Episodes

The third and final episode with Iain McLachlan – CEO of the New Zealand Veterinary Council. We talk about: the veterinary shortage, the nursing shortage, why the NZ VC doesn’t include two of the world’s top 10 veterinary science universities in its List of Recognised Institutions, when it's going to update that list of Recognised Institutions, what clinics can do if they absolutely cannot manage their after-hours obligations, and what “limited registration” means.To...

The second of three episodes with Iain McLachlan – CEO of the New Zealand Veterinary Council. We talk about: the veterinary shortage, the nursing shortage, why the NZ VC doesn’t include two of the world’s top 10 veterinary science universities in its List of Recognised Institutions, when it's going to update that list of Recognised Institutions, what clinics can do if they absolutely cannot manage their after-hours obligations, and what “limited registration” means.T...

Today we start the first of three episodes where Iain McLachlan – CEO of the New Zealand Veterinary Council – and I, talk about the veterinary shortage, the nursing shortage, why the NZ VC doesn’t include two of the world’s top 10 veterinary science universities in its List of Recognised Institutions, when is it going to update that list of Recognised Institutions, what clinics can do if they absolutely cannot manage their after-hours obligations, and what “limited registration” means.

Back in ...

Part 2 of the "Qs to A recruitment agencies before working with them" series. This episode specifically for the vet clinic - the HR manager, the Practice Manager, Lead Veterinarian or Veterinary Nurse who's charged with "recruitment" inside a vet clinic. In this episode Julie South of VetStaff details the questions you need to ask and the answers you need to listen out for. The questions are: 1. Is the agency a specialist or generalist? Check out their website 2...

Not all recruitment agencies are created equal. Some recruitment agencies use the "spray and pray" method. They'll get a job-seeker's CV, then spray it all over town (to their database) and leave it to the employer - the vet clinic - to do contact the CV owner, set up the interview, interview, and negotiate direct. Recruitment agencies that do this could be breaching the NZ Privacy Act, which states that a recruitment agency needs to seek permission to share info from the job s...

This is part 2 of a 2 part series with Dr Ashley O'Driscoll, DVM, BSc. Dr O’Driscoll has worked in several New Zealand veterinary clinics – on both Islands - as a pet and farm animal veterinarian since moving here in 2010. As you’ll pick up, Dr O’Driscoll has a strong interest in animal welfare – she started the Waikato’s first home euthanasia referral service for dogs in the Waikato – as well as working for MPI and the SPCA in animal welfare. As well as being a large animal vet ...

Dr O’Driscoll has worked in several New Zealand veterinary clinics – on both Islands - as a pet and farm animal veterinarian since moving here in 2010.

As you’ll pick up, Dr O’Driscoll has a strong interest in animal welfare – she started the Waikato’s first home euthanasia referral service for dogs in the Waikato – as well as working for MPI and the SPCA in animal welfare.

As well as being a large animal vet (she loooooves cows!), she’s also a Certified Body Condition Score Assessor. The Body...

This VetStaff survey was run over four weeks - promoted via FB, Insta, LI and this podcast. Respondents were guaranteed anonymity. However, if they wanted their clinic to go in the draw to win lunch they needed to complete contact info so we could organise the delivery if their name was pulled out of the hat. Fifteen respondents chose to remain totally anonymous. Random lucky dip draw from all respondents. Vet Farm Pet Clinic - Warkworth Animal Referral Centre – S...

VetStaff does more than flick job seekers' CV onto vet clinics like their competitors - who then leave the job seeker to negotiate everything for themselves. VetStaff helps clinics with reputation misinformation - for example the false rumour of CCTVs in restrooms! Case Study #1 6-month new grad looking for her second jobVetStaff were given five days to organise a job interviewin four days they had three interviews job offer was signed within a week$21kpa increase on what she was...

If you’re a recent or new vet science graduate of Massey University then regardless of where you’re working in New Zealand, you’ve probably heard of, or met, Krispin as he’s been quite involved with Massey’s MMI for vet students over the years.
MMI is part of the Massey BVSc pre-selection programme – they’re the 8 Multi Mini Interviews potential vet science students go through.

Krispin’s been on the panel where students get to go a round of 8 short, structured interviews lasting 8 minutes each....

Dr Karli Houston is a marathon running, fundraising, companion animal veterinarian.
Karli was born in the US to two kiwi parents.

Karli has a raft of qualifications behind her … she studied biology and theatre arts at the Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania, then Human Nutrition at the University of Maryland before moving to Palmerston North and to complete her Bachelor of Veterinary Science at Massey.

Since graduating from Massey in 2012, Karli’s worked at Franklin Vets in Auckland, New Zealan...

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
...

At job interviewers, hiring managers / interviewers usually ask "do you have any questions you'd like to ask?". Many people mumble something like "you've answered all my questions" [which may be true] or "no - no questions". Here are 15 questions across three top level subjects to help job-seekers level out the balance of interviewing "power" that can be assumed at a job interview. The main question topics relate to the: vet clinic rolevet clinic's vision; andvet clinic cultureIt’s importa...

When someone asks you to “tell me about a time when …..” this is where the STAR methodology kicks in.

Situation
Task
Action
Result

Everyone dreads the "tell me about a time when you................." type interview questions because they usually don't know how to answer and/or aren't sure what the interviewer is looking for.

This episode answers both of those questions and includes relevant examples taken from vet clinics.

Other episodes referred to in this episode:

Episode 39 - Emotional I...

9 behaviour focussed job interview questions that job seekers roll their eyes at, and interviewers feel they must ask.

One vet told me a couple of years’ back that she declined a job because she didn’t like the soft and fluffy questions “someone from HR” asked her.

In the vet’s opinion the questions she was asked did nothing to prove or disprove she was a good vet. Which is a fair comment.

However, what behaviour focussed job interview questions help uncover or determine is fit – will the fit...

Veterinarian Dr Helen Beattie on: life after Chief Veterinary Officer at the New Zealand Veterinary Association Veterinarians for Animal Welfare Aotearoa - VAWAsome of the amazing opportunities Helen experienced as CVO NZVAsome more of the amazing people Helen worked with as CVO NZVAwhat's next and where to from herePart 3 of the three part series getting to know Dr Helen Beattie now that she's no longer the Chief Veterinary Officer at the New Zealand Veterinary Association. Part 1 - e...

Veterinarian Dr Helen Beattie on: Conflict, Tension & Moral DistressBooks Helen's reading and recommendsInspiration & aspirational parenting+ a bit of philosophical discussionPart 2 of a multi-part series getting to know Dr Helen Beattie before she became known to New Zealand's veterinarians in her role as Chief Veterinary Officer at the New Zealand Veterinary Association. Part 1 - episode 069 - some career highs and lows Books Dr Helen Beattie is reading or has just finished readin...

Dr Helen Beattie grew up on a South Island Central High Country station before going to Massey University. Her veterinary career started off in a mixed animal clinic in North Otago.

Helen’s OE included working on the UKs foot and mouth response in the UK. From there she came home to Godzone and bought a companion animal clinic in Dunedin.

From clinic ownership Helen ventured into teaching vet nurses at Otago Polytechnic. Not standing still on the education front, Helen picked up the books hers...

This week we’re looking at what vet clinics need to do to navigate Phase 2 of Omicron, what payment options you have for employees who get sick and then a lesson I had last week which, as Shania Twain would say – didn’t impress me much!

At 11:59pm on Tuesday 15 February NZ officially moved into Phase 2 of the Omicron Response framework.

In short, this means that positive cases need to self-isolate for 10 days (can self-release after day 10 if no symptoms for 72 hours).

Close contacts need to ...

How NZ vet clinics and overseas qualified vets are impacted
In real terms, what difference does this make? In some cases, it’s going to make a HUGE difference, in others, not-so much.

What was MIQ – which those clinics fortunate enough to have vets enter NZ over the last 18 months or so – had the pleasure – she says, in air quotes, of footing the bill for that – well that’s still going to happen just under a different name and with a different look.

SELF ISOLATION is going to kick in instead o...

So far, we’ve looked at the cost of employee turnover – episode 64 – how to lower the cost of churn – employee turnover by starting an Employee Retention Investment Fund at your clinic.

Last week we looked at the 5-P questions – Pride + Place + Possibility + Permanency + Propel
Today we’re looking at the next series of seven survey questions - in line with Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs - you can ask your team – or yourself – to check the State of the Nation at your clinic.

This episode is especi...

Vet Clinic Employee Engagement Index Questions The second of a multi episode series focussed on helping vet clinics retain the top performing vets and vet nurses in your clinic and then how to attract more vets and vet nurses just like them. Recent Employment Relations Authority determination around Restraints of Trade If you’ve been listening to Paws Claws & Wet Noses for a while you’ll have heard me comment quite a few times that Restraint of Trade clauses can stand up in a court of l...

Vet Clinic Employee Turnover Costs & Composition Today’s show is the first of a multi episode series focussed on helping vet clinics retain the top performing vets and vet nurses in your clinic and then how to attract more vets and vet nurses like them. Specifically, today, we’re going to be looking at the cost – because it is - of employee turnover. I think the numbers might surprise you – because we’re going to be talking in real terms. When you lose a team member it comes ...

Margie's dreams, aspirations and how vet clinics can pay their vet nurses more This is the second of two episodes where I catch up with Vet Nurse of the Year 2021 Margie Rutherford of The Strand Veterinarian in Auckland’s Parnell. If you haven’t listened to last week’s episode – number 63 – I highly recommend you go and listen to that show before you listen to this, as it gives context. Today, Margie shares some of her dreams and aspirations for vet nurses. She talks about the ...