from Dr. Jessica Larson, DVM, DACVIM
It is great to hear what Dr. Larson has to say about her interviewing process when she was considering job opportunities. Her honesty is so appreciated. She discusses what she wishes she had asked the hospitals after making both good and not so good decisions along her career path.
Interviewing tips with Dr. Jessica Larson, DVM, DACVIM:
10 Interview Tips from VCS
To assist you with interviewing success, we have put together a list of 10 Interviewing Tips for Veterinarians
- Be 5 to 10 Minutes Early, but No More. Plan to arrive a little early at the hospital for your interview, it will give you a little extra cushion and relieve the stress of being late. However, if a candidate arrives too early, it can add stress to the Veterinarian/Interviewer as many people are uncomfortable with people waiting for them.
- Be Prepared. More than likely an interview agenda has been sent to the candidate. The candidate should research the veterinarians with whom they will be interviewing or if the candidate is working with a recruiter, this information will be provided. This information will help candidates identify areas of common interest between the parties which creates a more comfortable atmosphere.
- Dress Professionally. First impressions are very important. Being overdressed is better than being under-dressed. A coat/sport jacket is recommended for both men and women. No blue jeans, no sandals. No heavy perfume or cologne. Many people react to strong scents and nothing can shorten an interview like a headache.
- Leave Your Cell Phone in the Car. Not only are cell phones a distraction, many professionals consider it disrespectful for a candidate to check their cell phone at various times throughout an interview. A candidate needs to be focused during an interview.
- Firm Handshake and Direct Eye Contact with Everyone. These mannerisms are important as they convey confidence, friendliness and respect. No eye contact can make people uncomfortable as if the other person is hiding something. This will translate into how a veterinarian interacts with clients.
- Listen. Do not talk too much. It is important to listen to what the hospital team is saying. Sometimes candidates get nervous and talk too much. This means they are not listening and often reveal too much information.
- No Negative Talk. Hospitals do not want to hear negative comments about a candidate’s former employer or colleagues. If a candidate were to do this, it is likely this candidate would also shed the next hospital in the same light. Furthermore, today, veterinary hospitals want to hire positive people, not negative.
- Be Prepared to Talk about Past Mistakes. No one is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. Hospitals want to hear about a few of those mistakes, how the doctor accepted responsibility for those mistakes, what they learned from a difficult case or a difficult client and what they would do differently. Many veterinarians will ask candidates to talk about this.
- A Short List of Questions. Candidates should have a short list of questions to ask at the end of the interview, such as protocols for client and RDVM communication, paperwork and other such concerns. This shows that they have done their research, that they listened throughout the interview and that they are interested. However, not too many questions. Be respectful of the Veterinarian/Interviewer’s time.
- Do Not Ask About Compensation. This is a red flag for prospective employers. They want their veterinarians to be excited about their work, the team and the hospital, not how much money they will make. This will be addressed at a later stage. If a candidate is working with a recruiter, the recruiter will know this information in advance.
Interview Process with VCS
Walkthrough of the Process
- Interview with Laura Anderson – During this interview, Laura will focus on learning about the candidate’s top priorities in a position and a hospital. She will also ask questions about the candidate’s personality and in what type of environment they feel they would thrive. Laura will also ask about their lives outside of the hospital including what hobbies they plan to pursue and any priorities for their families.
- Laura will prepare a list of opportunities that she feels will be great options for the veterinarians and where they will fit in with the existing teams.
- After the veterinarian has reviewed the hospitals, they will give Laura their feedback as to which positions they would like to pursue. Laura will begin to arrange phone interviews with the candidates and the hospitals.
- Laura will speak with both the hospital and the candidate after each phone interview to determine the next step.
- If all parties are interested, an onsite interview will be scheduled at the hospital. Laura will work with everyone to coordinate this. Most hospitals will also invite the candidate’s partner to visit the area as well, although they will not be invited to the interview.
- Laura will follow up with both the hospital and the candidate after the interview. If the candidate is interested in receiving an offer, Laura will convey this to the hospital and any specific information the candidate would like to see in the offer.
- The candidate will receive an offer from the hospital. If there are questions, they have the option to speak to Laura or if they prefer, they are welcome to speak directly to the hospital. Laura will share her thoughts on the offer and provide any help with negotiating that is needed.
- Once the offer letter is accepted, an employment agreement will be forwarded to the candidate. Laura will also assist in negotiating with this if needed.
- It is a priority for Laura to keep in touch with candidates after they start their new positions so if she is needed in any way, she will be there.
Veterinary Career Services 804-833-0585