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Whether you’re just starting out in the veterinary workforce, relocating, taking the next step in your career, or looking for a workplace that feels like a better fit, job hunting can be emotionally taxing. Uncertainty, time pressure, and high personal stakes can all contribute to stress and anxiety.

The good news is that there are ways to make the process feel more manageable and supported. The strategies below are designed to help you feel more prepared, grounded, and confident – before you even reach the interview stage.

1.     Create clarity around your ideal job

A clear sense of direction reduces overwhelm and decision fatigue.

Taking time to define what you want (and don’t want) in your next role can significantly reduce stress by narrowing your focus and helping you avoid roles that aren’t right for you.

• Reflect on your current and previous roles. What aspects caused frustration or burnout, and what would you prefer to avoid next time?
• Identify what you find most satisfying in your current role – these are important clues to what supports your wellbeing at work.
• Consider location preferences, while staying open to nearby suburbs or areas you may not have previously considered. Sometimes a great fit is just slightly outside your original search area.
• Think about workplace culture. Many clinics now clearly communicate their values, team culture, and mission in job ads – use this information to assess alignment.
• Reflect on the type of practice that suits you best.
  • Larger corporate groups may offer structured education, internal networking, transfer opportunities, and additional employee benefits.
  • Smaller or independently owned practices may provide closer mentoring, greater autonomy, and hands-on learning opportunities with owner vets.
• If you’re seeking a veterinary nurse or support staff role, some clinics, emergency hospitals, and specialist centres use a tiered support staff structure, from kennel hands and trainees through to diploma- and degree-qualified nurses, technicians, and practice managers. This can offer a clear career pathway, which often supports long-term job satisfaction and reduces career-related stress.

2.     Use your connections to reduce uncertainty

Knowledge helps replace anxiety with confidence.

It’s okay to remember that job searching is a two-way process—you’re assessing the clinic just as much as they’re assessing you.

• Don’t hesitate to ask for a conversation with current staff to better understand day-to-day work and team dynamics.
• Trial days (or trial periods) are valuable opportunities to see whether the role feels right in practice, not just on paper.
• Research clinics before applying. Visit their website, review their opening hours, and browse their social media channels such as Facebook or Instagram.
• Knowing more about a workplace before applying can reduce the anxiety of the unknown -and remember, they’re likely looking you up too.

3.     Prepare for salary conversations

Feeling informed can help you feel calmer and more confident when money comes up.

Pay discussions are a common source of anxiety during the job search—especially when job ads don’t include a salary range. Preparing yourself with some general knowledge ahead of time can help reduce uncertainty and make these conversations feel less daunting.

Many veterinary support roles in Australia fall under the Animal Care and Veterinary Services Award 2020, which sets minimum pay rates and employment conditions. In addition, all employees are protected by the National Employment Standards (NES), which outline baseline entitlements such as leave, hours of work, and termination provisions.

You don’t need to memorise award tables or become an industrial relations expert. Instead, having a broad understanding of:

• what your role is likely classified as,
• what the minimum standards are, and
• where to find reliable information,

can help you feel more grounded and prepared if salary questions arise.

If you’re asked about your pay expectations—or what you’re currently earning—it’s okay to pause, ask for clarification, or explain that you’re guided by award rates and experience. Being informed gives you options and helps remove some of the pressure from the moment.

For up-to-date and detailed information, you may find these official resources helpful:

• Animal Care and Veterinary Services Award 2020 (Fair Work Ombudsman):
  https://www.fairwork.gov.au/employment-conditions/awards/awards-summary/ma000118-summary
• National Employment Standards:
  https://www.fairwork.gov.au/employment-conditions/national-employment-standards

If you’re unsure how the Award applies to your situation, the Fair Work Ombudsman website also offers tools and guidance to help you check classifications and minimum pay rates.

4.     Simplify your search with the Kookaburra Jobs app

Reducing admin and mental load frees up emotional energy.

Having your job search organised in one place can significantly reduce stress and help you feel more in control.

• Every role listed on the Kookaburra Vet Employment website is also available on the Kookaburra Jobs app.
• Jobs can be viewed in list format or on a map, making it easier to visualise opportunities.
• You can bookmark jobs, so it’s easy to find them again later.

You can apply and save filters to narrow your search, and your preferences are automatically remembered.

Listings can be sorted by newest first, helping you keep up with fresh opportunities without constantly searching. Submitting applications early can also help reduce anxiety by giving you a sense of momentum and control.

The Kookaburra Jobs app is available on both the App Store and Google Play.

Job searching in the veterinary profession can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be faced all at once or alone. By slowing the process down, gathering information, and using tools and supports that reduce uncertainty, you can protect your wellbeing while you explore what’s next. Be kind to yourself, take breaks when you need them, and remember that finding the right role is not just about securing a job – it’s about supporting your long-term health, satisfaction, and sustainability in the profession.

Author:
Wendy Nathan
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.

There is a useful resource for vets produced by the Department of Agriculture and Australia’s Animal Health Laboratory. The 2025 update includes new chapters on diseases and syndromes that have emerged or increased in importance since the previous edition.

The EAD field guide provides information on important emergency animal diseases that either are rare or do not exist in Australia, to help vets include appropriate EADs in their differential diagnoses. Early identification and reporting is critical to minimise harm and to identify currently high risk exotic diseases such as African Swine Fever.

https://www.outbreak.gov.au/for-vets-and-scientists/emergency-animal-diseases-guide

There is also information on the Outbreak website about emerging diseases for vets to watch out for – which may be particularly useful for vets who are travelling Australia performing locum work, or who graduated overseas.

Hendra Virus
https://www.outbreak.gov.au/for-vets-and-scientists/hendra-virus

Author:

Wendy Nathan
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.

I recently did a very quick survey on social media in a veterinary group, to ask whether people find it frustrating when a pay rate or salary range is not given in a job ad – 100% of respondents said yes, they did find it frustrating.

Other job advertising companies have done large scale surveys, and found that salary is one of the top three drivers of attraction to a role, along with work-life balance and career development, across all industries. In fact, there’s a 36.9% increase in job applications when salary is shown on a job ad.  73% of candidates find it frustrating when salary isn’t included in a job ad and many candidates wouldn’t even consider applying for a job if the salary isn’t advertised.

You may have thought that making applicants apply for a job without knowing the remuneration might give you a bigger pool of applicants – however, besides that impression not being supported by surveys, it wastes time on both sides when someone who has got through interviews and been offered the vacancy then turns the job down.

Pay can be expressed as an hourly rate, or an annual rate, and it’s important to include detail in a job ad about the basis on which someone will be paid. Listing a Salary in your advert does NOT mean saying “salary above Award”, or “negotiable depending on experience”. It is understandable that some veterinary employers may prefer to advertise a range so they can assess through the recruitment process what salary best fits the candidate’s skill level, particularly with the current shortage of qualified veterinary staff. Regular evaluation of a new employee is a good way to adjust pay rate to closely match their skills, if necessary, and  produce a good outcome for both employer and employee.

Why is there such a reluctance to list salaries or salary bands in veterinary job ads? Is a pay rate in general practice so totally dependent on the skill set of the vet that it’s impossible to estimate? Why is there no pay grading on the work that the applicant will be expected to do? And the situation is even worse for vet nurse and vet techs – 99.99% of job ads don’t even mention salary.

Start mentioning the pay rate, and you may be surprised at the interest in your next vacancy.

Author:

Wendy Nathan
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.