I arrived at the GCHS Veterinary clinic about ten minutes before my scheduled time. Cynthia, the front desk manager who had called about my interview had made certain I knew it was at a different building than the shelter itself and since there was no mix up finding it was very easy.
When I arrived I was asked to fill out a paper application for their records. The application was several pages long and asked me to repeat most of the information on my CV so it took about 30 minutes to fill out completely since I was taking my time to be as neat as possible with my handwriting. (I have hand tremors so this probably would take a little less time on the average.)
Less than two minutes after I handed the application over to Brittainy, the receptionist that day, I was taken back to speak with Gloria, the practice manager. She was incredibly upfront with me about the needs of the clinic, the differences between the nonprofit world and the private sector, and the social environment (re: as drama free as possible) she strives to maintain.
We discussed my history, my qualifications, and what I was looking for. I knew going in that the pay was going to be less than it would be in the private sector, although the benefits are better than some clinics I can think of. This isn't a place you sign on to in order to make a good deal of money - nonprofits like this don't have the funds to pay at the same rate. That being said, Gloria acknowledged my experience and even though I was willing to take the wage listed in their job posting, she offered me a little more should we find we are a good fit. It was very clear to me that she wants to take care of her employees as much as possible under the circumstances.
We discussed the onboarding process, including a background check and drug test, and set up an "observational" interview time where I could come in and view the workflow, get a sense of the systems and protocols, ask questions of the staff and see if we clicked.
She gave me a tour of the clinic which is a very nice building that was donated by an opthamologist when he retired some years ago. There are multiple exam rooms, decent kennel space and room to move around the treatment area, a dedicated room for dentals - with it's own kennel space that it shares only with animals there for heartworm treatment -, an older but well lit operating suite, a roomy front office with plenty of space for any paper files kept on record as well as simply to allow the staff to breathe without feeling boxed in, and a large, comfortable looking breakroom with the standard amenities (refrigerator, microwave, etc.). There is a private entrance and exit for the staff, parking space available for the clinic and room for it to eventually expand on land owned by the humane society - so there are likely going to be opportunities for advancement going forward.
All told the process probably took about an hour. Everyone was friendly, the mood in the clinic was sincerely pleasant and everyone was focused on getting the job done well. I observed staff members assisting each other if they needed a hand and it seemed to me that there were no employees there at the time who were willing to let their coworkers struggle while they relaxed which is encouraging given that this can be a problem at other clinics.
I was very pleased with the interview overall. Gloria's questions never felt like an interrogation or as if she were probing to see if I would make a mistake which is something I've experienced in other interviews where the hiring managers try to knock you off balance to see how you handle it.
I'm presently going forward with the process to see if the clinic is a good fit for me. Like nearly every veterinary clinic right now, Gulf Coast Humane Society is short staffed and in need of good personnel. I would encourage anyone with a love of this field who wants to work in a low-drama environment, give back to the community and can afford to take a lower wage than the private sector might offer to apply and see if it is right for them.
Gloria did make it very clear that the clinic sees a high volume of patients and while in the brief time I was able to observe the staff I witnessed good cooperation skills and staff members supporting each other I have no doubt the sheer number of cases that are seen in a day can add to the stress of the field. If that's not something you can handle this clinic probably isn't right for you.
For me it was a great experience and I'm looking forward to the next step.
