Paws Claws & Wet Noses | Vet Podcast

Struggling to get results from your job advertisements?  If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic.   The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

From Client to Clinic Leader: Kylie Lindsay on Energy Vets' Growth and Team CultureKylie Lindsay didn't originally join Energy Vets as a staff member — she joined as a client.Growing up in rural Inglewood with horses and other animals, the clinic (then Inglewood Veterinary Services) cared for the animals on her family's lifestyle block. One day, while a vet was visiting one of her horses, Kylie asked whether there might be any work available at the clinic.Her timing was good. A role had just opened on the after-hours phone team.More than twenty years later, Kylie is now Clinic Services Manager, overseeing reception, companion animal services, and stock across Energy Vets' Inglewood and Waitara clinics in Taranaki on New Zealand's North Island.In this conversation with Julie South, Kylie reflects on the growth of the clinic over the past two decades, how teams rotate across both clinics so clients receive consistent service, and the professional development opportunities available across the whole team — including reception and support staff.She also shares one of the clinic's quieter success stories: the number of kennel hands who have gone on to train in the veterinary industry, with several returning to work at Energy Vets after completing their studies.When asked to describe the team in three words, Kylie chooses: welcoming, supportive, and professional.Next week, Kylie talks about the type of veterinarian who fits the EnergyVets team and her own journey from answering after-hours phones to becoming a shareholder and director in the business.In This Episode00:04 – Introduction to the REAL+STORY episode with Kylie Lindsay 01:33 – Kylie's role and how long she has been with the clinic 02:02 – Joining the clinic after originally being a client 03:45 – Growing up in the Hutt Valley, Rotorua, and settling in Taranaki 04:34 – Raising children and schooling in rural Taranaki 08:19 – Sporting opportunities and life in the region08:49 – Growth of the clinic since 2005 10:41 – Professional development and leadership training 12:34 – Rotating teams across the Inglewood and Waitara clinics15:27 – How Kylie's role evolved as the clinic grew 17:10 – Examples of team members stepping into leadership roles 19:16 – Energy Vets' “best kept secret” — the culture 21:14 – Kennel hands entering the veterinary profession 22:57 – Former kennel hands returning to work at the clinic 23:31 – Three words Kylie uses to describe the teamHiring LinkEnergy Vets is currently looking for an experienced small animal veterinarian ready to co-lead the companion animal team.Learn more here:vetclinicjobs.com/energyvetsStruggling to get results from your job advertisements?  If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic.   The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

When veterinary clinics begin recognising the reactive recruitment cycle, certain phrases often start appearing.They sound practical — but they're often the cycle defending itself.In this episode of Veterinary Voices, Julie South begins a new series exploring the objections that surface when clinics start considering a different way to approach recruitment.The first phrase she hears most often is:“Julie, we need someone now — not in six months' time.”When a clinic has been covering a vacancy for months and the team is exhausted, the idea of building something that takes time can feel impossible.But Julie explains why this objection often appears after clinics have already spent months — sometimes years — trying to fill the role through job advertising alone.The urgency is real.But the deeper problem is usually that recognition only begins when the vacancy appears — meaning every recruitment effort starts from unknown, under pressure.Julie explains why even a short, well-built information bridge — a clear picture of who the clinic is and what it's actually like to work there — can dramatically change what happens after someone reads a job ad.Because before vets and nurses decide whether to apply, they will almost always search for the clinic behind the advert.What they find in that moment either strengthens conviction — or quietly ends the process.Stay to the end for a question about what “we need someone now” may already be costing your clinic.In This Episode01:22 – The objection Julie hears most often: “We need someone now”04:37 – The Job Application Decision Gap and the Cultural Visibility Stress Test05:30 – Building an information bridge between job ads and applications09:52 – Two questions about what reactive recruitment may already be costing your clinicMentioned in This EpisodeCultural Visibility Stress TestA short eight-question exercise designed to help clinics see whether the Job Application Decision Gap may be affecting their recruitment.It takes about three minutes and is free to complete.careers.vetclinicjobs.comAbout Julie SouthJulie South is the founder of VetClinicJobs and host of Veterinary Voices.She works with forward-thinking veterinary clinics that want to move beyond reactive job advertising by building recruitment infrastructure that creates recognition before a vacancy appears.When vets and nurses can see that a clinic is their kind of place, recruitment stops being a start-from-scratch exercise every time a role opens.Struggling to get results from your job advertisements?  If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic.   The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

Head Vet Nurse Nicky Smith on Team Support, Community, and Life in TaranakiIn this REAL+STORY episode of Veterinary Voices, Julie South speaks with Nicky Smith, Head Vet Nurse at Energy Vets in Taranaki.Nicky has worked in veterinary clinics in New Zealand and overseas, including time living in Auckland and abroad. But when the time came to settle and raise her family, she made the deliberate decision to return to Taranaki — the place she calls home.In this chat, Nicky shares with Julie what support inside a veterinary clinic actually looks like when things get busy. Emergencies walk through the door, schedules change instantly, and the whole team moves together to make sure patients receive the care they need.She talks about how the nursing team mentors younger nurses, how new ideas are welcomed, and why humour, trust, and looking out for each other are essential in a profession that can be stressful and emotionally demanding.The conversation also explores life outside the clinic — why Nicky chose to raise and educate her children in Taranaki, the strength of smaller communities, and how the region's people rally around causes that matter.Nicky is also the founder of the Cape Egmont Half Marathon, a community event she started after losing her father to cancer.If you're curious about what working inside a supportive veterinary team looks like day to day — or how community shapes life in regional practice — this episode offers a candid perspective from someone leading the nursing team on the ground.In This Episode00:05 – Introduction to the REAL+STORY series with Energy Vets 01:24 – Nicky's background and why she returned to Taranaki 03:31 – What “supportive team culture” looks like in real clinic life 04:35 – How the nursing team develops and mentors younger nurses 05:45 – Returning to Taranaki after living in bigger cities 06:44 – Why Nicky chose to raise and educate her children in Taranaki 09:55 – Community life and founding the Cape Egmont Half Marathon 13:07 – Favourite piece of veterinary equipment: the Bear Hugger13:51 – Three words Nicky uses to describe the team 14:00 – Energy Vets' “best kept secret” as a workplace 14:44 – Working across two clinic locations16:05 – How after-hours works in practice 17:14 – A memorable patient case: nursing a farm dog back to health 19:16 – How new ideas are introduced and adopted inside the clinic 20:47 – Patient handovers and communication inside the team 22:04 – The type of person who fits best at Energy Vets 24:20 – What it really means when the team “looks out for each other”Hiring LinkIf you're an experienced small animal veterinarian exploring your next step, you can learn more about current opportunities at Energy Vets Taranaki here:vetclinicjobs.com/energyvetsLinks MentionedCape Egmont Half Marathon About Julie SouthJulie South is the founder of VetClinicJobs and host of Veterinary Voices.Through VetClinicJobs, she helps forward-thinking veterinary clinics show what working there iStruggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

By month five of job advertising, most vet clinics and their teams are exhausted.Posting everywhere didn't work. Rewriting didn't work. Spending more didn't work.But the vacancy hasn't just stayed a vacancy — it's started affecting the people who are still there.In this episode of Veterinary Voices, Julie South explores what happens when a role has been open for four to six months and the pressure inside the clinic starts to build.Teams have been covering the extra work. The goodwill that carried the first few months begins to wear thin. Quietly, people start weighing their options.That's when the conversation inside many clinics shifts.Instead of searching for the right fit, the thinking becomes: we just need someone.Julie unpacks why this “warm body” thinking feels responsible in the moment — but often creates a far more expensive problem when the wrong hire lands in an already exhausted team.This episode also looks at why the five-month recruitment cycle doesn't end when a role is filled. In many clinics, it simply resets — except the team begins the next cycle already depleted.And Julie explains the alternative: building recognition before you need to advertise, through Culture Story Centre infrastructure that allows vets and nurses to get to know your clinic long before a vacancy appears.Because clinics that build recognition first rarely reach month five in their advertising at all.Stay to the end for two simple questions that reveal which type of clinic you want yours to be.In This Episode00:00:06 – Introduction and the five-month recruitment cycle 00:01:16 – When more advertising and spending still doesn't work 00:01:55 – What happens when a vacancy drags on for months 00:02:43 – The shift in team morale when “temporary” becomes permanent 00:03:44 – Quiet decisions exhausted team members begin making 00:04:49 – The arrival of “warm body” hiring thinking 00:05:51 – How desperation reshapes recruitment briefs 00:06:43 – When the wrong hire lands in an already stretched team 00:07:37 – The Job Application Decision Gap explained 00:08:45 – Why the five-month cycle simply resets 00:09:52 – Building recognition before you need to advertise 00:11:01 – Clinics that fill roles in month one or two 00:12:19 – Two questions every clinic should ask itselfMentioned in This EpisodeCultural Visibility Stress TestA short eight-question exercise designed to help clinics see whether the Job Application Decision Gap might be affecting their recruitment.It takes about three minutes and is free to complete.careers.vetclinicjobs.comAbout Julie SouthJulie South is the founder of VetClinicJobs and host of Veterinary Voices.She works with forward-thinking veterinary clinics that want to move beyond reactive job advertising by building recruitment infrastructure that creates recognition before a vacancy appears.When vets and nurses can see that a clinic is their kind of place, recruitment stops being a start-from-scratch exercise every time a role opens.Struggling to get results from your job advertStruggling to get results from your job advertisements?  If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic.   The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

Energy Vets, Taranaki | Starting Out as a New GradIn this REAL+STORY episode, Julie South speaks with Dr Sieara Claytor, a 2025 graduate working in her very first full-time veterinary role at Energy Vets in Taranaki.Sieara moved from the United States to study in Australia and has now started her career in rural New Zealand. Six months in, she's already managing emergencies, assisting in surgeries beyond routine desexings, handling after-hours responsibilities, and working across two clinic branches.Rather than focusing on “graduate programs” or formal structures, this conversation looks at what support actually feels like day to day — senior vets scrubbing in alongside her, nurses staying late when needed, multiple vets available when things get busy, and space to ask questions without hesitation.Sieara also talks about adjusting to rural life, commuting without traffic lights, wildlife cases, pig-hunting injuries, and the reality of after-hours in a regional clinic.If you're a new graduate — or someone mentoring one — this episode gives a clear sense of what challenge-with-backup looks like in practice.In This Episode00:00 – Introduction to the REAL+STORY series with Energy Vets01:05 – Sieara's background and first impressions as a new grad03:30 – Rural caseload: emergencies, variety, and learning fast04:52 – What support in surgery actually looks like06:43 – Realising you're more capable than you thought07:56 – Moving countries and adjusting to rural life09:16 – How after-hours really works11:32 – Differences between the two clinic branches12:50 – The early-career lens on Energy VetsHiring LinkIf you're an experienced small animal vet exploring your next step, you can find out more about current opportunities at Energy Vets Taranaki About Julie SouthJulie South is the founder of VetClinicJobs and host of Veterinary Voices.She works with veterinary clinics that want to show what working there is really like — not just list job requirements. Through VetClinicJobs, she helps clinics make their culture clear and recognisable, so vets and nurses can tell whether a clinic is Their Kind of Clinic long before a vacancy appears.Struggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

By month four of advertising, most vet clinics and their teams are exhausted.Posting everywhere didn't work.   Rewriting didn't work.   Spending more didn't work.So you start trying random things.A Facebook post.  Asking your team to share.  Updating your careers page.  Boosting something for $50… maybe $100.Because something has to (read: needs to!) stick.In this episode of Veterinary Voices, Julie South unpacks what really happens around week fourteen of the recruitment cycle—when clinics move into DIY mode and start layering scattered tactics on top of a system that's already failing.The problem isn't effort.   It's infrastructure.Social posts disappear.  Website updates sit buried.  Shared job ads still look like unknown clinics making familiar claims.These tactics create bursts of visibility—but they don't build recognition.This episode contrasts the clinic pushing water uphill with random activity… and the clinic that built permanent culture story centre infrastructure months earlier—so when they advertise, they're not starting from scratch.Stay to the end for one direct question about how many tactics you've tried that went nowhere.In This Episode00:00 – Introduction: Month four and the shift to random tactics01:12 – Social posts, staff shares, website updates02:19 – The “maybe something will stick” phase03:58 – Why your website isn't designed for recruitment recognition04:44 – Why staff sharing helps—but can't replace recognition05:29 – Buried posts and disappearing visibility06:20 – Using the wrong tools for the job07:15 – The clinic with permanent culture story centre infrastructure08:15 – Why month four doesn't have to become month five09:28 – The question about pushing water uphillAbout Julie SouthJulie South is the founder of VetClinicJobs and host of Veterinary Voices.She works with forward-thinking veterinary clinics that want to move beyond reactive job advertising and random tactics by building permanent recruitment infrastructure—so when they need to hire, they're not starting from cold.Struggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

Energy Vets, Taranaki | Why Alana Came BackIn this REAL+STORY episode, Julie South speaks with vet nurse Alana Howard about why she returned to Energy Vets after starting her nursing career there 20 years ago and then spending years working in Australia.Alana talks about what made coming back feel like the right decision — not just professionally, but personally. She compares different clinic environments and explains what stands out at Energy Vets: how nurses are trusted to use their skills, how new graduates are supported in surgery, and how the team steps in when things get busy.This isn't about job titles or polished culture statements. It's about what day-to-day teamwork actually feels like — no behind-the-scenes friction, people sharing knowledge freely, and a team that works across two rural clinics without things falling apart.Alana also reflects on raising a family in Taranaki, commuting without traffic lights, and why rural schooling and coastal living have been part of the decision to stay.Across this conversation, you hear what steady support sounds like from a nurse's perspective — not from leadership, but from someone working on the floor every day.In This Episode00:00 – Introduction to the REAL+STORY series with Energy Vets02:20 – Why Alana chose to return03:04 – What feels different about this clinic07:31 – Nurses using their full clinical skillset09:52 – Supporting a new graduate in surgery11:27 – How the clinic has grown over time12:36 – Living and raising a family in TaranakiHiring LinkIf you're an experienced small animal vet exploring your next step, you can find out more about current opportunities at Energy Vets Taranaki  About Julie SouthJulie South is the founder of VetClinicJobs and host of Veterinary Voices.She works with veterinary clinics that want to show what working there is really like — not just list job requirements. Through VetClinicJobs, she helps clinics make their culture clear and recognisable, so vets and nurses can tell whether a clinic is Their Kind of Clinic long before a vacancy appears.Struggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

Why Spending More on Job Ads Doesn't WorkBy month three of advertising, most vet clinics assume the problem is reach.Not enough applications?   Then not enough visibility.Not enough visibility?  Spend more.Premium placement.Featured listings.Boosted posts.Maybe even a recruitment agency.But the real problem isn't reach. It's recognition.In this episode of Veterinary Voices, Julie South unpacks what actually happens around week ten of the recruitment cycle—when rewriting hasn't worked, posting everywhere hasn't worked, and the numbers start looking impressive while the applications still don't.Because exposure isn't the same as recognition. And paying to be seen doesn't fix being unknown.Julie explains why month three is when budgets escalate, agencies start circling, and something more dangerous begins to build: the wrong kind of recognition. The clinic that's been advertising for 10 weeks. The clinic people start questioning.This episode contrasts two very different outcomes: The clinic that keeps upgrading listings and reinforcing concern… And the clinic that fills a role within days—not because their ad was premium, but because they weren't unknown.Stay to the end for two questions about what your recruitment budget is actually building.In This Episode00:00 – Introduction: Month three and the instinct to spend more 01:44 – Premium placement and the visibility trap 02:30 – Exposure vs recognition: why big numbers don't mean results 03:33 – The uncomfortable money conversation 05:07 – The recognition you're building (and why it's not good) 06:12 – What actually creates the right kind of recognition 07:26 – Why premium placement amplifies but doesn't create trust 08:13 – The exhausted clinic at the $2,000 mark 09:01 – The clinic that fills the role in three days 09:53 – Two questions about what you're really paying forAbout Julie SouthJulie South is the founder of VetClinicJobs and host of Veterinary Voices.She works with forward-thinking veterinary clinics that want to stop escalating job ad spend and instead build recognition before they need to hire—so when they do advertise, they're not paying to be unknown.Struggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

Energy Vets, Taranaki | Growing a Career That Grows With You In this REAL+STORY episode, Julie South speaks with Dr Michelle Gosling about what it looks like to build a long-term veterinary career in one place — and why she never felt the need to leave Energy Vets after joining as a new graduate in 2013.Michelle reflects on her journey from new grad to senior large animal vet, working parent, farm services manager and, most recently, shareholder in the business. Rather than focusing on titles, this conversation traces how responsibility, trust and flexibility have expanded alongside different stages of her life.What emerges quietly throughout is a picture of a clinic that adapts as people change — supporting maternity leave, part-time work, leadership development and ownership without forcing people into a single version of “progression”.This episode will resonate with vets who are thinking beyond their next job and trying to picture whether a clinic can still fit years down the track — as careers deepen, families grow and priorities shift.In This Episode00:00 – Introduction to the Real Story series with Energy Vets01:05 – Michelle's journey from new graduate to shareholder02:27 – Moving to Taranaki and settling into the region03:56 – Family life, schooling and working four days a week05:12 – Support, flexibility and parenting at Energy Vets06:38 – The role of farm services manager and developing people08:14 – Being invited into ownership09:24 – Who fits best at Energy Vets14:12 – What long-term progression really looks like in practiceHiring linkIf you're an experienced small animal vet exploring your next step, you can find out more about current opportunities at Energy Vets Taranaki at: vetclinicjobs.com/energyvetsAbout Julie SouthJulie South is the founder of VetClinicJobs and host of Veterinary Voices.She works with forward-thinking veterinary clinics that want to show what working there is really like — not just list job requirements. Through VetClinicJobs, Julie helps clinics make their culture recognisable and familiar, so vets and nurses can tell whether a clinic is Their Kind of Clinic long before a vacancy appears.Struggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

When a job ad doesn't deliver suitable applicants, most clinics assume the problem is the wording.So they rewrite it.Add more detail.Highlight mentoring.Emphasise work-life balance.Polish the benefits.And wait.In this episode of Veterinary Voices, Julie South explores what's really happening in month two of the recruitment cycle—when “posting everywhere” hasn't worked, and rewriting feels like the logical next step.But vets and nurses aren't analysing your headline. They're pattern-matching. And when your clinic is unfamiliar, even the best-written ad becomes just another unknown name making familiar claims.This episode unpacks why better copy doesn't fix a recognition problem—and why some clinics fill roles without obsessing over wording at all.Stay to the end for a question that may change how you think about every job ad you've rewritten.In This Episode00:00 – Introduction: Month two of the recruitment cycle01:14 – The rewrite instinct and why it feels productive03:03 – Pattern matching: how vets and nurses actually scroll04:41 – Why even professional copywriters can't solve this07:45 – What job ads are really designed to do08:52 – Two clinics, two very different outcomes09:44 – The question about how many times you've rewritten the same ad10:55 – What happens in month threeAbout Julie SouthJulie South is the founder of VetClinicJobs and host of Veterinary Voices.She works with forward-thinking veterinary clinics that want to stop relying on reactive job advertising and instead build recognition over time—so when they do need to hire, they're not starting from cold.Struggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

Energy Vets | What Makes the Job Work Long-Term (Part 2)Settling into a role is one thing.Staying in it — sustainably — is another.In this episode, Julie South continues her conversation with Dr Sam Armstrong, a mixed animal vet at Energy Vets in Taranaki, looking at what work feels like once the initial settling-in period has passed.Sam talks candidly about after-hours, workload, seasonal pressure points, and how the structure around him makes the job feel manageable over time. He also reflects on commuting, working across clinics, and what overseas vets benefit from knowing before making the move to New Zealand.This is Part Two of a two-part conversation with Energy Vets, offering a grounded look at how support, systems, and everyday decisions shape whether people stay — not just how they start.In This Episode00:00 – Introduction and context for Part Two01:01 – Life after the settling-in period02:04 – After-hours work and how it's managed03:59 – Recovery time, sleep, and safety04:51 – Using a regional after-hours clinic05:43 – Commuting, call-outs, and New Zealand roads07:49 – What overseas vets benefit from knowing09:22 – Visas, residency, and practical logistics11:27 – Team culture and why people stay12:08 – Closing reflections on sustainability and support14:04 – Final sign-offIf you're an experienced small animal vet exploring your next step, you can find out more about current opportunities at Energy Vets at:vetclinicjobs.com/energyvetsAbout Julie SouthJulie South is the founder of VetClinicJobs and host of Veterinary Voices.She works with forward-thinking veterinary clinics that want to show what working there is really like — not just list job requirements. Through VetClinicJobs, Julie helps clinics make their culture recognisable and familiar, so vets and nurses can tell whether a clinic is Their Kind of Clinic long before a vacancy appears.Struggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

This episode begins a new series looking at why the familiar recruitment playbook keeps failing veterinary clinics. Julie South starts with the first and most common response to a vacancy: posting job ads everywhere and hoping one platform will finally deliver a different outcome.Using current data from across Australia and New Zealand, Julie explains how rotating job boards and increasing spend doesn't change what vets and nurses experience when they scroll. The problem isn't effort or intent — it's that clinics are trying to solve a recognition problem with reach.This episode addresses a moment many clinic owners and managers recognise: doing what's expected, paying for multiple platforms, and still waiting. Julie unpacks how pattern-matching and familiarity shape attention, and why exposure without recognition simply adds to the noise.In This Episode00:00 – Framing the series and why “posting everywhere” is the first strategy clinics try 01:02 – The scale of job advertising across Australia and New Zealand 02:40 – Why rotating platforms isn't trying something new — it just creates noise 05:22 – How vets and nurses pattern-match job ads and filter out unknown clinics 07:56 – The wrong question clinics ask — and the reframing that actually matters 09:32 – The closing question about job boards, cost, and resultsAbout Julie SouthJulie South is the founder of VetClinicJobs and host of Veterinary Voices.She works with forward-thinking veterinary clinics that want to show what working there is really like — not just list job requirements. Through VetClinicJobs, Julie helps clinics make their culture recognisable and familiar, so vets and nurses can tell whether a clinic is Their Kind of Clinic long before a vacancy appears.Struggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

Energy Vets | Finding Your Feet as a New Grad (Part 1)Starting your veterinary career isn't just about clinical skills.It's about how support shows up when you're new, how questions are handled, and how safe it feels to keep learning — especially when you're doing it in a new country.In this episode, Julie South speaks with Dr Sam Armstrong, a mixed animal vet at Energy Vets in Taranaki, about arriving in New Zealand straight out of university and starting his first job without knowing anyone locally.Sam reflects on settling into a new farming system, learning how the team works day to day, and the small, ordinary moments that helped him build confidence. Together, they offer a grounded look at what vets quietly pay attention to when deciding whether a clinic feels like their kind of clinic.This is Part One of a two-part conversation with Energy Vets, focused on early career experiences, everyday support, and what makes learning sustainable over time.In This Episode00:00 – Introduction and episode context01:48 – Sam's background and arriving in New Zealand06:07 – Starting work as a new graduate and learning in practice07:57 – A significant farm case and building confidence over time10:33 – Team support, meetings, and shared decision-making11:38 – Integrating into Taranaki and working in New Zealand12:30 – How New Zealand farming systems differ from the UK and Ireland16:06 – Favourite piece of kit and day-to-day realities17:24 – Describing Energy Vets in three words19:47 – Closing reflections on learning, support, and cultureIf you're an experienced small animal vet exploring your next step, you can find out more about current opportunities at Energy Vets at:vetclinicjobs.com/energyvetsAbout Julie SouthJulie South is the founder of VetClinicJobs and host of Veterinary Voices.She works with forward-thinking veterinary clinics that want to show what working there is really like — not just list job requirements. Through VetClinicJobs, Julie helps clinics make their culture visible and recognisable, so vets and nurses can tell whether a clinic is Their Kind of Clinic long before a vacancy appears.Struggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

Closing the Attraction Gap: Why Knowing Isn't the Same as DoingMost veterinary clinic managers know they should attract people before they need them—but knowing doesn't close the gap between understanding what needs to happen and actually making it happen.In this episode of Veterinary Voices, Julie South explores the attraction gap: the space between knowing you should build recognition and actually being able to do it while running a busy clinic.Through the predictable five-month recruitment cycle most clinics experience, Julie shows why the gap never closes when you're trying to solve recruitment during a crisis—and why it only closes between crises, when you actually have time to build.This episode bridges the recent conversations on network expansion and recruitment momentum, and sets up next week's new series examining each month of the trapped recruitment cycle in detail.Stay to the end for a question about timing that reframes when clinics should actually be solving their recruitment problem.In This Episode00:00 – Introduction: The attraction gap and why knowing isn't doing01:10 – The impossible timing trap: never thinking about recruitment when staffed, desperate when understaffed04:03 – The predictable five-month cycle from job ads to expensive surrender07:31 – Two clinics, two different approaches to closing the gap10:17 – The timing question that explains why the gap never closes About Julie SouthJulie South is the founder of VetClinicJobs and host of Veterinary Voices.She works with veterinary clinics that want to move beyond reactive job advertising by building recruitment momentum through continuous culture storytelling—so when they do need to hire, they're never starting from cold again.Struggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

Energy Vets - Taranaki - New Zealand | REAL+STORY A recent graduate's view of support, mentoring, and staying in the professionWhen new graduates talk about support, they're not talking about slogans.  They're talking about what happens in the moments that matter.In this episode of Veterinary Voices, Julie South continues the Energy Vets REAL+STORY series with Jade, a recent graduate mixed animal veterinarian who has been working at Energy Vets in Taranaki for just over two years.Jade shares why she chose to return to Taranaki after graduating from Massey University, what stood out about Energy Vets as a student on placement, and how support actually shows up day to day — from surgeries and after-hours, to asking questions, building confidence, and knowing someone has your back.This is an honest conversation about mixed practice, mentoring, after-hours realities, team culture, and what helps early-career vets not just cope — but enjoy the job and want to stay in the profession.Here's how Jade describes that support in her own words:“If you're not sure about something, there's always someone you can call — and you never feel silly for asking.” — Jade, recent graduate mixed animal veterinarianIn This Episode00:00 – Introduction and where this episode fits in the Energy Vets REAL+STORY series 01:02 – Jade's background and returning to Taranaki after graduating 02:42 – What “supportive” really means for a new graduate 04:01 – How Energy Vets felt different from other student placements 05:01 – Mixed animal caseloads and how the year ebbs and flows 05:59 – Longer consult times and why they matter on busy days 06:17 – Dairy, lifestyle, and equine work in practice 07:09 – After-hours equine support and not being left alone 07:58 – Building strong relationships with clients 08:31 – Privately owned farms and what that changes 08:52 – Living in Taranaki: outdoors, community, and lifestyle 11:16 – Favourite equipment and learning to use ultrasound 11:54 – A concrete example of support during early surgeries 13:13 – Unexpected friendships and team closeness 14:14 – After-hours as a new grad and how readiness is handled 16:48 – A memorable early case and calling for help 18:00 – Who fits best at Energy Vets and what being a team player means 19:01 – Closing reflections on mentoring, support, and staying in the professionIf you're an experienced small animal veterinarian thinking about your next step — particularly if you enjoy mentoring and supporting early-career vets — Energy Vets is currently looking for someone ready to step up into that role.About Julie SouthJulie South is the founder of VetClinicJobs and host of Veterinary Voices.She works with veterinary clinics that want to show what working there is really like — not just list job requirements. Through culture storytelling, Julie helps clinics attract vets and nurses who recognise their kind of people and their kind of clinic before a vacancy appears.Struggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

When Big Numbers Don't MatterWhen a clinic needs to advertise, the decision often feels obvious. Choose the platform with the biggest database. The most traffic. The largest audience.But what if those numbers aren't measuring what actually matters?In this episode of Veterinary Voices, Julie South explores why big numbers can feel reassuring — yet still leave clinics stuck advertising for months. Database size, website hits, and subscriber counts might look impressive on paper, but they don't guarantee recognition, fit, or applications from the right vet or nurse.Julie unpacks why recruitment fails when clinics outsource discovery to platforms and algorithms — and what changes when clinics shift from being listed to being recognised.This episode closes the recent run of conversations on culture storytelling, network expansion, and recruitment momentum by asking one uncomfortable but essential question:  are you attracting the kind of vet or nurse you actually want on your team?In This Episode00:00 – Introduction: why the numbers everyone chases may not be the right ones 01:13 – A familiar scenario: needing to advertise and choosing platforms by database size01:56 – Posting the ad, waiting, upgrading, and still not getting the right response02:56 – Why big databases and high traffic don't guarantee the right applicants03:29 – What Google actually measures: behaviour, not hits 04:53 – The one number clinics really need: one right vet or nurse05:44 – How recognition forms before a vacancy appears06:54 – Why recognition can't be measured in traditional metrics 07:45 – Culture Story Centres and arriving warm instead of cold 08:56 – Being recognised versus hoping to be discovered09:46 – The question clinics should be asking instead of “which platform is bigger?”10:56 – From being listed to being recognised — and why attraction changes everythingAbout Julie SouthJulie South is the founder of VetClinicJobs and host of Veterinary Voices.She works with veterinary clinics that want to move beyond reactive job advertising by showing what working there is really like. Through culture storytelling, Julie helps clinics become recognised over time — so when they do advertise, the right vets and nurses already know they belong.Struggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

Energy Vets | Culture Stories in Action (Part 2)Staying in a clinic long-term isn't just about the work you do.It's about how you're supported, how leadership shows up, and what happens when things don't go to plan.In this episode, Julie South continues her conversation with Greg Hall, Managing Director at Energy Vets in Taranaki, shifting the focus from day-to-day life to what it takes to build a team that lasts.They talk openly about leadership, succession planning, ageing vet teams, and the moments that reveal what a clinic's culture really looks like — including how people step in for each other when it really counts.This is Part Two of a two-part conversation with Energy Vets, and a grounded look at what working there is like beyond the first impression.In This Episode00:00 – Introduction01:20 – What leadership actually looks like in practice03:10 – Succession planning and an ageing workforce06:00 – Supporting teams when things go wrong09:10 – How people show up for each other12:30 – Profit, efficiency, and staying viable15:10 – Shareholding and long-term pathways18:30 – What success looks like after 12 months20:45 – ClosingIf you're an experienced small animal vet exploring your next step, you can find out more about current opportunities at Energy Vets at:vetclinicjobs.com/energyvetsAbout Julie SouthJulie South is the founder of VetClinicJobs and host of Veterinary Voices.She works with forward-thinking veterinary clinics that want to show what working there is really like — not just list job requirements. Through VetClinicJobs, Julie helps clinics make their culture visible and recognisable, so vets and nurses can tell whether a clinic is Their Kind of Clinic long before a vacancy appears.Struggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

Recruitment Momentum: Why Starting From Cold Keeps You TrappedMost veterinary clinics don't realise they're stuck in a recruitment cycle — they just feel the exhaustion of it.In this episode of Veterinary Voices, Julie South explores recruitment momentum and why starting from cold every time you need to advertise keeps clinics trapped in an expensive, effort-heavy loop that never really gets easier.Through a simple but familiar comparison, Julie shows the difference between recruiting from cold — urgent, interruptive, and stressful — and recruiting from warm, where vets and nurses already know your clinic and recognise it as their kind of place.This episode follows directly from last week's conversation on network expansion, and explains why momentum isn't about speed or volume — it's about familiarity built over time, while you're fully staffed.Stay to the end for a question that reframes what clinics should really be measuring when they think about recruitment success.In This Episode00:00 – Introduction and why recruitment momentum matters  01:18 – What starting from cold actually looks like for clinics  01:37 – Urgent job ads, interruption, and the “post and pray” cycle  02:09 – Two clinics, two approaches: cold vs warm recruiting  03:09 – Why most clinics reset to cold every time they hire  03:36 – The toll of recruiting from cold on time, money, and belief  04:13 – Why vets and nurses scroll past unfamiliar clinics  04:46 – Groundhog Day recruiting and losing momentum while fully staffed  05:47 – Cold start recruiting vs recruiting with momentum  06:25 – Recruitment momentum as a long-term deposit, not a quick fix  07:43 – What's changed: filtering interruptions, trust taking time, and passive watchers  08:34 – Why continuous culture stories matter even when you're fully staffed  09:34 – Recruiting from warm with calm invitations, not urgency  10:10 – How VetClinicJobs supports recruitment momentum through Culture Centres  11:15 – Closing reflections on sustainability, momentum, and recruiting from warmAbout Julie SouthJulie South is the founder of VetClinicJobs and host of Veterinary Voices.She works with veterinary clinics that want to move beyond reactive job advertising by building recruitment momentum through continuous culture storytelling — so when they do need to hire, they're never starting from cold again.Struggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

Energy Vets Taranaki NZ | Culture Stories in Action (Part 1)Most vets and nurses know within a few minutes whether a clinic feels like their kind of place — long before they ever see a job ad.In this episode, Julie South is joined by Dr Greg Hall, Managing Director at Energy Vets in Taranaki, for a grounded conversation about what day-to-day veterinary life there actually looks like.They talk about the work, the people, the pace, and the place — from small animal caseloads across two clinics, to after-hours, weekends, lifestyle, and living in a close-knit community.This isn't a recruitment pitch.It's a real conversation about whether you can picture yourself working there — with your kind of people, in your kind of clinic.This is Part One of a two-part conversation with Energy Vets.In This Episode00:00 – Introduction01:10 – Why place and community matter in veterinary work03:00 – What day-to-day life looks like across Energy Vets' clinics05:20 – Small animal work, variety, and real caseloads07:50 – After-hours, weekends, and how rosters actually work10:40 – Lifestyle, commute, and living in Taranaki13:00 – Trust, relationships, and working in a tight-knit community15:30 – The kind of vet who tends to fit best16:38 – ClosingIf you're an experienced small animal vet and what you've heard here resonates, you can find out more about current opportunities at Energy Vets at:vetclinicjobs.com/energyvetsAbout Julie SouthJulie South is the founder of VetClinicJobs and host of Veterinary Voices.She works with forward-thinking veterinary clinics that want to show what working there is really like — not just list job requirements. Through VetClinicJobs, Julie helps clinics make their culture visible and recognisable, so vets and nurses can tell whether a clinic is Their Kind of Clinic long before a vacancy appears.Struggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

Network Expansion: How Culture Stories Amplify Beyond Your ReachMost vet clinics don't struggle to hire because their roles aren't appealing. They struggle because the right vets and nurses never see them.In this episode of Veterinary Voices, Julie South explores network expansion — and why job ads keep clinics trapped under their own follower-count ceiling, while Culture Stories travel through networks clinics can't access directly.Julie breaks down how culture stories move differently through social and professional networks, why peer sharing matters more than clinic claims, and how vets and nurses increasingly discover clinics long before a vacancy appears.This is a conversation about amplification, not reach — and why the clinics that build familiarity while fully staffed aren't starting from cold when it's time to hire.Stay to the end for a simple but uncomfortable question every clinic should be asking about the vets and nurses they're failing to reach.In This Episode00:00 – Introduction and why this episode focuses on network expansion01:11 – The follower-count ceiling: why clinic posts only reach who already follows you02:15 – Why job ads can't travel beyond your own network02:54 – How culture stories move differently through personal networks03:58 – Network amplification vs addition and multiplication04:47 – Why job ads stay locked under limited reach05:51 – What's changed: recognition before application06:46 – Why starting from cold keeps clinics at a disadvantage07:25 – Trust comes from peer voices, not clinic claims08:43 – How permanent, shareable culture stories amplify through extended networks10:07 – Being discovered before recruiting begins11:51 – The question clinics should be asking instead of “How do we get more reach?”13:11 – Closing reflections on discovery, familiarity, and network visibilityAbout Julie SouthJulie South is the founder of VetClinicJobs and host of Veterinary Voices.She works with veterinary clinics that want to move beyond reactive job advertising by showing what working there is really like. Through Culture Storytelling, Julie helps clinics become recognisable across networks — so vets and nurses discover them through people they trust, not just job boards.Struggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

CareVets Gisborne | REAL+STORYWhen vets and nurses think about changing clinics, they're not just choosing a role.They're choosing the people they'll work with — and the support around them when things get busy or unpredictable.In this episode of Veterinary Voices, Julie South continues the CareVets Gisborne REAL+STORY series with a different perspective — stepping back from day-to-day clinical roles to hear from the Regional Manager who supports the clinic.Julie is joined by Alice Dawson, Regional Manager at CareVets, who looks after Gisborne alongside Wellington and Napier. Alice has been with CareVets for ten years and worked as a veterinary nurse for seventeen, so what she shares here comes from long-term, lived experience.They talk about what makes CareVets Gisborne work as a team — the family feel, the support behind the clinic, professional development, equipment, and the kind of vet who tends to fit best.This isn't a recruitment pitch. It's an honest conversation about what working at CareVets Gisborne is really like — and whether it feels like your kind of clinic, with your kind of people.In This Episode00:00 – Introduction and where this episode fits in the CareVets Gisborne REAL+STORY series 01:04 – Alice's background: ten years with CareVets and seventeen years as a veterinary nurse 02:17 – The “family feel” and growing people from within 02:59 – Why CareVets isn't a corporate in the way people assume 03:43 – Staying connected to Gisborne despite its geographic remoteness 04:03 – What stands out about the CareVets Gisborne team 04:40 – The impact of degree-qualified veterinary nurses in the clinic 05:18 – How CPD is used across nursing and veterinary teams 05:49 – The kind of vet who fits best at CareVets Gisborne 06:20 – Investing in equipment and diagnostics to support the team 07:04 – Gisborne as a place to live and work 07:31 – Case variety and why no two days are the same 07:54 – Closing reflections and recruitment invitationIf you're an experienced small animal veterinarian considering your next move, CareVets Gisborne is currently recruiting.You can find out more at vetclinicjobs.com/CareVetsGisborne.About Julie SouthJulie South is the founder of VetClinicJobs and host of Veterinary Voices.She works with veterinary clinics that want to show what working there is really like — not just list job requirements. Through VetClinicJobs, Julie helps clinics tell their culture stories so vets and nurses can recognise their kind of people and their kind of clinic before a vacancy appears.Struggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

Vets and nurses scroll past job ads — not because they think vet clinics are lying, but because they've seen the same claims repeated over and over again.“Great team. Supportive environment. Work-life balance.”The words didn't become untrue.  They lost meaning through overuse and under-delivery.In this episode, Julie South unpacks why claiming culture through job ads keeps clinics invisible — and why vets and nurses now decide which clinics feel like their kind of place long before a vacancy appears.This is a conversation about recognition, not reach — and what actually changes when clinics show what working there is really like, instead of telling people what they hope it is.In This Episode:00:00 –  Introduction 01:39 –   Why vets scroll past familiar job-ad language 02:47 –  The quiet decision: choosing clinics they've been watching03:34 –  Post-and-pray recruiting and the questions vets actually ask 05:51 –  How culture claims lost their power 07:37 –  What's working now: seeing culture before advertising 11:35 –   The question every clinic should be asking 12:51 –   ClosingAbout Julie SouthJulie South is the founder of VetClinicJobs and host of Veterinary Voices. She works with forward-thinking veterinary clinics that want to shine online by showing what working there is really like, not just posting job ads. Through VetClinicJobs, Julie helps clinics build and maintain their own Culture Storytelling Centre — where real team stories, everyday moments, and ways of working are visible and discoverable year-round. This allows vets and nurses to recognise a clinic as Their Kind of Clinic long before a vacancy appears.LinksConnect with Julie on LinkedIn Learn more about Culture StorytellingStruggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

A vet in Melbourne is scrolling job ads, actively looking to relocate.She sees a position in Hamilton, New Zealand. Good clinic. Competitive salary. Sounds fine.She clicks through, reads the job description, then keeps scrolling.Three weeks later, she accepts a position in Melbourne. Not better. Just known.What happened?The decision didn't happen at the job ad stage. It happened earlier — at a moment most clinics never see.In this episode, we're looking at why relocating vets and nurses so often default to what they already know, even when they're actively looking for change. And what's actually happening in that invisible moment where they close the tab and keep scrolling.I'm Julie South. I run VetClinicJobs and help vet clinics across Australia, New Zealand and beyond build Culture Centres through Culture Storytelling. I've seen hundreds of clinics add better location descriptions to their job ads, wondering why relocating vets and nurses never apply — while their competitors attract people who've already decided they could live there.Listen if: you've ever wondered why relocating vets and nurses never seem to apply — or why your location advantages don't seem to translate into applications.Struggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

CareVets Gisborne's Clinic Coordinator Rhonda moved from London to Gisborne five years ago.In London, her commute was 90 minutes. In Auckland, she never got out of second gear in traffic.In Gisborne? Five minutes. Through "5 o'clock traffic" means waiting for half a dozen cars at a roundabout instead of going straight through."I go home for lunch," she says. Like it's nothing.But here's what made me want to record this conversation: Rhonda isn't a vet or a nurse. She came from corporate backgrounds in big cities. And she's the clinic coordinator at CareVets Gisborne — the person who keeps the machine running, who checks in with locum vets before they leave, who listens when the team says "we need to tell people what it's really like here."So when Rhonda talks about what makes someone stay five years, or what locums say about the nursing team, or what happens when things get busy — you're hearing it from someone who sees how the whole clinic actually works.At the time of recording, CareVets Gisborne is recruiting for a small animal veterinarian. But whether you're looking or not — listen to what a five-minute commute actually means when you've spent years in traffic.I'm Julie South. This is Veterinary Voices.Struggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

You list protected meal breaks, no weekend work, and flexible hours in your job ad.So does every other clinic in your city.How do vets and nurses decide? They can't tell you apart. So they don't apply. Or they apply everywhere and mean nowhere.Meanwhile, down the road, another clinic fills their position in three weeks. Same benefits. Same salary. Same city. But vets and nurses already knew their team actually gets lunch breaks - because they've been watching it happen for months before that clinic even advertised.That's not luck. That's visibility before vacancy.I'm Julie South. I run VetClinicJobs and help vet clinics across Australia, New Zealand and beyond build Culture Centres through Culture Storytelling. I've seen hundreds of clinics add more benefits to their job ads, wondering why nobody applies - while their competitors show their Quality of Life at Work year-round and attract people who've already decided.This episode shows you why competing on Quality of Life through job ads keeps you trapped, how the system changed in three ways most clinics haven't noticed, and the one question that changes everything about how you think about Quality of Life at Work.I'd love to help you, if you'd like that - email me or connect with me on LinkedIn.Struggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

What does a locum vet who's worked at five different clinics across New Zealand think when she walks into CareVets Gisborne? "I've actually loved it."Dr Camille Bonini is an English vet on a working holiday visa with absolutely no reason to sugarcoat anything. She's seen what good looks like and what doesn't. So when she talks about a nursing team that's always two steps ahead, surgical schedules that actually finish on time, and a head nurse who stays calm when things get chaotic, you know she's telling it straight.This is what a well-run clinic looks like through genuinely fresh eyes.If you're from the UK or Ireland considering New Zealand, or you're responsible for recruitment and wondering what "Culture Storytelling" actually means in practice, this conversation shows you exactly that. No marketing speak. Just a locum vet sharing what she found when she arrived.CareVets Gisborne is looking for their next permanent small animal vet. Details at vetclinicjobs.com/carevetsgisborneStruggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

The $5,000 professionally produced video gets 50 likes. The blurred photo of your team laughing at closing time gets 20 shares.Why?Most clinics think polish equals professionalism equals hires. They're wrong.Shares trump likes because shares reach extended networks - the thousands of vets and nurses you'll never reach from your clinic account alone. But getting shares requires something most clinics aren't doing.I'm Julie South. I run VetClinicJobs and help vet clinics across Australia, New Zealand and beyond build Culture Centres through Culture Storytelling. I've seen hundreds of clinics invest in professional content that sits there gathering digital dust while their competitors' imperfect posts travel.This episode shows you what makes Culture Stories shareable, why making yourself look good backfires, and how to tell if your posts will travel or sit there. You'll get a simple audit to run on your last five posts and know exactly what to change.I'd love to help you, if you'd like that - email me or connect with me on Linkedin.Struggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

Dr Ross Milner has worked everywhere from Antarctica to Fiji — but chose Gisborne as the best place in New Zealand for a vet to settle.In this episode, he explains why, and what day-to-day life as a vet there actually looks like.Dr Ross talks about:what surprised him most about living on the East Coastthe kind of caseload you can expect in a regional clinichow the nursing team works (and why he'd trust them with his own dog)what the after-hours roster really feels likethe community moments that made him feel welcomewhy he's usually home by 5pmand how he often gets to go home for lunchIf you've ever wondered what it's really like to live and work as a vet in Gisborne — or you're considering your next move as an experienced small-animal vet — this conversation gives a grounded, honest view from someone who's lived and worked all over the world.  Check out CareVets GisborneI'm Julie South. I run VetClinicJobs and help vet clinics across Australia, New Zealand and beyond attract vets and nurses by showing what working there genuinely looks like through culture storytelling.If lifestyle matters to you as much as the medicine, check out the full position details.Struggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

When Sarah shares a Culture Story from her personal profile, her vet school friends believe her. When your clinic posts the same thing, it's marketing.Sarah has 338 Facebook friends, 500 LinkedIn connections, 264 Instagram followers. Jake and Emma have similar. That's thousands of vets and nurses you'll never reach from your clinic account alone.But most clinics haven't asked their team to share because you're worried about control, don't know what to give them, or don't know how to ask.Six months of doing nothing = 180 days of lost reach.I'm Julie South. I run VetClinicJobs and help vet clinics across Australia, New Zealand and beyond build Culture Centres through Culture Storytelling. I've worked with hundreds of clinics who say "our team should share" but don't know how to make it happen. This episode shows you how.You'll learn how to start with your three most engaged people, what to give them to share, and how to make it easy so sharing becomes normal instead of forced.Struggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

Dr Loren Cribb has been calling Gisborne home since 2014. She started as a nervous new grad from the South Island and stayed for the trauma cases, the hunting dogs, and a nursing team that's always "one step ahead."This is what it's actually like to work at CareVets Gisborne.The variety: "If you're only wanting to do vaccinations and dentals, it's not the clinic for you. If you like a little bit of a challenge and excitement, then you can definitely get it."The team: "You go to ask for something and someone's already done it. Someone's already setting something up. You really just get to focus on what's happening with your patient."The roster: Currently 1-in-4 after hours (shared with another clinic), about to become 1-in-6 when they hire their next vet.The opportunity: "There is a lot of underutilised orthopaedic equipment in the clinic because we currently don't have anyone doing orthopaedics."The location: "I like to be not on the way to anywhere. It's a perfect balance between semi-rural and still accessible."I'm Julie South. I run VetClinicJobs and help vet clinics across Australia, New Zealand and beyond build Culture Centres through Culture Storytelling. This episode is part of CareVets Gisborne's REAL+STORY series - showing what working there genuinely looks like through real veterinary voices.If you're an experienced small animal vet considering your next move - especially if ortho interests you - check out the full position details. Struggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

You're posting about your team. Nothing's happening.That's because you're copying clinics who haven't figured it out either.This episode shows you what you're actually looking at when you see those bland team posts - and why the water cooler conversation you keep having is the actual problem.I'm Julie South. I run VetClinicJobs and help vet clinics across Australia, New Zealand and beyond build Culture Centres through Culture Storytelling - so vets and nurses think "They're My Kind of People." I've heard "we should really show what it's like here" hundreds of times. Most clinics never start. This episode is why.You think your only options are post bland content or do nothing. There's a third option most clinics haven't seen: Culture Stories that sound like real humans, not meeting memos.This episode shows you what those actually sound like, why the Emperor has no clothes, and how to start without making it weird for your team.If you've been having the "we should do this" conversation for months and nothing's happened yet - hit play.LINKS MENTIONED:julie@vetclinicjobs.comJulie at LinkedinStruggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

Three-minute commute. One traffic light. Equipment that surprises people. And a team so competent that Emma doesn't get called when her team is on call at the weekends.  Emma moved from Auckland four years ago and describes what it's like working somewhere that invests in building capability in-house - whether that's funding her Bachelor's degree or equipping the clinic to handle cases that would otherwise mean a four-hour drive for clients.If you're a small animal veterinarian looking to make your next career move you owe it to yourself to check out the opportunity at CareVets Gisborne.Find out more about CareVets Gisborne: vetclinicjobs.com/carevetsgisborneStruggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

Are you going dark between job ads—and is that silence costing you when the next resignation hits?Most vet clinics think you stop posting when you're fully staffed. Then someone resigns and you're introducing yourself to complete strangers. Again. Just like last time.This episode is about why the ordinary moments you're dismissing—the blurry photos, the mundane Mondays—are exactly what keeps you visible to future vets and nurses who might be your kind of people.In this episode, host Julie South of VetClinicJobs, gives you a 15-minute weekly routine to make staying visible to the vets and nurses you want on your team, sustainable.Because staying dark isn't free. It just feels like it is—until you need to hire again and nobody knows who you are.Struggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

Sarah left CareVets Gisborne. Then she came back.In this episode, you'll hear why the team she left was the team she missed most, what it's really like becoming part of a community where you chat about patients while doing your grocery shopping, and the clinical variety that comes with being the main option when referral hospitals are too far away.If you're a small animal veterinarian looking to make your next career move you owe it to yourself to check out the opportunity at CareVets Gisborne.Find out more about CareVets Gisborne: vetclinicjobs.com/carevetsgisborneStruggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

Most great vets and nurses already have a mental shortlist before they start job-hunting. Clinics they've noticed, names they recognise, places that seem good to work for.If you're not on that list, you're starting cold when you post a job ad. And you'll stay cold for a very long time, no matter how much you spend on job boards.Here's the problem most clinics don't realise: you think you're active online because you're posting regularly. But if all you're talking to is your clients — pet care tips, vaccination posts, cute patient photos — then from a jobseeker's point of view, you've gone completely dark.You're invisible to the people you need to hire.This episode shows you what future vets and nurses actually need to see from you, why trust builds before they're even looking, and gives you one simple thing to do this week that changes the pattern.LINKS:LinkedinEmailVetClinicJobsStruggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

Dr Anna knew nothing about New Zealand before leaving Dublin, Ireland. Just that the weather would be terrible - like at home.A year later, she's thinking about residency.This is the final episode in the VetsOne Employer of Choice series. You'll hear what the first year as a new graduate actually looks like—from someone who arrived knowing nobody and nothing about where she'd be living.What you'll hear:Seven weeks of structured induction as a brand new grad.Why extended euthanasia appointments changed how she thinks about client care.The culture shock nobody warned her about (hint: you need a car for everything).Why she went from "I'll give it a year" to "I don't want to go home"Worth listening for:"When I started here, I thought, oh, well, I love it now, but it will die out within a few months. It always does. And then six months came and I said, I still really like it. And now I'm here a year and now I'm like, oh, no, I don't want to go home."If you're a new or recent graduate wondering what your first year in New Zealand would actually be like, this conversation shows you.Links:Position details: https://vetclinicjobs.com/vetsoneEpisode page: https://veterinaryvoices.com/1016Contact Julie: julie@vetclinicjobs.comStruggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

"You're not hiring staff. You're trying to bring back awareness from the dead", that's the point Julie South makes today.Most vet clinics think they have two options: advertise when hiring, or do nothing when fully staffed. But that "doing nothing" phase is costing you more than you realise — and it's not just the job board fees you see on invoices.When you go dark between hires, four things are quietly draining your budget. Most clinics never add these up. When they do, the number is shocking.There's a third option you didn't know you had. It doesn't require you to always be in recruitment mode, it takes less time than you think, and it stops the expensive start-from-scratch pattern for good.Julie South - Australasia's Culture Storytelling Thought Leader and Hosts - walks you through what's actually costing you, shows you how to calculate your own number, and gives you something to do this week that changes the pattern.LINKS:LinkedinEmailVetClinicJobsStruggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

What Support Actually Looks Like: Two Vet Nurses on Corporate vs Private Practice Brooke and Abi are both veterinary nurses at VetsOne. One's been there two years, the other nearly two. Both came from clinics where they felt unsupported. Both found something different.In this episode:What "support" actually looks like when teammates pick up the slack on rough daysHow Brooke discovered a passion for palliative care she didn't know she hadWhy Abi's weight management clinic idea sat in her head for months before she finally mentioned itThe difference between corporate and privately owned clinics from nurses who've worked bothWeekly role rotations that pair nurses with different vets daily—and why they like itWhat it's like when directors actually say "yes, you've got my full support"Worth listening for:Brooke: "At my first clinic job, I didn't have a lot of support, but at VetsOne, I've noticed a big step up. There's been a lot of support, a lot of good banter as well."Abi: "I was a little bit scared and intimidated because my way of thinking was, what if it's a flop? Or what if no one signs up and then it's embarrassing... I just wish I actually started sooner because it turned out better than I expected."On the team culture: "We get the job done but we give each other a hard time, but in a good way."If you're a veterinary nurse wondering what genuine support looks like, or a vet wondering what kind of team actually backs your ideas, this conversation shows you.Coming next: Episode 1014 with Dr Sharon Marshall, one of VetsOne's three directors. She knew at age 5 she'd be a veterinarian—now she's choosing to step back from clinical work to build the team.Links:Position details: https://vetclinicjobs.com/vetsoneEpisode page: https://veterinaryvoices.com/1013Contact Julie: julie@vetclinicjobs.comStruggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

Most responsible for recruitment in a vet clinic, think they're building their employer brand when they post a job ad.  They've written a detailed description, listed benefits, maybe mentioned their culture.  They hit publish and wait for applications.Then nothing happens.So they rewrite the ad, add more platforms, spend more money. Still nothing.They're advertising without marketing. And advertising without marketing is just shouting into a void where nobody's listening.In this episode Employer Brand Marketing Specialist, Julie South walks through why posting job ads - no matter how well written - isn't employer brand marketing, and why most clinics are stuck in a false choice that keeps them starting from zero every single time they recruit.Most clinics bounce between two options their entire existence:  ON (actively advertising, spending money across multiple platforms) or OFF (fully staffed, spending nothing on recruitment).   Sadly, they don't see a third option.But there is one.Tune in - you'll get a simple yes/no question this week that instantly tells you whether you're doing marketing or just advertising.This is Episode 3 in our Employer Brand Marketing 101 series.If you've been stuck in the on/off start/stop pattern for years and don't know how to break it, email Julie directly at julie@vetclinicjobs.com.Next week: what the on/off start/stop pattern is actually costing you - far more than just subscription fees.Julie South is a Vet Clinic Employer Brand Marketing specialist.Links mentioned in episode:Struggling to get results from your job advertisements? The VetClinicJobs platform is the place to post your next job vacancy - get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobsStruggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

Dana relocated 1300 kilometres from Central Otago to Hawke's Bay specifically for this veterinary nursing position at VetsOne. In this episode:Why she moved 800+ miles for a nursing role—and what it took to build a new life knowing only 3-4 peopleCorporate vs. privately owned clinics: "You feel more like a family member rather than just a number"Weekly role rotations that pair nurses with different vets daily—creating variety for everyoneThe Lincoln programme: Learning to navigate difficult conversations at work and homeWhat kind of person fits: "Someone that can banter with us, wants to be social, and wants to be a part of the team"Worth listening for:"The whole team has ideas we bring to management and the directors. They're quite open to ideas and suggestions. It's just really nice that we feel heard and seen."On leaving corporate for private: "I feel a lot more seen and valued rather than just a number, which is how I felt in the past. I feel a lot more valued because we're a smaller knit group."If you've ever wondered whether relocating for the right veterinary role is worth it—or what privately owned actually feels like compared to corporate—Dana's story will answer those questions.Links:Position details: https://vetclinicjobs.com/vetsoneEpisode page: https://veterinaryvoices.com/1011Contact Julie: julie@vetclinicjobs.comStruggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

Your clinic's website, social media and team page were built to attract pet owners. When you send job seekers to that same content, you're asking consumer marketing to do employer brand marketing's job.It simply can't.The person visiting your website to book an appointment is looking for completely different information from the veterinary nurse deciding whether to apply for your position. Your consumer marketing answers questions pet owners have - but when a veterinary professional considers their next career move, they're asking entirely different questions your consumer content wasn't designed to answer.Today Julie South walks through three fundamental differences between marketing to pet owners and marketing to veterinary professionals, and why one piece of content can't do both jobs.You'll get a practical action step to take this week that will show you exactly where the gap is between what pet owners need to see and what job seekers need to know.This is Episode 2 in our Employer Brand Marketing 101 series.If you don't have any employer brand marketing content at all and don't know where to start, email Julie directly at julie@vetclinicjobs.com.Next week: the difference between advertising and marketing, because posting job ads - even really good ones - isn't employer brand marketing.Julie South is a Vet Clinic Employer Brand Marketing specialist.Struggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

In Part 1 (ep 1009), you heard Dr Mia's journey as a mature student to veterinary medicine, her transition from mixed to small animal practice, and how VetsOne supported her herbal medicine side hustle. You also heard why she left—and what drew her back 18 months later.In Part 2, Dr Mia walks through the practical day-to-day realities of working at VetsOne.In this episode, you'll hear about:After-hours arrangements: How joining the Hawke's Bay after-hours clinic changed everything (latest finish: 6pm once a week, no on-call)Weekend roster: One in four, 9am-1pm Saturday and SundayTwice-daily team huddles: How 10-minute check-ins at 8:30am and 2:45pm help coordinate across vets, nurses, and customer care—especially important in a multi-storey building where you can't just yell down the hallway anymoreWhat makes their nursing team exceptional: "My favourite veterinary tool is a nurse because I can't do my job without them"The difference between hard days and bad days: "Every day, even a bad day, it's a good day coming here because you come to friends"How Lincoln Institute training transformed team communication: Learning to ask "Do you have capacity for me to vent right now?" and understanding how people work under stressWhy she came back after leaving: "100% the people. I would get upset if I think about leaving the people that I work with"What's worth listening out for from Dr Mia:"It's a feeling of being completely accepted for yourself and being safe here—physically safe, which is a big deal in our job, but emotionally safe and supported in a workplace. It's a pretty tricky place to want to leave when you feel happy here."And on the directors: "They've got the most beautiful hearts. They're the kindest, most selfless people. Their focus is people and having a good business."The Lincoln Institute impact: Understanding that 50% (or more) of veterinary work is dealing with people—clients, colleagues, personalities under stress. Learning communication skills that take away stress rather than add to it.If you're a small animal veterinarian wondering what genuine team support and emotional safety looks like in practice, this conversation shows you.Position details: vetclinicjobs.com/vetsoneLinks:Position details: https://vetclinicjobs.com/vetsoneVetClinicJobs: https://vetclinicjobs.comVeterinary Voices: https://veterinaryvoices.comContact Julie: julie@vetclinicjobs.comStruggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

Dr Mia describes VetsOne as her "forever home" - and after hearing her story, you'll understand why.In this first part of our conversation with Dr Mia, you'll discover how a new graduate found a clinic that not only supported her transition from mixed to small animal practice, but actively championed her interest in herbal medicine when she could have been dismissed as "witchy" or "alternative."What you'll hear:How Dr Mia came to veterinary medicine as a mature student after trying (unsuccessfully) to make the desire go awayThe interview she did in leggings with no makeup on the day her dog died - and why the directors still offered her the jobHer transition from mixed animal to small animal work, and how VetsOne made it happen without resistanceWhy she's nicknamed "Witchy Poo" and how the team embraced her complementary herbal medicine interestsHow VetsOne supported her developing a separate herbal medicine business while working part-time in clinicThe reality of burnout, perfectionism, and why she left for 18 months before choosing to returnWhat it means to work in a team where diverse clinical interests aren't just tolerated - they're celebratedAbout VetsOne's current opportunity: VetsOne in Hastings, Hawke's Bay, is looking for a small animal veterinarian with leadership potential or experience to help guide their companion animal team. If you're drawn to a clinic that genuinely celebrates diverse clinical interests and supports professional growth in unconventional directions, this episode will show you what's possible.Part 2 coming next, where Dr Mia shares the practical realities of working at VetsOne - from after-hours arrangements to team huddles to what makes nurses her "favourite piece of kit."About This SeriesThis is part of the VetsOne Employer of Choice series on Veterinary Voices. When you hear multiple team members sharing genuine stories about what it's actually like to work somewhere - that's employer brand marketing in action. It's why VetsOne attracts veterinary professionals who genuinely want to be there, not just people responding to generic job ads.ResourcesPosition details: https://vetclinicjobs.com/VetsOneContact for Employer Brand Marketing support: Julie South, Tania Bruce, Lizzie SwansonThe Vet Clinic Employer Brand Job BoardVetClinicJobs: Build Your Vet Clinic Employer Brand. Do Your Own Recruitment. Better.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Struggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

Someone resigns. You advertise. Months pass with no suitable applicants. You spend thousands across multiple platforms. Eventually you fill the position, turn everything off, and breathe a sigh of relief.Then 18 months later, someone else resigns and you're back at square one, starting the entire exhausting cycle from scratch.If this pattern sounds familiar, you're stuck in a cycle that most vet clinics don't realise they can actually break.In this episode, Julie South walks through:the three stages of the recruitment cycle that keeps you stuck, what it's really costing you beyond job board subscriptions, and why turning everything off when you're fully staffed guarantees the next cycle will be exactly the same.You'll get one action step to take this week: identifying where you are in the cycle right now, because you can't change a pattern you haven't recognised.This is Episode 1 in our Employer Brand Marketing 101 series - a framework for breaking the recruitment cycle and building sustainable hiring capability.If you're currently in the desperate middle stage, email Julie directly at julie@vetclinicjobs.com.Next week: why your consumer-facing website and social media can't do the work of recruitment.Julie South is a Vet Clinic Employer Brand Marketing specialist.The Vet Clinic Employer Brand Job BoardVetClinicJobs: Build Your Vet Clinic Employer Brand. Do Your Own Recruitment. Better.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Struggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

VetsOne: 34 Years of Evolution - AmandaWhat does 34 years of loyalty to one veterinary clinic tell you? When Amanda started at VetsOne in 1990 as the last on-the-job trained veterinary nurse, she couldn't have imagined she'd still be there today—now as operations manager, leading a team through floods, growth, and transformation.In this episode, Amanda shares what generosity of thought and generosity of time actually look like in daily practice. You'll hear the real story of what happened during the 2023 cyclone when Jason couldn't cross the washed-out bridges and Amanda had to "man the ship" for a week. You'll discover how the team evolved from yelling down hallways in the old building to implementing comprehensive protocols across multiple floors in their modern facility.What you'll hear:How VetsOne's three directors made significant changes when they took ownership—starting with raising veterinary nurse wages above industry averageThe impact of Lincoln Institute training on team communication, with modules on social styles helping team members understand why "drivers are blunt" and "amiables struggle with decisions"What it means when a clinic asks "what is the how?" and genuinely wants team input on protocolsThe transition to Fear Free practices with dedicated cat-only spaces—waiting room, consult room, and hospitalWhy clients have stayed with VetsOne for 35+ years and know staff by first nameHow Mental Health Awareness Week became a team-driven initiativeWhat keeps a diverse team—from 21-year-olds to experienced professionals, from local Kiwis to Irish and Malaysian vets—genuinely connectedAbout living in Hawke's Bay: Amanda describes the Sunny Hawke's Bay lifestyle—vineyards, cycling tracks, beaches at Waimarama and Ocean Beach, and those spectacular sunrises over the river that make 5am dog walks worthwhile even in winter.About VetsOne's current opportunity: VetsOne is looking for a small animal veterinarian with leadership potential or experience. Someone who wants to work where operational systems genuinely support rather than constrain the clinical team, and where "who you are" matters more than just "what you are."Veterinary Voices is brought to you by VetClinicJobs - Build your employer brand. Do your own recruitment. Better.ResourcesPosition details: https://vetclinicjobs.com/VetsOneContact for recruitment support: tania@vetclinicjobs.comAbout This SeriesThis is part of the VetsOne's Employer of Choice series on Veterinary Voices. When you hear multiple team members sharing genuine stories about what it's actually like to work somewhere—that's employer brand marketing in action. It's why VetsOne attracts veterinary professionals who genuinely want to be there, not just people responding to generic job ads.Struggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

This is the final episode in the VetsOne Employer of Choice series where Dr Sharon Marshall brings it all together—the philosophy, the practical support, and the vision for where this 80-year-old practice is heading.In Part 2, Dr Sharon gets into the specifics of what stepping into leadership at VetsOne actually looks like day-to-day.In this episode, you'll hear:How VetsOne supports first-time leaders (3-month induction, monthly leadership meetings, direct support from someone who's been in the role)What success looks like: being respected, making teams work together, being the voice for your teamThe team structure: 7 nurses, 5 small animal vets, 3 production animal vets—and how they coordinate across consults, surgery, dentistry, and hospital areasClinical capabilities that set VetsOne apart: TPLO surgeries, BOAS procedures, I-131 radiation treatment for cats, advanced dentistry—because their ethos is being the veterinary home for clients' animals, not a triage service that refers everythingHow their four values (professionalism, advocacy, communication, teamwork) were developed WITH the team—not imposed by management—and how they're revisited monthlyWhy the name "VetsOne" emerged from their rebranding (spoiler: it's about being one team, one with the owner, the one place providing all services)The equipment they've invested in: in-house chemistry, IDEXX ImageVet AI, Bionet anaesthesia monitors, video microscopes—provincial New Zealand with big-city capabilitiesWhat's worth listening out for from Dr Sharon: "I don't need a team of robots. I want a team who are thinking for themselves and acting for themselves, but using the ethos of VetsOne as their backbone so they're not just floundering around in the dark."Over this VetsOne series, you've heard from directors, veterinarians, and nurses. Mountain bike mishaps, palliative care passions, herbal medicine side hustles, relocating 1,300km for the right role. What's consistent? People who feel genuinely seen, supported to pursue their interests, and part of something bigger than themselves.If you're a small animal vet with 8-10 years experience ready to step into leadership, this episode shows you exactly what that could look like—without the corporate machinery.Position details: vetclinicjobs.com/vetsoneStruggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

What does it look like when a veterinarian who knew at age five what she wanted to be deliberately steps back from clinical work to build something bigger?Dr Sharon Marshall, one of VetsOne's three directors, has spent 25 years in Hawke's Bay building not just a veterinary practice, but a culture designed to outlast her. In this first of two conversations, she reveals how she reconciles the tension between being a vet and being a business owner (spoiler: they're the same goal approached differently).In this episode, you'll hear:Why animal advocacy doesn't stop when you move into management—it scalesWhat work-life balance actually looks like beyond the buzzwords (including AI consult scribing, no on-call, and weekend hours that finish at 1pm)How VetsOne's longevity programme rewards team members from year one through to 20+ years (including paid overseas holidays)Why succession planning starts now, not when directors are ready to leaveWhat it means to build a team that can carry the work forward long after you're goneIf you're a small animal vet with 8-10 years experience ready to step into a leadership role (even if you've never had "team leader" in your job description), this conversation is for you.VetsOne is recruiting for their next small animal veterinarian and team leader. Details at vetclinicjobs.com/vetsonePart 2 continues next week with the practical details of the role, team structure, clinical capabilities, and how VetsOne's values were developed.Links:Position details: https://vetclinicjobs.com/vetsoneVetClinicJobs: https://vetclinicjobs.comVeterinary Voices: https://veterinaryvoices.comContact Julie: julie@vetclinicjobs.comStruggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

What's the difference between clinics that fill positions in weeks and those that post the same job ad month after month with zero applications? After 16 episodes of job ad strategies, you might discover the answer isn't about what you know - it's about what you've actually implemented.In Episode 241, Julie South delivers a reality check for the final episode of the comprehensive job advertisement series. If you've been following along since episode 225, you should be seeing results by now - better quality applications, shorter time-to-hire, maybe even team members proud to share your job ads. If you're not, Julie explains why the first question isn't about your market, it's about your implementation.Julie covers three critical implementation checkpoints: whether you've moved from bullet points to genuine storytelling (not just thinking "that makes sense" without changing anything), whether you're targeting the right people the right way instead of trying to appeal to everyone, and whether you've built internal culture support before recruiting externally. She demonstrates why knowing and doing are completely different things, and why clinics getting zero applications need to honestly assess whether they've tried any of the strategies covered rather than just hoping this time will be automagically different.You'll learn why trying to implement storytelling strategies on traditional or outdated job boards might mean you have the right message but the wrong platform, and discover how successful clinics aren't those with the biggest budgets or best locations - they're the ones who've committed to authentic employer branding. This episode provides an honest audit framework if you're still posting, praying and hoping rather than seeing real results.For insights into veterinary job advertisement trends across Australia and New Zealand, contact tania@vetclinicjobs.com for the monthly veterinary employment job advertisement market intelligence report.If you're interested in exploring authentic employer brand recruitment marketing, resources are available at VetClinicJobs.com/resources.Julie South is a Vet Clinic Employer Brand Marketing specialist.Links mentioned in episode:tania@vetclinicjobs.comVetClinicJobs.com/resourcesStruggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

Meet Dr Mike Newell, one of VetsOne's three working director-owners and a large animal veterinarian who's spent over 25 years building relationships with Hawke's Bay farming clients.In this conversation, you'll hear: What it's like being both a practice owner and a working veterinarianWhy the three directors can make decisions without corporate clunkinessHow attitude matters far more than skills when building the right teamWhy Dr Mike describes himself as "the one that breaks himself the most" through his mountain biking adventuresWhat separates a workplace from a home - and how VetsOne has become the latterKey Quote: "Skills you can certainly teach people - it's more around that attitude. Hiring and knowing what traits we're looking for in respect of their attitude is the most important thing."Episode HighlightsOn Being an Owner-Operator: Dr Mike explains the unique challenge of wearing two hats - making strategic decisions as a director while still getting out into the field doing the veterinary work he loves.On Team Culture: "The biggest thing is actually getting along with other people, being able to talk to your peers about certain cases and challenges. We all help each other out and that team culture is really, really important."On What Makes VetsOne Different: Three directors who came from - and still work within - the practice on a daily basis. Decisions come from them entirely, without corporate layers or clunky processes.On Hiring Philosophy: VetsOne learned through experience that getting the right people means prioritizing attitude over technical skills. Some team members who weren't aligned with the culture have moved on, and the practice is stronger for it.On Supporting Team Ideas: The directors listen to staff ideas, give them scope to develop plans, and support initiatives like weight loss clinics and palliative care programs that originated from the team.Why This Matters for Your ClinicIf you're building or rebuilding your clinic culture, Dr Mike's insights about:Hiring for attitude over skills aloneCreating genuine team accountability without hierarchySupporting diverse clinical interestsMaking decisions quickly without corporate bureaucracy...offer a masterclass in how owner-operators can build something genuinely special.Struggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs

Dr Jason Clark is one of VetsOne's three directors and a working farm vet who came to veterinary medicine as a mature student. In this episode, he walks through what collaborative protocol development actually looks like when a clinic genuinely involves staff in decision-making.In this episode, you'll hear:How VetsOne's team developed their euthanasia protocols—including why they light a candle by the front door—and what changed from previous practicesWhat happened during the 2023 Cyclone Gabrielle when directors couldn't reach the clinic but staff ran the business independently, even sleeping overnight to handle emergenciesHow VetsOne supports staff developing special interests, including one veterinarian running a herbal medicine practice under her own banner alongside her clinical workDr Jason also describes VetsOne's four-word mission statement (professionalism, advocacy, communication, teamwork) and how they actively review whether daily operations align with those values. He explains what "advocacy" means in practice—always starting with gold standard recommendations, then working with clients to find the next best solution if needed.About VetsOne: VetsOne is a privately owned veterinary clinic in Hastings, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. They're currently seeking a small animal veterinarian with leadership potential or experience to help guide their companion animal team.Links:Small Animal Veterinarian Position at VetsOneJulie SouthTania BruceLizzie SwansonAbout Veterinary Voices: Veterinary Voices: Employer brand conversations that help veterinary clinics hire great people.About VetClinicJobs: VetClinicJobs is the employer brand job board for veterinary clinics. Build your employer brand. Do your own recruitment. Better.Struggling to get results from your job advertisements? If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic. The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs