Interview for trainee VN - help!

Re: Interview for trainee VN - help!

Julie — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 16:55:59 GMT

Congratulations - buy a small, but robust, notebook as I find them extremely useful to make notes in as you will be given lots of new information

Re: Interview for trainee VN - help!

Nick Shackleton — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 19:39:00 GMT

A label printer is great for this I'm adicted to using it!

Re: Interview for trainee VN - help!

Royalsuper_fairy — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:40:31 GMT

We had the cupboards labelled for a while and it was great. Really miss having them labelled now.

If you get any spare time (rare I know!) do some reading of the product information. I have a huge pile of leaflets and product information at home. Another tip ask questions! If you want to do some thing just ask. They can only say no at the end of the day>

Good luck with it all. xxx

Re: Interview for trainee VN - help!

Caro Laithwaite VN — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:13:02 GMT

advice. look in all draws and cupboards and keep looking as someone will change something. Can always ask if you can label cupboaqrds and draws do out neat labels on the computer not to big and blue tack them onto the draws. You may offer in a couple of months to remove them but bet noone will want them moved

Re: Interview for trainee VN - help!

Royalsuper_fairy — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:41:58 GMT

Yay!!!! Good luck with it all!

Re: Interview for trainee VN - help!

A Little TLC — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:40:00 GMT

High five!!

Re: Interview for trainee VN - help!

humanenurse — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:02:35 GMT

Woo Well Done Helen :) Which practise is it? Just curious :)

Re: Interview for trainee VN - help!

Helen Buck — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:50:32 GMT

Hi Guys,

Well i got the job! well not the exact one i applied for, but another came up the next morning! weird! perminent trainee position in one practice - am so pleased and excited!! have 3 weeks of induction first - any advice?!!!! xxx

Thanks to all of your advice i really appreciate it - this is such a great forum - i am learning lots from it ;)

Re: Interview for trainee VN - help!

Anonymous — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 18:50:30 GMT

I work between two. I like this but at the same time I don't. It does prove to be a bit tricky as some aspects are done differently at either one due to different equipment etc. I really struggled to begin with. Buuuut having said that, it is nicer to work at the two. Nice variety.

Hope it all works out for you x

Re: Interview for trainee VN - help!

Dreamcatcher — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 18:11:33 GMT

I started working in several different practices too and it was quite nerve-wracking but it gives you a good broad experience and it's a great opportunity to meet different people! (Always good to make contacts, especially early on in a new career!). It worked out really well for me, because when it came to placing me somewhere permenantly I had a choice of three practices, of which I knew which one I'd be happiest in and so when I started 'properly' there I already knew and got on with all of the staff. Been there a year now and still happy with my choice!

Never had any major problems with any of the other practices, although had a bit of a 'falling out' with one vet once (when I was brand new and scared!) and didn't go back to that practice again. (Although still see the vet occassionally... we seem to get on quite well when we're not working together!)

Anyway... good luck with the interviews!

xxx

Re: Interview for trainee VN - help!

Nick Shackleton — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 09:43:56 GMT

[quote user="Helen Buck"]

Thanks guys this is all really helpful. Its a role that will mean i will work at several practises, so it would give me a good idea of how different practices work, but I am also aware that it might prove a little more stressful than if you were placed in one practice??

[/quote]

They say variety is the spice of life! Means you won't get stuck in your ways and get different peeps inputs on the way things can be done althou could be slightly confused. Good luck with it

Good luck too HN with the interview!

Re: Interview for trainee VN - help!

humanenurse — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 09:33:56 GMT

Fingers crossed, I've got an interview this morning! Nervous!

Re: Interview for trainee VN - help!

Helen Buck — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:56:24 GMT

Re: Interview for trainee VN - help!

Nick Shackleton — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:48:00 GMT

Also if your stumped on a question ask them to rephrase it for you! What do you do currently?? Any transferable skills??

Re: Interview for trainee VN - help!

A Little TLC — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:44:06 GMT

one good tip is to have a glass of water. if you need time to think of an answer to a question, instead of umming and ahhing have a sip to buy you some time.

Re: Interview for trainee VN - help!

Helen Buck — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:38:24 GMT

Thanks so much for this advice - i really appreciate it - fingers crossed! will let you know how it turns out!

Re: Interview for trainee VN - help!

humanenurse — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:35:41 GMT

How are you guys doing it? lol.

Re: Interview for trainee VN - help!

albatross — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:24:42 GMT

well done you!

Be yourself, be friendly, and polite, ask lots of questions such as : what do they specialise in, how many vets, how many nurses, do they do referrals.

when shown round comment on some of the equipment - if you've used it before, if you always wanted to use it etc.

check about your qualifications, ask when they start to send you to college or enrol you. Ask about who pays for it, ask about uniform, call outs, weekend or night working.

Don't be gushing but say how much you want to progress and to start training.

Mention all the things you can currently do, or have been taught but not had to use yet.

Also mention a couple of things you hven't experience on but are keen to learn.

Smile, and listen to what they say before answering.

At the end of the interview you can say how much you enjoyed looking round, thank them for taking the time to see you, and ask when they will let you know, or how many other people they need to see still.

Good luck, keeping my fingers crossed for you. I started my SVN job last week after trying for three years to get a place, so know how hard it is.