Small Door Veterinary Interview Questions
& Process

The first interview felt really quick and not very personal. They asked general questions that didn't really get into my experience or what I'd do in the job. It wasn't very deep and didn't tell me much about the company's vibe or what they expect from a Practice Manager.

First, I had a video call with the head of talent. Then, I had a video chat with the co-founder/president which went really well. He then invited me to the office to meet his co-founder/CEO in person the next week. I had great conversations with the Head of Ops, President, and CEO, including whiteboard sessions where I showed them some of my work. The President liked my work so much he asked to keep it, though I'm glad I took it back given the outcome. The day after the in-person meeting, the CEO offered me a 3-month engagement, which was like a trial period. It wasn't my ideal scenario, but I was interested. When I responded, I was ghosted. I followed up weekly, and HR eventually told me they didn't have feedback because they were looking at other candidates. In January, they mentioned they were seeking someone with Brick and Mortar experience, which confused me since most of my career has been in that area. I really like the company and the team; they are passionate and sharp people. Overall, it was a decent experience, but the post-interview part was a letdown with the ghosting and me having to initiate every follow-up.

I reached out to the hiring manager on LinkedIn and got a positive response. However, she mentioned that my compensation expectations were a bit high for them and shared what they could offer. I asked if there was any flexibility, but didn't hear back. They then sent a rejection email. Afterward, they asked to communicate via email, which made me think the rejection was a mistake and there was room for negotiation on compensation, so I decided to talk with them. Everything went well until the end of the call when I brought up compensation; there was no flexibility, so we mutually decided to end the opportunity. They sent a rejection later, which I found strange since I was also moving on due to compensation. I didn't initially plan to share this experience, but about two months later, I saw a similar role posted. I applied and emailed them again. I was informed they were closing the role and that the one I initially applied for was still open or reopened. The manager remembered that my compensation expectations were too high. I inquired if the compensation was still the same, but received no response. About two weeks later, the role I asked about still appears to be active on their careers page.

The head of talent reached out to me after I applied. We talked for a while and I appreciated that they went over time to answer my questions, showing their dedication to candidate experience. They mostly explained how this role was different from a typical sourcer role, focusing on building relationships with veterinary communities and schools. I was given a take-home assignment but they later informed me that the role was being closed due to budget issues.