How a Veterinary Assistant Program Can Boost Your Career Prospects in the Animal Care Industry

 

How a Veterinary Assistant Program Can Boost Your Career Prospects in the Animal Care Industry 

No Vet Assistant Credentials? No Problem?

If you want to work with animals and are considering a career as a veterinary assistant, you may wonder whether you need any credentials to apply for jobs.

Though it is a medical field, you do not need to have any licensing, certification, or degree to be a veterinary assistant. The only education requirement for becoming a veterinarian assistant is usually a high school diploma.

This is exciting news…until you start applying for jobs, and then it is crickets. No one is willing to give you a chance.

Why?

Because you have no credentials.

Do not let people tell you differently: getting a veterinary assistant certification makes a difference. An attractive vet assistant job candidate either has lots of experience working with animals in some capacity or has a vet assistant certificate proving knowledge of the field. Just showing up with a high school diploma and saying, “I love animals,” does not cut it in a crowded job market.

The Reality of the Vet Assistant Job Market

On the upside, there are plenty of jobs available to qualified applicants, and all signs point to continued growth. According to Forbes, 66% of American homes have pets in 2024. And since 51% of those owners consider their pets part of their family, spending on pets is astronomical. The figure is closing in on $150 billion, with veterinary care claiming a huge chunk.

More pets equal more vets. More veterinarians equal more vet assistant jobs.

Even with more jobs being created, however, there are still lots of animal lovers vying for every single one of them. Prospective employers can choose among qualified job candidates.

Why would they pick someone with no skills, training, or meaningful experience when they could fill the position with a certified veterinary assistant who would require little job training?

Sure, there are some people who get hired with no experience and no job training, and they receive on-the-job training. In reality, though, they are exceptions to the rule. These are competitive jobs. Think how much you love dogs and cats, and puppies and kittens, and want to help take care of them! So do thousands of other animal lovers.

How Do I Improve my Job Prospects?

Getting experience working with animals will help beef up your resume for sure. Depending on where you live, this may be easier for some than others. Rural areas offer opportunities to get experience on farms or ranches or in riding stables. Wildlife rehabilitation centers may also accept volunteer help. Cities may have zoos with volunteer programs (although those are super hard to get into, too). Dog kennels or doggy daycares are also good options.

If you have a challenging time getting your foot in the door somewhere to get experience with animals, or if you have experience and still cannot land a job, enrolling in an online veterinary assistant program could give you the leg up you need.

Animal Behavior College’s online program can be completed in about a year and is more affordable and flexible than attending a brick-and-mortar trade school.

ABC also ensures you get plenty of real-world experience working in a veterinary clinic setting. Once your online work is done, you start on an externship with a mentor at an animal hospital facility near you. Under your mentor’s supervision, you can practice your new skills and get a feel for what it is like working in a veterinary practice.

Once you get certified, you will be able to demonstrate to prospective employers that:

• You are serious about a career as a vet assistant.
• You have experience in a veterinary facility.
• You will have a good grasp of what the job entails and will not need much training.
• You have knowledge about sterilizing, prepping exam rooms, lab procedures, animal restraint, and other essential elements of the job.

It’s Time to Get Serious About Your Career

Why waste more time applying for veterinary assistant jobs without any experience or credentials to recommend you? Become the type of job candidate vet practices are looking for! Call ABC at 800-795-3294 to set up an interview today.

Visit us here for more information on our program:  https://www.animalbehaviorcollege.com/veterinary-assistant/