What if the problem with filling after hours emergency shifts isn't that people don't want to do them, but that you haven't made them worth doing? You might discover that if your current team can't honestly endorse what you're offering, your job ads will struggle regardless of how well they're written.

In Episode 240, Julie South reveals why many vet clinics approach emergency rosters with a "be on the roster or find another job" attitude, then wonder why they only attract desperate applicants - or no one at all.  

She exposes how treating after hours work like a necessary evil creates unsafe situations and guilt around recovery time, making the whole system unattractive.

Julie covers three strategies that could transform your approach: 

1. making after hours work genuinely worthwhile through proper remuneration that recognises disruption to sleep and family time (not just clinical work), 
2. supporting recovery without guilt by building sustainable systems, and 
3. reframing emergency work as exciting skill development where vets stretch their abilities while ensuring both physical and psychological safety. 

She demonstrates why some veterinary professionals actually thrive in after hours situations when conditions are right.

You'll learn why expecting someone who dealt with a 3am emergency to be fresh for a full day of consults is unrealistic and potentially dangerous, and discover how successful clinics build recovery time into their systems. 

This episode provides immediate strategies if you're struggling to fill weekend and emergency shifts.

For help creating sustainable after hours systems that make challenging shifts genuinely attractive, Julie recommends Dr. Jocelyn Birch Baker at SmoothOperatingVets.com, who specialises in helping veterinary clinics create smooth operating systems. 

For insights into veterinary job advertisement trends across Australia and New Zealand, contact [email protected] for the monthly veterinary employment job advertisement market intelligence report.

If you're interested in exploring authentic employer brand recruitment marketing, resources are available at VetClinicJobs.com/resources.

Julie South is a Vet Clinic Employer Brand Marketing specialist.

Links mentioned in episode:

• SmoothOperatingVets.com
• [email protected]
• VetClinicJobs.com/resources

Struggling to get results from your job advertisements? 
If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic.   

The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs