Vault Career Guide to Veterinary and Animal Careers (Vault Career Library)

Vault Inc., January 2008. —160 p., ISBN: 978-1-58131-548-6 What is a Career with Animals? Careers with animals encompass a large range of options, from working in kennels and vet offices to farming and ranching. Becoming a veterinarian is one of many avenues for the scientifically inclined. If you're science-oriented, you might also work with animals in research to find cures for diseases and to develop new medicines for the animals themselves, or for humans. Not just science But that's not all. If you're interested in business or management, jobs from farming to grooming to pet daycare operations require those skills. (Particularly if you open your own business and have people working under you, accurate financial records, reporting of earnings and record-keeping in general are essential. In some industries, you will be required to go through inspections of your facilities and business operations.) Many animal-related careers presume a certain degree of environmental and social awareness. If you have a strong sense of global responsibility, you may be motivated to take on challenges facing animals in local communities or throughout the world through an organization like the ASPCA, a group that is dedicated to promoting the welfare of animals through education and adoptions of animals. All for the love of animals Whatever the career, people who work with animals are usually drawn to the field through a natural sense of bonding with animals that developed at an early age. For that reason, careers with animals can offer a sense of fulfillment that other jobs often don't. Table of Contents Introduction The Scoop The Evolving Role of Animals in Society Industry Trends Jobs in the Animal Field Major Employers Getting Hired Education Getting Your Foot in the Door Resumes and Cover Letters The Interview On the Job Lifestyle Issues Career Snapshots Alternative Job Opportunities Conclusion Appendix About the Author Animal-related careers encompass a wide range of options, from the medical and scientific to positions rooted in business and management. Veterinarian, livestock farmer, animal scientist, horse breeder, zoo caretaker, rancher, kennel owner and animal welfare worker are but a few of the career paths in this vital and fulfilling field. Omnipresent issues of health and public safety as well as burgeoning numbers of pet owners means that opportunities to work in an animal-related career have never been more varied or plentiful. This Vault guide will provide the inside scoop on veterinary and other animal careers, from job responsibilities and qualifications to career tracks and industry trends--from ethical breeding to organic farming to the growing veterinary field for exotic pets.