
Category: Resume Tips
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How you tell your story matters
Read Time/Watch Time
5 minutes
Who should read this?
Employers, job seekers, veterinarians, RVTs/RVNs, students.
Author(s)
Melanie barham
Region
Global content
How you Tell your story matters
I’ve had the pleasure all my career of being a chameleon and interloper. Not literally, but I seem to find places where I interlope between similar places and observe, and then fitting in and transplanting ideas from other places. On horse farms as a horse vet, I’d see different ways to manage equine athletes. In surveillance, I’d see the ways different experts supported the sector they worked in, be it beef, bees, poultry or others. Now at VSGD, I see workplaces and candidates who are all unique and doing incredible work. The interesting thing to me is that in each of these places where I’ve “interloped”, it’s hard for the individuals to see what’s special about the work they do and how they do it. When they come to talk about themselves, I often hear, “I think we’re doing what everyone is doing.” This could not be further from the truth.
There’s a name for that!
The phenomenon actually has a name: the False Consensus Effect. It’s a cognitive bias where we assume that because we think and behave a particular way, that most people also think and behave the same way. “I’m doing it and it seems normal, so everyone must be doing the same thing.” This is a big part of why it is so hard to create a unique job ad for a workplace, and why it is so hard to write a great resume/CV.
Workplaces can’t see the amazing things that are different from another because they live it every day. Candidates do the same thing, minimizing their accomplishments or not seeing that they might have a unique perspective to bring. This False Consensus Effect makes for a very bland job ad or cover letter if you’re a candidate. If you’ve ever read a job ad with something like, “We’re a 2 doctor practice with a great team”, or a resume/CV with something like, “Hard working veterinarian with high attention to detail” you know exactly what I mean.
Develop your story as an antidote to boring
So what’s the antidote to boring ads and writer’s block? Telling your story in a compelling way is critical. At VSGD, we focus on connection and storytelling because it works. Storytelling together with facts increases “memorability” and understanding by over 18%. Stories and examples work because they activate multiple learning systems in our brains. 40% of us learn visually (photos, diagrams). 40% of us learn best from auditory learning (videos, audio etc). The remaining 20% of us learn best kinaesthetically (doing, experiencing, feeling). Storytelling with photos and video invokes all the types of learning! (Smith, “Leader as Storyteller”)
Sounds good… How do I make that happen?
The answer lies in effective “history taking”. We all know we get more from clients when we ask open-ended questions. When we work with a workplace and ask them open-ended questions, then funneling in on specific examples, we get rich and endearing stories. We ask for clear examples, and we see the team engaging in such a special way. That’s part of the beauty of Interview the Boss, and how we help workplaces create better job ads. Our prep calls are usually 30 minutes or less and we get so much rich information I could write a novel about the workplace that would make for killer job ad content. We do the same thing with our Resume/CV review service. We’ve become effective “workplace clinicians,” able to get to the heart of the story within a short time. You can do this with your team too.
If you’d like to tell a better story, start by asking your staff questions about your workplace. Ask yourself and clients what they love about your company or organization. You’ll likely be surprised at what you find. Use those stories to build yours and provide specific examples.
If you’re a candidate, or student, I’d highly recommend our free Career Creator Workshop Series. Or why not download our CV Menu Builder.
Vets: Stay, Go, Diversify is at heart, a community built on storytelling. Need help telling yours? Get in touch!
Newsletter
We send out regular updates with articles about creating a sustainable career in vet med, along with job opportunities and more. Employers, we’ve got great articles for you too!
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How to get into the right mindset...
Read Time/Watch Time
5 minutes
Who should read this?
Anyone struggling to get their resume/CV updated, or applying for a job in the veterinary profession, students, veterinarians, vet techs, vet nurses.
Author(s)
Melanie Barham
Region
Global content
It is really helpful to have time set aside to revisit your resume/CV
Getting into the right mindset to tackle your resume/CV can be challenging. As a veterinary professional, it doesn’t matter if you’re a student, veterinarian, vet nurse/vet tech, or experienced executive, few people LOVE updating their resume/CV. Self-promotion isn’t something most people love to do. However, having a great resume is key to landing an amazing job. So how do we get into a better mood and mindset to tackle this odious task?
I’d suggest putting on some upbeat tunes and getting yourself some oxygen to the brain. Whatever your jam, get into a good mood to move forward. Exercising, or going on brisk walk by yourself can help to clear your head to sit down to work on representing yourself on a piece of paper. I’m not above talking to myself either; talking through some of my accomplishments is something I highly recommend in the car, or on a walk.
I also gather all my materials together, setting aside at least 1-2 hours to get this done. If you’re smart like some of my colleagues, you could consider creating a computer file, shoe box, file, or photo album of compliments, awards, nice emails etc that show all the times people have given you compliments. If you’re not that organized (like me of yesteryear), you’ll want to have a buddy who can jog your memory of the great things you’ve done. Call a supportive friend who can remind you of all the great things about yourself.
If you’ve got a specific job in mind, print the description or ad off, and underline some of the key words or skills they’re looking for. Draw a map or chart on paper or a spreadsheet of times you’ve shown these critical skills so you can specifically highlight them.
Tackling the job an hour at a time is often best. It is really helpful to have time set aside to revisit your resume/CV to ensure you have the wording just right. Sometimes enlisting a professional or friend as your proof-reader is helpful.
Above all, remember that while you’re meant to be honest and authentic, you really have to show that you can do the job. Don’t be ashamed or afraid to really let your strengths shine. If you don’t share them, no one will know they are there at the receiving end. Whatever you have to do to get in the type of mood where you feel like an absolute bada**, do it.
If you’d like help crafting your resume/CV, we can help. From students to executives, we’ve helped all stages successfully land positions in their dream jobs- clinical and non-clinical, in the veterinary field. Check out our services here. If you’re not sure what direction you’re headed, you may want to explore career coaching. Group coaching and individual coaching is available.
More Career tips
Newsletter
We send out regular updates with articles about creating a sustainable career in vet med, along with job opportunities and more. Employers, we’ve got great articles for you too!
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Why You Need a Resume Even if...
Read Time/Watch Time
5 minutes
Who should read this?
Anyone who has an out of date resume in the vet profession, vet techs/ vet nurses, veterinarians, students.
Author(s)
Melanie Barham
Region
Global content
Don’t let a resume be a barrier for you
When did you last update your resume or CV? Is it collecting dust bunnies in your desk drawer, or on your old computer from 3 years ago? If so, you’re not alone! Most people hate creating their resumes and view it as a tiresome tedious task that’s best put off until necessary. I’m here to challenge that belief today.
Here are the top reasons why people say they don’t need a resume/CV, and why you might want to change your mind:
I own my own business
So, if you’re a veterinary business owner, you might think you don’t need a resume at all. I mean, who are you applying to? But you’d be surprised at the number of times having a polished and updated resume can come in handy when applying for board positions, awards, or as a supporting document for bank loans etc. If you’re an entrepreneur, or someone looking for investors in your business, it can come in handy to offer to flip someone your amazing resume as a way to get to know someone quicker.
I mostly like my job
You might love your job, but sometimes amazing positions become available at the drop of a hat. Being prepared can allow you to take advantage of opportunities to progress in your career or take advantage of major pay increases without delay. You’d be surprised how many colleagues I’ve heard say, “Oh, I saw this amazing veterinary job on a Facebook group, but it was so much trouble to apply and update my resume.” Don’t let a resume be a barrier for you. Additionally, as a professional, you’ll want to continually add to your portfolio of experience, and applying to volunteer positions can be sped up with the addition of a resume. Finally, keeping your resume updated keeps track of your accomplishments for annual review time, making negotiation MUCH easier
I haven’t seen a job I like yet
Don’t let last minute resume panic seep in. When a job you love pops up, you want to be at the ready to apply early. Applicants who apply early have a much better chance of success! Having something prepared also likely means less errors. The more passes through a document, the less likely we are to make silly grammatical errors.
If you’d like help with preparing for a job application, check out our Resume/CV review services here. We have qualified veterinarians who are experts in crafting resumes that fit your needs, and all reviews include a LinkedIn audit and personal recommendations. Also check out our CV accelerator programme if self paced support is more your jam!
Newsletter
We send out regular updates with articles about creating a sustainable career in vet med, along with job opportunities and more. Employers, we’ve got great articles for you too!