Flip the Script: Design your “Do Want” List for Veterinary Career Success

By Rebecca Rose, RVT, Certified Career Coach
Rebecca Rose Coaching, LLC – Gunnison, CO

As veterinary professionals, we’re often adept at identifying the aspects of our careers that leave us feeling drained and dissatisfied. It’s almost instinctual to focus on the “Don’t Want” list – the low pay, the disrespect, the understaffing. While acknowledging these frustrations is valid, dwelling solely on the negative can obscure the path towards genuine career fulfillment. You are encouraged to flip the script and, though it may feel daunting, intentionally design our “Do Want” list. This proactive approach is the crucial first step in achieving career satisfaction, allowing us to clearly define our needs and identify opportunities for personal and professional growth, ultimately moving us in a purposeful and rewarding direction.

This blog will guide you through the process of moving beyond the “Don’t Want” and articulating a powerful “Do Want” list, enabling you to take the reins in designing a career you truly desire. We’ll explore how to:

• Assess biases and barriers that might be hindering your focus on positive aspirations.
• Articulate your specific needs and wants for a truly fulfilling career within the veterinary field.
• Reframe your perspective on career opportunities within your current or future veterinary practice.
• Outline your comprehensive “Do Want” List as a tangible guide for your career journey.

The “Don’t Want” Trap: A Common Scenario

I observe a recurring pattern: veterinary team members readily identify what they don’t want, often with significant emotion, while struggling to articulate their positive aspirations.

RR: “I’m happy you have chosen to take the reins in designing your career. What is it you want in your career and life?”

Vet Team Member: “I’m not sure.”

RR: “Can you describe to me what you don’t want?”

Vet Team Member: “YES! I don’t want to be low-balled, disrespected, ignored, underappreciated, understaffed…”

RR: “Good to know. What kind of team do you want to work with?”

Vet Team Member: “I’m not sure.”

RR: “Can you describe to me what kind of team you don’t want?”

Vet Team Member: “YES! I don’t want to work with people who gossip, deliver poor-quality medicine, aren’t accountable, are rude…”

RR: “How much money do you need to make, annually?”

Vet Team Member: “I’m not sure.”

RR: “Can you describe to me the amount of money you know you don’t want?”

Vet Team Member: “YES! I don’t want what I am currently making…”

This trend highlights a crucial point: while identifying negatives easily, clarity about our positive desires is often lacking. The danger lies in the principle that you get what you focus on. If our mental energy is primarily directed towards what we don’t want (your negative biases), we risk perpetuating those very circumstances.

Shifting the Focus: The Power of the “Do Want” List

The first step in transforming your career trajectory is to clearly define what you truly value and desire. This process of self-discovery, while sometimes challenging, is essential for bringing your aspirations to fruition.

Whether you’re a seasoned veterinary professional or just starting your journey, taking the time for some soul-searching is paramount. Consider your personal and professional values – what truly matters to you in your work and life? Then, contemplate what you are actively seeking in your veterinary career – what are the “make or break” factors for your ideal position? Finally, begin to set clear expectations for what you will actively identify during the job hunting and interviewing process.

Begin with Your Values: The Foundation of Fulfillment

Job hunting, and ultimately career satisfaction, starts with understanding your core personal and professional values. This is where genuine introspection begins. Consider the following prompts to initiate this crucial process, allowing your thoughts to flow freely without judgment:

In regard to:

• Serving pets, I believe….
• Serving veterinary clients, I believe….
• Being a part of an efficient, skillful veterinary team, I believe….
• My personal time and satisfaction, I believe….
• My personal passion, I believe…
• My personal wellbeing, I believe….

Complete the following statements:

• I hold _____________________ in high regard when it comes to my personal time.
• I hold _____________________ in high regard when it comes to providing veterinary care.

Once you have identified these core values, hold true to them! Actively seek a veterinary hospital and team whose values align with your own. This alignment is a strong predictor of becoming an efficient, passionate, and fulfilled veterinary team member.

Requirements for Your Veterinary Career: Declaring Your Desires

Beyond your core values, there are likely specific needs and wants you envision for your ideal veterinary practice. Perhaps location is a key factor, or the availability of specific community amenities. Salary and benefits are undoubtedly important considerations, as is the size of the practice, the services offered, and the overall standard of care. Don’t overlook any additional considerations – write them down.

Now is the time to declare what you need and want! Write your DO WANT LIST!

Use the following prompts as a starting point to articulate your specific desires:

• Desired location is ______________ with _______________ opportunities.
• Annual income of $ __________ with a benefits package including ________________.
• Doctor to Team member ratio is 1 to _________.
• Hospital provides the following services:
• Equipment or additional resources: _____________________________.
• The standard of care is defined as _______________________.

You now possess the essential tools to define your “Do Want” List and transform it from a vague aspiration into a tangible reality. All that remains is your conviction and confidence in bringing it to fruition. Remember the empowering motto: “Feel the fear and do it anyway.” Now is the time to embrace any apprehension you may feel about reaching your greatest potential and actively design and maintain the veterinary career of your dreams.