How to hire veterinarians
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Advise animal owners regarding sanitary measures, feeding, general care, medical conditions, or treatment options. • Collect body tissue, feces, blood, urine, or other body fluids for examination and analysis. • Counsel clients about the deaths of their pets or about euthanasia decisions for their pets. • Educate the public about diseases that can be spread from animals to humans. • Examine animals to detect and determine the nature of diseases or injuries. • Inoculate animals against various diseases, such as rabies or distemper. • Operate diagnostic equipment, such as radiographic or ultrasound equipment, and interpret the resulting images. • Treat sick or injured animals by prescribing medication, setting bones, dressing wounds, or performing surgery. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: Doctoral or professional degree] • Strong active listening, reading comprehension, active learning, critical thinking, science and speaking skills • Working knowledge of biology, medicine and dentistry, customer and personal service and English Language • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $62.55 an hour ($130,100 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for veterinarians
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to advise animal owners regarding sanitary measures, feeding, general care, medical conditions, or treatment options. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to collect body tissue, feces, blood, urine, or other body fluids for examination and analysis. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to counsel clients about the deaths of their pets or about euthanasia decisions for their pets. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to educate the public about diseases that can be spread from animals to humans. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
- Tell me about written instructions, a policy or a manual you had to follow closely. How did you make sure you followed it correctly?
- Tell me about something new you had to learn quickly for work. How did you learn it?
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What veterinarians do
- Advise animal owners regarding sanitary measures, feeding, general care, medical conditions, or treatment options.
- Collect body tissue, feces, blood, urine, or other body fluids for examination and analysis.
- Counsel clients about the deaths of their pets or about euthanasia decisions for their pets.
- Educate the public about diseases that can be spread from animals to humans.
- Examine animals to detect and determine the nature of diseases or injuries.
- Inoculate animals against various diseases, such as rabies or distemper.
- Operate diagnostic equipment, such as radiographic or ultrasound equipment, and interpret the resulting images.
- Treat sick or injured animals by prescribing medication, setting bones, dressing wounds, or performing surgery.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for veterinarians
- Typical education to start: Doctoral or professional degree (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 1 to 2 years (O*NET)
- Job outlook: +9.4% over ten years, much faster than average · about 3,100 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay veterinarians
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| California | $163,920 |
| Maryland | $163,170 |
| Washington | $160,510 |
| New Jersey | $160,140 |
| Arizona | $152,020 |
| Nebraska | $103,500 |
| Montana | $99,390 |
| Oklahoma | $98,090 |
See veterinarians pay in every state
Related hiring guides
- Veterinary Technologists and Technicians
- Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers
- Physicians, All Other
- Physicians, Pathologists
- Emergency Medicine Physicians
- Dermatologists
- General Internal Medicine Physicians
- Pediatricians, General
- Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric
- Pediatric Surgeons
Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.