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You can look at the app and website and receive the fortnightly newsletter through your University or direct via mailchimp, but did you know that you can also register your dream job outline with Kookaburra?
The veterinary employment market has been very buoyant in recent years but that has not always been the case nor will it always be. We are already seeing a contraction of the vet job market in Australia as belts are tightened in response to a worsening economic climate and, sadly, pet health is often one of the first things to suffer. I vividly recall an extended period in the past when practices were very resistant to employing graduates and the heartbreak that caused when graduates could not find work and were forced to move into other industries. Hopefully that will never happen again but you can future proof yourself by registering with Kookaburra now.
Why Bother?
You will be the FIRST to hear about every suitable vacancy before it is even live on our website – you won’t have to wait to receive a newsletter.
You will ONLY receive notification of jobs that suit your own personal criteria – you tell us what your perfect job looks like and that’s what we’ll consider when sending you jobs.
You will START a lifelong relationship with Kookaburra – we’ll be there for you whenever it’s time for a new challenge, reactivating your registration when you tell us it’s time to change jobs.
You will have ACCESS to an important resource – Kookaburra has immense knowledge of all things job-wise in the veterinary industry and we’re happy to share that with you.
You can BROADEN your horizons by registering for jobs anywhere in the world – let us know you’re prepared to work with sun bears in Borneo or elephants in Thailand or whatever your interest is and we’ll share those jobs with you as received.
Above all else, we actually care about finding you the right place within the veterinary industry and we’re here to support you while you discover your passion. When you graduate, Kookaburra will likely be there as well, providing your graduating class with a photo booth for the night or gifts such as wireless phone chargers or pick-me-up candy or by financially supporting your year’s special projects.
This information includes the views and opinions of Kookaburra Veterinary Employment and is of a general nature only. Factual information is believed to be correct at the time of writing, however, should not be relied upon and any person should confirm details with the relevant authorities and through their own research prior to acting on any of the suggestions in this article.
Comments Off on How To Assess if your Online Ad is ‘working’
Robots vs Humans: The Evolution of Online Advertising
Ever Heard of the Dead Internet Theory?
The “Dead Internet Theory” suggests that much of the content we see on the internet (including social media platforms) is actually created by artificial intelligence interacting with other AI. While it’s an exaggerated claim to say that all content is AI-generated, the idea that a significant portion of it could be is both intriguing and unsettling.
In fact, it’s estimated that 57% of web-based text content is AI-generated or translated as of now. Though experts initially predicted that 90% of online content would be AI-generated by 2025, it’s clear we’re moving toward a future where much of what we encounter online is the product of artificial intelligence. If you’re wondering whether you’ve been debating recipes with a robot on Facebook, well, it’s not that far-fetched!
Scrolling through your feeds can feel like a wild west of strange content—sometimes you might even stumble upon unexpected gems, like “Shrimp Jesus” making an appearance on your timeline.
But what does all this have to do with your online ad?
Clicks and Views: How Reliable Are They?
A common question we get is, “How is my ad performing?” Many people rely on total clicks or views as an indicator of success. But today, these metrics are increasingly unreliable. With over 70,000 AI companies scanning the web, bots are constantly harvesting data and triggering views—often in ways that skew results.
Bots such as Amazonbot, Bingbot, Googlebot, and Yahoo Slurp crawl the internet every day to index websites for search engines. These bots often follow the robots.txt protocol, a set of rules used by websites to control which pages they can crawl. But even when blocked, bots can bypass these restrictions by coming from third-party sites or simply ignoring the rules altogether, leading to what we call “botted views.”
Even human interactions with your ad can be misleading. Consider these factors:
Duplicate clicks: Someone might see your ad, show initial interest, and then return later to check it again. This can inflate your view count.
Foreign applicants: If your ad is reaching people from outside your location (especially if you’re hiring in a country like Australia or New Zealand), it might attract applicants with foreign qualifications that require a lengthy recognition process. This results in a drawn-out recruitment cycle, which may not be ideal for your clinic.
So, how can you tell if your ad is truly reaching the right audience with just views?
Why Aren’t I Getting Applications?
Sometimes, even if your ad is getting human views, it might not be attracting quality applications. Here are a few reasons why:
Cumbersome application processes: If you’re using a careers portal with multiple steps (e.g., creating an account, uploading documents, filling in surveys), applicants may abandon the process in favour of an easier alternative. Make sure your application process is as straightforward as possible.
Unfriendly presentation: If your ad looks like a wall of text, potential applicants might be turned off. Instead, break down key details into short, bold bullet points to make it more skimmable and engaging. Highlight the most important points using bold or italics.
How Can I Tell If My Ad Is Actually Working?
If view counts and clicks are unreliable, the best way to assess your ad’s effectiveness is through human interaction. Are you receiving inquiries about the position via email, phone, or in-person? Applicants might not always send their resume immediately but could still be showing interest by reaching out for more information.
At the end of the day, it’s not about how many people see your ad—it’s about who is seeing it. Quality interactions matter more than quantity.
Author:
John Maude Kookaburra Veterinary Employment
This information includes the views and opinions of Kookaburra Veterinary Employment and is of a general nature only. Factual information is believed to be correct at the time of writing, however, should not be relied upon and any person should confirm details with the relevant authorities and through their own research prior to acting on any of the suggestions in this article.
Learn More About Robots and Crawlers
Curious about web crawlers and the robots.txt protocol? Google offers some great resources on this topic. Check them out here: Google’s Robots.txt guide.
Want to Create Content Like a Bot and Usher in the Downfall of the Internet?
Interested in exploring AI-generated content? You can try out some popular tools:
SocialBee: Text generator with a free trial – SocialBee
Radaar: Text & Image generator with a 14-day free trial – Radaar
We’re all getting excited about our Office Christmas party – but here’s a quick reminder about the tax implications from the ATO Grinch!
If your business holds a Christmas party:
on a working day, on your business premises, and only for your current employees, you don’t pay fringe benefits tax (FBT) for the food and drink
off your business premises, or the party includes associates of employees (such as their partners), you don’t pay FBT if the party is a minor benefit – that is, the cost for each person is less than $300 and it would be considered unreasonable to treat it as a fringe benefit
that includes clients, you don’t pay FBT for the costs relating to the clients.
If you give your employees a Christmas gift, you don’t pay FBT if the value of the gift is less than $300 per person and it would be considered unreasonable to treat it as a fringe benefit.
If the Christmas party is not subject to FBT, you can’t claim income tax deductions (or GST) for the cost of the party.
A fringe benefit is a payment made to an employee but in a different form to salary or wages. Benefits made to volunteers or contractors are NOT fringe benefits. A fringe benefit is provided “in respect of employment”. It can also be a benefit given to an associate of the employee. So, for example if an employer pays the gym fees of an employee’s spouse, this is considered a fringe benefit provided to an associate of the employee.
Examples of fringe benefits include:
allowing an employee to use a work car for private purposes
car parking
paying an employee’s gym membership
providing entertainment by way of free tickets to concerts
reimbursing an expense incurred by an employee, such as school fees
giving an employee a discounted loan
Some work-related items (mainly used for work purposes) are exempt benefits. The exact exemption rules vary for small businesses:
Portable electronic devices
Software, protective clothing, tools of trade
‘Minor benefits’ are also exempt
When it’s both less than $300
And ‘unreasonable for it to be treated as a fringe benefit’
Fringe Benefits Tax – FBT
FBT is the amount of tax that would have been paid by the employee if they had paid for the benefit out of their own wages, at the top marginal tax rate including the medicare levy (47%) – eg. To buy a gym membership costing $1,100 including GST, the wages required would be $2,075: – $975 tax and $1,100 membership.
Instead of paying the employee extra salary of $2,075, the employer pays the gym membership of $1,100, claims $100 GST credits, and pays the tax required directly to the ATO as FBT. The employer can claim an income tax deduction for both the cost of the gym membership, and the cost of the FBT. The employee then does not pay income tax on the fringe benefit.
The FBT year is from 1st April to 31st March, and a FBT return must be lodged each year.
This information includes the views and opinions of Kookaburra Veterinary Employment and is of a general nature only. Factual information is believed to be correct at the time of writing, however, should not be relied upon and any person should confirm details with the relevant authorities and through their own research prior to acting on any of the suggestions in this article.
So you’ve been searching through the abundance of veterinary industry job ads listed on Kookaburra’s site or App and have found yourself a dream job – Yay you!
Now what?
How do you convince the Recruiter that you are the person they have been looking for… the one they NEED?
Let’s look at ways to impress and not depress them 😊. Resumes are not known to be exciting discussion points, but they are necessary at some point.
Whether you’re a graduate looking for first employment, someone moving to a new location, seeking a career change or making a career progression, you will need to update your resume, and just like everything, the standards and formats change, so it’s important to be current and move with the times.
Resume or CV? We mostly use the word Resume here in Australia, and for the purpose of his article we’ll use Resume.
It’s beneficial to view your Resume as the clever marketing tool of You.
This article mainly concentrates on the Resume, but at the end I’ll also touch on the very important ‘Cover Letter’ which can have an impactful way of creating a first impression.
Regardless of whether you are applying with a small independent or a large company, unfortunately if your resume or cover letter doesn’t make the cut in comparison to others, and instead bores or confuses the reader into a micro-sleep – you may not get to an interview.
It starts at the top..
The top third of your resume is where you have a brief moment to captivate & intrigue the reader with a Profile section.
Profile.
This is a summary section where you can use a few sentences to highlight your skills and experience & achievements. Also cater your profile to address the qualities or skills being required in the application.
Use keywords which are used in the Job Description in the ad so it resonates with the recruiter – speak their language.
Write the Profile in ‘first person implied’ . This is taking the “I” and “My” out and replacing with a verb. This sounds powerful, shows action and outcomes. A bit like someone announcing you walking into a room!
Eg: “Qualified Cert IV Vet Nurse with 15 years experience working with small animals, supporting vets in surgery in procedures such as IV catheter & blood collection. Friendly and understanding with animals and humans alike – owner of 2 dogs & 3 cats! Enjoys a dynamic fast paced workplace and implementing systems and changes to streamline an effective and productive clinic. More than advanced in the operation of Ezyvet & Vet Radar. Looking for further career progression in a community minded & progressive clinic. “
Speak from the heart. Recruiters are looking for glimpses of you so don’t be afraid to bring your personality or story into this section. This is where you can drop in insightful facts about yourself eg “Grew up loving animals working on a dairy farm”
Be Factual. It sort of goes without saying, but don’t say you can do something which you can’t! It will catch up with you eventually.
Avoid using clichés or filler jargon such as : – passionate, diligently, thoroughly, strategic, team player, strong work ethic, detail oriented.
Adjust your Profile section for each individual application to best market yourself for each particular role and work place.
Under the Profile
Contact Details, Name, Email & Mobile.
For privacy purposes you don’t need to place your home address. Most contact is done by phone or email – there will be no snail mail acknowledgement or rejection letter. You can put your address on your Contract when you get the job 😉
You could put your Residing Suburb/City if you want the recruiter to know that you are within a reasonable distance showing your short travel is not an issue.
Ensure your email is professional or industry related DON’T USE your tomboypartay@ email you’ve had since uni!
Side Note: Make sure your message bank message is professional, it might need an update as well?
Employment History Section
List your previous employment from most recent at the top.(Recruiters comment that this area is often ordered incorrectly and makes for a confusing read)
For each previous employment show:
The Company Name
Your role there
Start Month & Year, Finished Month & Year
An overview or summary of your responsibilities and achievements, which will be directly applicable to the job you are applying for now.
Only show a maximum of your past 15 years work history
Education Section
Again, the most recently completed at the top. The recruiter may find it fascinating where you spent your high school years, but they are really more interested in your most recent study & education.
Course or qualification & Institution’s name, & year graduated
Any short courses which may show more specialised attention to a certain area or skill
Skills
A small section normally at the bottom of the page.
It’s a list of your proficiencies for the recruiter to highlight your abilities quickly.
List these skills in bullet point form.
Identify skills required from the Job description and list those which you fulfill. Basically this shows how you ‘tick the recruiters boxes’ so to speak.
If there’s an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) used to scan the resume, it may assist to have keywords appearing from the job’s ad to highlight your application.
Finally – The Cover Letter
Spend some time on this. It’s a super important letter of introduction which will introduce your resume. Often ‘optional’ , it is recommended to include a Cover Letter..
It’s your chance to grab the recruiter’s attention with your personality and story. Speak from your heart directly to the recruiter to show how perfect you fit the role.
One of the big reveals that recruiters are looking for is… your WHY. In this letter address:
WHY you are applying as in why you were attracted to apply
WHY you would be perfect in this role
WHY do you want to work for this company/business. Have you heard good things about the company? If you are applying for a role in a large company – have you worked for this company previously?
Why did all your previous life experiences bring you to this point right now to apply for THIS job.
In addition..
Who are the hirers? Be prepared, by doing a little bit of research. So much information is available to us so you can look at the company’s website, Facebook, Google reviews, Instagram & LinkedIn This will give you an indication of the culture and values of the workplace which can help you write your Cover Letter & resume.
The Best Resumes are clean and simple. No need to put in it that time your Poodle won best haircut last year at the Dog show. This does not make you a good candidate for the job – unless you are applying for a Dog Grooming position!!
Don’t rinse and repeat your Cover Letter. Repeating, duplicating and sending out the same general information is boring and lazy & the reader gets the impression that little effort has been made.
Good luck with your applications and remember to ask after your submissions if there is any feedback on your application format or gaps in the information delivered so you can improve – they may give you feedback.
This information includes the views and opinions of Kookaburra Veterinary Employment and is of a general nature only. Factual information is believed to be correct at the time of writing, however, should not be relied upon and any person should confirm details with the relevant authorities and through their own research prior to acting on any of the suggestions in this article.
Comments Off on The Consolidation of the Veterinary Industry
As the veterinary industry faces increasing levels of consolidation, it’s important to be aware of ownership of practices, as it can factor in to decisions about job applications. Some ‘independently owned’ practices are starting to promote this as an attractive option to job applicants, and new graduates are faced with a barrage of promotion from the major consolidators, who are able to offer attractive graduate training packages.
So, who are the major players?
Around 60% of veterinary practices in the U.K. are owned by six large consolidators, according to the CMA (the UK Competition and Markets Authority). The CMA has identified six large corporate groups (CVS, IVC Evidensia, Linnaeus, Medivet, Pets at Home, VetPartners) owning veterinary practices, including three that are owned by private equity firms. After an initial review in September 2023, The CMA has reached a provisional decision to open a formal market investigation.
In the United States, about 30% of general practices and 75% to 80% of specialty practices are owned by consolidators, together accounting for at least 50% of industrywide revenue, by the reckoning of Chicago-based Brakke Consulting.
Levels of ownership concentration in Australia are lower, though by how much is unclear. According to data compiled by IBISWorld in 2023, VetPartners controls some five per cent of the Australian veterinary industry compared with Greencross, which has a 6.1 per cent share. The remaining 88.9 per cent is split among the remaining operators, many of whom are single-practice businesses. Australian consolidators have also acquired veterinary education facilities, pet crematoria, pet stores, and pathology businesses.
Some of the major Australian consolidators at the moment are:
Vetpartners – acquired by Swedish private equity firm EQT (BPEA Private Equity Fund VIII) in 2023. Vetpartners practices are individually branded, but also incorporate some GP groups such as Vetwest and AdelaideVet, and a growing ream of referral centres including Southpaws, Brisbane Veterinary Specialist Centre, North Shore Veterinary Specialist Centre, Sydney Veterinary Emergency & Specialists, Peninsula Vet Care, and Perth Veterinary Specialists.
Greencross – acquired by US private equity firm TPG Capital (55%) in 2019. A 45% stake is owned by AustralianSuper and HOOP. There has been some interest in the group from Wesfarmers. GP clinics are branded Greencross, and there’s a network of Animal Emergency Centres, and also the Animal Referral Hospital group. Greencross also owns Petbarn, Animates, City Farmers and Habitat Pet Supplies.
Apiam Animal Health Limited, including Furlife Vet companion animal clinics – ASX listed public company. With 80 clinics, Apiam is touted to be an attractive target for a buyout.
Vets Central – Pemba Capital Partners, Australian private equity firm (2021). Over 45 clinics according to the Pemba Capital Partners website. Pemba Capital Partners also has an interest in Queensland Veterinary Specialists, and VSA in New Zealand (Veterinary Specialists Aoteara).
CVS – CVS Group plc – UK listed public company currently expanding their consolidation of clinics in Australia, currently standing at around 28.
Petstock – Petspiration Group. 55% owned by Woolworths since the end of 2023
OurVet – PetO – Australian owned private company. In 2024 PetO has taken over the practices divested by the Petspiration Group following the Woolworths deal (41 stores and 25 co-located vet clinics, branded Best Friends, Our Vet, My Pet Warehouse and Pet City), to add to a handful of clinics in Sydney.
Animal Emergency Australia, AES – Independent Employee Owned. Practices in 6 states.
Small Animal Specialist Hospital, SASH – Independent Vet Owned, private equity company has a minority stake
So how about New Zealand? Vet Clubs are being corporatized and clinics are also being consolidated, although it may not be as immediately obvious.
Vetpartners – owned around 50 clinics in NZ in 2023. Including Pet Doctors (most now de-branded). Foreign owned – acquired by Swedish private equity firm EQT (BPEA Private Equity Fund VIII) in 2023
Vetora – Vet Club
Vetlife Animal Health Partners – vet club/private company
VetEnt – Veterinary Enterprises Group Limited, Petfirst – private company
Anexa Veterinary Services – Anexa FVC – private company
The Kookaburra Vet Employment Salary Survey in 2022 highlighted some differences between corporate and non-corporate practices, one of which was the ‘happiness’ scores (243 responses).
It’s to be hoped that as levels of consolidation increase, these companies take the crisis in veterinary mental health seriously, and implement measures to improve support and working conditions for all their employees.
This information includes the views and opinions of Kookaburra Veterinary Employment and is of a general nature only. Factual information is believed to be correct at the time of writing, however, should not be relied upon and any person should confirm details with the relevant authorities and through their own research prior to acting on any of the suggestions in this article.
