Unusual First Day

[russellang]

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As I said in another thread I went in for my first day at a vet office in my first paid position in the vet field. The day before when I interviewed, the head vet tech said that tommorow I would be doing a trial day where they see how I do and we will go from there. She also said I would get a set amount and a check written to me at the end of the day. So anyways I got the scrubs when I went in for my first day.

Things went well, I was very proactive and did everything I could to help. However, that day they were extremely busy and lets say there was alot of time and no one had anything for me to do. So I walked the dogs and was playing with one of the cats that just got nuetered. I did not really talk to the vet much, he was very busy. The head vet tech said multiple times that "im sorry I cant show you stuff because we are so busy." I believe the vet was running about 30 minutes behind in his appointments.

The vet said to me that they would definetly call me next week for hours. The head vet tech is on vacation until tuesday so I did not think that was unusual. I thought things went well but I thought the whole thing was rather odd. They wrote me a check and had me return my scrubs in, they said they wash them on site (is that normal?). I guess I just feel I must have not been acceptable to them because they paid me, had me give back the scrubs, so there are no other ties they have with me and they could just not ever call me back and I would have no reason to call them (to get my check or hand in my scrubs etc).

I thought if any of you had any thoughts about this I would appreciate it. Im assuming I did not get the job.

Thank you

 

[VeganSoprano]

It sounds like this was more of a working interview type of deal. That's fine. It's a pretty standard way of finding out what kind of a worker you will be before they actually hire you, and for you to find out if you actually want to work there. Every hospital I've worked at has at least one story of someone walking out in the middle of their working interview or first day after finding out it's not for them after all! It's very cool that they paid you, since some pay and some don't.

It sounds like you showed initiative and helped where you could, which is all anyone would reasonably expect. I know walking dogs doesn't seem like a big deal but it's a huge thing when things are busy. The only additional thing you could have done (and may have already done) is ask how to do basic chores, especially laundry which is easy to learn but time intensive to do. If you ask to learn that kind of stuff it's usually good for major brownie points!

I'd say call if you don't hear from them by a week from Monday. But seriously, it sounds like you did just fine and they will be calling you!

 

[russellang]

I guess at this point it appears that I shouldnt jump to conclusions. I remember the vet and vet tech said during my interview that alot of people dont like it on their trial day because it is not all "puppies and kittens." Luckily I had shadowed a few days these past few weeks at another vet clinic so I knew generally what goes on. The laundry facilities are in another building- it is a rather interested setup they have there. They have the main hospital then in a buidling behind it are a few offices and then another building behind that is where the kennel and groomers are. I never actually went into the building with the washers/dryers.

I guess I just felt a bit uneasy literally standing around a good portion on the time.

 

[HopefulAg]

I guess I just felt a bit uneasy literally standing around a good portion on the time.

This is the point where you pick up a bottle of cleaner and start cleaning counters, cages or grab the duster and start dusting, or the broom and start brooming. Vet clinics ALWAYS have something that needs cleaning, even if it's just dishes. Or, walk around and see that all the animals have water. Open up a supplies drawer and make sure all the syringes are in their proper baskets and not just lying helter skelter. Make sure the meds are alphabetized and what have you.

On not-so-busy days go up to someone doing something and go 'hey, can you show me how to do that?' That's where the majority of my training came from. The vets didn't show me too many techniques/procedures, it was all the other techs who did the majority of my training and it was just in the form of me going up to them when I had time and asking them to show me how to do whatever they were doing, even if it was just how to properly stock a drawer, or where extra supplies were kept, and so forth.

 

[Fookie Kat]

The first clinic that I worked at had working interviews. They would have 10-12 candidates, so the interviewing process would last ~2 weeks. If you haven't heard back yet, perhaps they are still interviewing other people?

There is, of course, the chance that you did not get the job, but it was probably because someone had more experience than you or because you weren't the right fit. Just brush it off and try again. There's a better clinic out there for you. Good luck!