featuring Carissa Welsh and Clint Long | Blue Heron Consulting

In this webinar hosted by Blue Heron Consulting and sponsored by WealthSouth, we dive into practical, data-informed strategies for attracting veterinary talent in a highly competitive job market. From writing compelling job ads to enhancing candidate connection and building standout benefits packages, this session is full of actionable advice for veterinary practice owners and managers. Perfect for anyone hiring an associate veterinarian, practice manager, or support staff. Don’t miss this behind-the-scenes look at what truly matters to today’s job seekers—and how to win them over.

In today’s ultra-competitive veterinary hiring landscape, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by open roles and limited applicant pools. If you’ve tried hiring a veterinarian or support staff in the past year, you’ve likely felt the pinch of a job market that’s more competitive than ever. You’re not alone. With an abundance of open positions and a limited pool of available candidates, veterinary practice owners across the country are asking the same question:

“How do I stand out and actually attract the right people?”

The good news? While the landscape may be tough, there are clear, strategic steps you can take to differentiate your practice and connect with candidates who are aligned with your values, culture, and vision. With the right strategy, you can stand out and attract the high-quality candidates your practice deserves. Here’s how.

Understand the Current Hiring Landscape

Let’s start with the reality check.

The veterinary profession is experiencing a historic imbalance between supply and demand. As of 2024, the unemployment rate for veterinarians sits at just 0.5%, meaning nearly everyone looking for a job already has one. For each job-seeking DVM, there are 18.5 job openings. And for technicians, that number is around 5.9.

This can feel overwhelming, but it also gives us clarity: you need to be intentional. Whether you’re hiring a veterinarian, technician, or practice manager, understanding the environment helps you avoid wasted time and energy—and it refocuses your effort on the strategies that work.

And here’s some encouraging news: private practice is still a strong preference. Nearly 69% of 2024 veterinary graduates chose full-time roles in private practice. Despite the rise of corporate groups, many veterinarians still value the mentorship, flexibility, and culture that smaller practices offer.

Write a Job Ad That Actually Stands Out

If your job ad sounds like every other posting out there—“We’re a full-service practice looking for a compassionate veterinarian…”—you’re blending in, not standing out.

Here’s how to shift that:

Use specific, compelling job titles.
Go beyond “Associate Veterinarian.” Add a hook that reflects your uniqueness:

  • “Closed Weekends | 4 DVM Practice | Privately Owned”

  • “Mentorship-Driven Role | Ideal for New Grads”

  • “Feline-Only Practice | Fear Free Certified Team”

Emphasize what sets your practice apart.
Are you AAHA-accredited? Do you offer paid parental leave? Do your associates attend CE together each year? These details may seem small, but they paint a picture of culture and values that help candidates self-select in.

Optimize the first few lines.
Most candidates skim dozens of listings at once. Make the opening sentence count. Use bold, direct language that communicates what they’ll experience by working with you.

Diversify your job board strategy.
The AVMA Career Center and Indeed remain top-performing platforms. But also explore newer veterinary-specific boards like Hound (which allows you to showcase photos of your team and facility), and state veterinary medical associations that distribute job listings to local DVMs.

Make a Personal Connection with Candidates

Once a candidate bites, the way you engage can make or break the outcome.

Personalize your outreach.
Generic messages won’t cut it. Take 2–3 minutes to read their résumé or career statement. Mention their special interests (like surgery or ultrasound), and explain how your practice aligns with those passions.

Be responsive.
Candidates receive dozens of messages within 48 hours of posting a résumé. A delayed response signals a lack of interest. Aim to reply within 24 hours—or delegate this task to a trusted team member if needed.

Focus on recent activity.
Use platforms like Indeed or AVMA to sort candidates by “last updated.” Prioritize those who have recently refreshed their résumé, as they’re more likely to be actively exploring roles.

Build a Benefits Package That Speaks to Today’s Candidates

Salary matters—but it’s not the only thing candidates care about. In fact, during interviews conducted by our hiring team at Blue Heron Consulting, these three benefits consistently rise to the top:

  1. Medical Insurance (especially comprehensive coverage)

  2. Paid Time Off (PTO) – Candidates look for a minimum of 3 weeks.

  3. 401(k) with Employer Matching – Seen as a sign of long-term investment in the employee.

Additional perks that set practices apart include:

  • Paid CE and license coverage

  • Relocation assistance

  • Student loan support

  • A supportive, collaborative team culture

  • Even small touches like rotating weekends off or lunch breaks that are actually protected

If you’re unsure how to build out competitive benefits, partners like WealthSouth can help you create packages that are both meaningful and manageable.

Create a Thoughtful, Memorable Interview Experience

Think of the interview as more than just a screening—it’s an audition for your practice, too.

Conduct a practice profile.
Before you interview a single candidate, take time to reflect: What makes your practice different? What do your current team members value most about working there? Capture that in a “practice profile” that you can use to refine your job ad and guide your conversations.

Prep for the interview.
Have a few go-to questions ready that speak to clinical skills, communication style, and alignment with your team’s culture. But don’t feel the need to stick to a script—organic conversation goes a long way.

Invest in in-person experiences.
If a candidate is flying in for an onsite interview, offer to cover travel or hotel costs. Plan out an itinerary that includes shadowing time, a team lunch or dinner, and opportunities for them to connect personally with future coworkers.

Be ready to negotiate.
Candidates may come back with questions or requests—and that’s a good thing. It means they’re considering your offer seriously. View negotiation not as a challenge, but as an opportunity to show that you’re committed to building a mutually rewarding relationship.

Final Takeaways

Attracting veterinary candidates today requires more than just a job ad. It demands a strategy.

To recap, here are three core pillars of successful recruiting:

  1. Know the Landscape – You’re not alone in feeling frustrated. But clarity leads to smarter action.

  2. Prioritize the Candidate’s Perspective – It’s not just about filling a role; it’s about offering value and belonging.

  3. Be Present Through the Whole Journey – From job post to signed contract, stay engaged, responsive, and human.

With a little intention and the right support, you can attract the candidates who will thrive in your practice—and help it grow.