Social media users
Most practices that rely on their employees for in-house social media are actually being limited in their online visibility, Halow said, especially with the increasing competition. “In order to get real traction on social media, you have to get a lot of visibility and a lot of followers, and 1 way to do that is by cross posting a lot of information across various platforms (such as) Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram,” he added. As many practices do not have the staff with the ability to gain competitive results, Halow suggests outsourcing that responsibility to a social media expert.
In with the new
On-demand veterinary support trainers
Experienced veterinary professionals looking for a work-from-home position should consider utilizing their skills to produce a virtual training curriculum for client care representatives and assistants, Halow said. This position would provide training live or on-demand for veterinary teams on a broader scale.
“[On-demand veterinary training] is already in existence, but a lot of you are trying to manage training in-house. If you’re building it from the ground up, I don’t recommend doing that. There are companies out there that are already providing excellent baseline education for team members, and you can even follow it through with checklists,” Halow advised.
Independent contractors
Practice managers who are looking to hone their management skills from home should investigate being a 1099 employee (self-employed independent contractor). “High-level oversight of small-to-medium veterinary practices is not a 40-hour-a-week job,” Halow said. He explained that going down the independent contractor route can be a very rewarding experience for practices.
For managers experienced in reviewing key performance indicators and practice finances, Halow recommends working as a 1099 employee for other practices by checking in quarterly and offering a review of findings and recommendations.
Headhunters
For a practice to have a great team, they must first sift through a high volume of potential candidates, which can be difficult and time-consuming. Those with leadership experience and credentials, such as the Society for Human Resource Management Certified Professional or Professional in Human Resources, with backgrounds in the veterinary sector can also provide on-demand assistance with the recruitment process for practices.
“If this is a pathway for you, then being that headhunter (who) has relationships with veterinarians (who) work at other practices, you can pick out the ones who may be unhappy or are looking for new opportunities,” Halow said.
The takeaway
The job market is constantly evolving and changing, and when 1 door closes another will open. It’s essential to think outside of the box because there are always new levels of wealth and job satisfaction right around the corner. “In this time of upheaval, there is an opportunity for us to either wring our hands about what’s going on or decide to calm ourselves and look around for opportunities,” Halow said.
Learn more about Bash Halow here.
