Career Planning

Strategic career planning is an essential part of your working life. From your first job to your last, career planning is an ongoing endeavor in which priorities change periodically to match your evolving values and goals. The information and tools in this section will help you achieve your dreams.

Know who you are and what you want
You’re not a company. You’re not a brand. So why do you need a personal mission statement and a vision plan and a list of specific, actionable short- and long-term goals? If that thought is passing through your mind, guess what? You’re not alone. The suggestion to spend valuable time writing down what you’re sure you already know is bound to raise eyebrows. Still, mission statements, vision plans and written goals have worked for others, including some of the industry’s most successful veterinarians — and they will work for you, too.

Stand out from the crowd
Want to stand out from the crowd during interviews? Creating a personal mission, vision and set of strategically planned goals is your first step. Click here to watch experts explain why these tools create a lasting, positive impression with employers.

Learn how mentoring can ease the transition from student to professional
The skills you develop during your first year on the job will be a deciding factor in the length and quality of your career in veterinary medicine. Partnership with the right mentor can make that transition smoother and easier than it would be otherwise.

But how do you find a mentor? And what is your role in creating a mutually beneficial mentoring partnership? Learn more here.

Also, be sure to visit the AAHA Career Center. This online resource provides additional information, resume critiques, career transition and relocation sources, cover letter services, and salary and interview negotiation tips.