First job interview

I had my first proper job interview for a graduate veterinary job with Vets4Pets this afternoon and I think it went really well.

I was a bit undecided about what to wear as I'm not really a formal kinda guy and I know people have been asked to jump into consults and stuff during longer interviews. I wore chinos, a smart jumper and brown leather shoes but I guess if anyone is in the same position and wondering, chinos and a shirt would have been fine.

The clinic is about an hour away so I got there with plenty of time (over half an hour early), grabbed a coffee from the petrol station around the corner and then arrived bang on time.
The staff were great, I was waiting in Reception for a few mins at the start so chatted to an elderly man in the waiting room; his dog was in surgery and he was as nervous as I was!

The actual interview was pretty relaxed. We chatted about my unusual route into Vet Med, the JVP grew up in the same town as me and then just a bit about their set up and how they're linked to a couple of other clinics in the area.

Their website doesn't really give much away as it's all "Coming soon" but I was really impressed with the facilities. They have endoscopy and do lap spays as standard which is something I'd love to learn (and not mentioned on the website so an added bonus), dental x-ray as standard and three consult rooms. Downstairs is a bit cramped but upstairs isn't used to there's room for expansion up there to free up space.

A week of interviews

I'm back in the UK this week as we had our Pigs State last week so have a bit of time off and it coincides nicely with BSAVA Congress.

I've had a few phone interviews over the last of couple months and luckily been offered five job interviews in a variety of practices (Vets4Pets, IVC, CVS and an independent) which I've managed to book while I'm home.
Once I'd got a couple of interviews I was happy, then I was offered a couple more which I couldn't really turn down as I've only recently applied! I think it will be good to attend them all to see how the different practices work, interview and what they have to offer ...I'm never one to turn down an opportunity!

Five interviews sounds like a lot but I've been quite picky with the practices and would be happy to work at any of them; they all have good facilities, lots of surgery and well qualified teams who I think I could learn a lot from.
The teams range from 3 vets & 3 nurses to 22 vets & 32 nurses so they'd be very different clinics to work in so we shall see what gets offered...

First interview is tomorrow!

Didn't get the job...

I've just had an email to say I didn't get the job with Premier Nutrition which I'm gutted about, though it's not all bad news...

Unfortunately on this occasion you have not been selected, however Dr P*** really wanted to express his enthusiasm for your application and at how well you interviewed. He has suggested that you would be suitable for consideration for our Graduate programme – so please look out for an email from them.

I will also keep your details on file should other suitable roles become available, unless I hear otherwise from you.

Second interview with Premier Nutrition

I've just been to a second interview with the Nutrition Director and the Sales Manager of Premier Nutrition for the Transition Cow System Developer job.

I think the interview went really well, I answered all the questions and got on with them both really well so it just depends on how the other person interviews.

Last week Andrew emailed me a link to the apps they use with three demo farms set up on it and asked me to prepare some comments based on the score generated and implications they may have for the farm.

I went through each demo farm with my notes from last year, did some reading online and then made a list of comments with examples.

Then went through the comments and suggested what could happen if the issues weren't resolved.

At the interview they went through how the company car scheme works, the geographical areas we could be covering and working hours. They also asked when I'm available to start which is pretty much straight away!

I'm down to the final 2 candidates for the job so I guess now its just a waiting game!

Transition Cow System Developer Interview

I applied for a job with AB Agri last week and have just heard that I have an interview!

The job title is Transitional Cow System Developer and from what I've gathered it means driving round various dairy farms to look at nutrition, body scoring and other data collection to pass on to the nutritionists. Transitional cows are defined as the period of 3 weeks before she calves through to the three weeks after calving.

It sounds very similar to the research work we did on the uni farm, only with Dairy cows and it would be working on UK wide farms!
The job is well paid, includes a company vehicle as I could be in Devon one day and Durham the next so would be really exciting.

Premier Nutrition are a massive company so even though its only a 12 month contract there could be an extension or scope for other work after that.

Anyway, I've just been to have my hair cut and the suit is ready for tomorrow morning!

New Job! "Relief Stockman and Dairy Worker"

I've just had an email to say they'll offer me a job on the Uni farms as a Relief Stockman and Dairy Worker!

Most of the work will be Lambing before and during Easter but they'll also try and get me some Dairy work which would be really good. I want to try and get more experience on the Quad and Tractors - quad is easy but have only really driven the old tractor at the dairy farm to scrape out the yard. Would be good to get more experience, especially when we'll be applying for jobs once graduated this Summer.

The application form says it will "involve assistance with weekend checking and feeding of sheep, assistance with lambing, assistance in the milking rotas or with calf rearing activities."
Cody also got the job so I guess it helped that they knew us from Lambing the past 2 years!

Looking forward to starting it next year!

Uni Farm Work - Interview

I went for my interview for the Relief Stockman and Dairy Workers job at the Uni farm this morning and think it went quite well!

There were a panel of 3 people interviewing, the head of the whole Department and Uni Farms, the Farms Manager (who I know from Lambing) and our Course Director, so they kind of knew me when I went in.

Then asked about my CV and experienced, asked questions about what I'd do in particular situations etc.
I said I didn't have much experience driving a tractor but am really keen to learn, which they said is something they'd be able to help with.

They were also asking about what hours/days I could do, whether term-time or vacations (both) and if I had a car to get there.
Milking will start at 5am so I'd have to be up at 4am!

Hopefully hear sooooon