When to apply for volunteer/shadowing opportunities?

[tawee]

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Hi guys,

I'm a college sophomore with no vet experience yet, but I'm hoping to start shadowing and/or working (paid or, more likely, unpaid) at a vet practice this coming summer. I see from past threads that it's usually advisable to go around to vet offices in person to give my resume and maybe talk to the owner or manager. But here's the thing. This summer, I'll most likely be doing an internship in my hometown, so that's where I'd like to find a vet to shadow or work for. I'm currently in my hometown until the first week of January; then I go back to college out of state and won't be home until June. Would it be advisable for me to go around to vet offices with my resume now, even though I won't really be able to start working until the summer? (Of course, I could shadow or work in the next 2-3 weeks while I'm home, but that seems so short-term that I'm guessing no one would take me on right away.) Or should I wait till June and take my chances then? It seems weird to me to ask them about working 6 months ahead of time - how would they even remember me come June - but I'm concerned that if I wait till summer to ask, any potential opportunities will already have been filled up....

 

[PetPony]

I'm just now starting, too. Tomorrow I will be asking my father's vet to see if I can shadow him. He is a mixed animal vet who also breed German Shepherds. I'm in Germany right now and it'd be awesome to get a shadowing position here for a whole summer. Once I'm back in the States, I will go to our own vet and ask if I could shadow or even get a job with him next summer.

I probably will not be coming to my hometown again before the summer, so I want to ask early. Maybe asking now already will also show how interested you are. If they say yes or even only that they will think about it, I'm gonna call a few weeks before the semester ends to follow up on it and show that I am still interested.

 

[Bismarck]

The worst you can get is someone telling you they aren't interested, so take the initiative and start hunting for an opportunity. Phone calls, emails; whatever medium you are best in communicating in should be a priority. Be sure to follow up with an in-person meeting if you can.

Your lack of prior experience is going to hurt you (as in people will question why they should take you on a lark.) Do your best to emphasize how you are a quick learner and other jobs (and references even better) that can speak to this would be helpful.

Good luck!

 

[Myotis]

I would do it now. And if nothing pans out, try again when you get back in the summer. I went around with resumes to all the vet clinics in the area three or four times before anything worked out (only one clinic takes volunteers and there's always a wait list). Eventually I got a volunteer position with the previously mentioned vet clinic and a job as an assistant at another clinic.

 

[StartingoverVet]

The earlier the better.

 

[sunnex3]

thought i should say something about how i got my current job.

winter of 08-09 i emailed one of the people at a large specialty hospital in my area about summer opportunities. spring 09 met with her, later in may did a working interview and landed a position in internal medicine for the summer. went to go back to school fall 09, worked in the ICU/ER winter break 09-10, came back to internal medicine summer 10. worked again in ICU/ER winter break 10-11. worked ICU/ER and surgery summer 11, and now i'm working full time in the ICU/ER until i go to school in the fall.

it is NEVER too early. i was extremely persistent with emails/calls (probably to the point of being annoying and pesky!). i always inquired EARLY about potential availability for me during breaks.

i had limited experience working in a GP in DC (as in...i had no technical skills such as blood draws or anything, really just animal restraint and cleaning) and i've learned so much from this current position.

and i realize that my situation is probably not the norm, but don't be discouraged!

 

[Velaineil]

I was in a similar situation a few years ago. What I did was send out letters about a month and a half before school ended, then called about a week later. I think it gives people a little bit of a head's up before they actually have to make a decision. I sent out about 30 letters, and only one of the clinics actually let me shadow- so I guess it didn't have a very good success rate.
I'm actually on break now, and all of the places I'm shadowing now are new. This time I just called them about two weeks before break started and left messages with the receptionists, and if I didn't hear from the vets I called again a few days later. This worked really well for me- everyplace I called but one has let me come in!
I never brought a resume with me, but then I never asked for a job either. Good luck!🙂