Adventures in the Life of a Veterinarian Receptionist

As I mentioned in my last blog post, I am currently employed at my veterinarian’s office. After searching all summer for a job, my mom called to inform me that two receptionists had resigned from the vet’s that day. My family has known our vet, Dr. Frosch*, since before I was born so he is a very close family friend. I called him immediately to inquire about the job and we set up a time for me to come and interview.

That was in early July. I filled out an application and interviewed with Dr. Frosch. He warned me that being a receptionist at a vet’s office is not like being a normal receptionist. I would be expected to perform the normal duties of a receptionist, which includes: dealing with all the patients in person and on the phone, filing paperwork, entering ever single detail about the client’s pets into the computer, and much more. 

However, I would also be expected to fill medications, which includes: memorizing the medications, knowing where each of them are, remembering which medications have to go in baggies and which have to go in bottles, which medications are “controlled medicines” (in which case, they are kept in a lock box and we must remember to log each use of them), and informing the client how to administer each medication. 

I would also need to clean. That includes handling and safely disposing used needles and items contaminated with blood or disease; cleaning and decontaminating reusable items that have come in contact with fecal matter; disinfecting all surface areas; taking care of animal hair, nails, etc.; and much more. One must keep in mind that animals do everything we humans do except vote and pay taxes. . . and as a vet receptionist I would be expected to clean, disinfect, and dispose of it all. 

The hardest part, despite how complicated and/or disgusting the above things may be, is pretty obvious. It’s having to see animals hurting, dying, and being put to sleep. As a receptionist, we have to charge pet parents for euthanasia (putting the animal down). One must be both professional and empathetic.   

In the end, none of the bad, complicated, dirty, sad, or stressful stuff can outweigh the reward of helping pets and reuniting them with their pet parents!

For more information about the responsibilities of a veterinarian receptionist, check out this article!

Interested in being a receptionist? Even if it’s not at a vet clinic, this article defines a receptionists and lists a lot of the duties of a receptionist. 

Do you work at a vet’s office? Got in crazy stories? Share below! 

* names have been changed

How to Get the Job (We Hope)

For the first time in my life, I need a job. If you have read my previous blog posts, then you know that I have had two jobs in the past. Those jobs were just for fun though. I never actually had to worry about having enough money to live before until this summer. 

What needing a job has shown me is that getting a job from scratch is not easy. I filled out application after application and none of them called me back. It was extremely discouraging. After three months of searching, I finally found a job at my veterinarians office, but that’s a blog post for another day. I want to use this particular post to offer some tips and information for those in search of a job. 

First of all, fill out applications everywhere. You never know if you can get the job if you don’t try. For great tips on filling out job applications, check out this article from Rogue Community College.

It’s also a good idea to let your friends and family know that you are looking for a job. They could prove to be invaluable assets.

Once you have filled out an application, make sure you check in with them a few days later. Either call or go in person and ask to speak to a manager. Introduce yourself and tell them you’re checking on the status of your application. My advise, call back every few days until they give you the job or turn you down. It’s important that they know you are serious about getting the job.  

These are just a few tips that I think are useful. For more tips, check out this article from Forbes. 

Do you have any tips for those looking for work? Share below! 

The Tale of a Summer Camp Counselor

The summer before my senior year of college, I worked my second ever paying job. My then boyfriend, Luke*, was doing some free marketing for his previous roommate, Anne*. Anne had recently taken over a summer camp that was originally built to be open for one week every summer for the children of the members of the nearby club.

When Anne took the camp over, she wanted to turn it into an eight week camp. She planned for a new batch of kids to come every Sunday and leave on Friday. She needed camp counselors and Luke told her I would be perfect for the job. 

I showed up early for the first day of training week eager and ready in my khaki shorts, Chaco’s, and a fanny pack, covered from head to toe in sunscreen and bug spray. Training week was like being a kid at camp and I loved it. I loved all of my coworkers, singing camp songs, playing games, camp fires, and going on hikes. I even loved eating less than appetizing meals in the hot, open-air cafeteria! 

However, things didn’t stay a lovely euphoric adventure for long. Due to poor planning and lack of time, not even half of the kids we had hoped for signed up. Half of the staff had to be let go, which was heartbreaking; getting paid was a huge issue that took weeks to sort out; and in the end, the camp was only actually able to be open three weeks out of the original eight, which meant we all got paid less than half of what was originally expected.

It was Anne’s first time being in charge of something like the camp. She and the rest of the management team were probably naive about everything that needed to go into making the camp function for the full eight weeks. More articles and tips like the ones here could have made for better camp management. 

Despite the management chaos, it was a great experience and I made some wonderful friends for life.  

Have you ever had problems with management at a job? Please share below and checkout this article that explains several ways to deal with bad management at work.

*names have been changed for privacy purposes

The Shortest Job I Ever Had

When I was a junior in high school, I got my first job. My mom’s coworker’s daughter had a cupcake shop in town and needed a little extra help. My responsibilities included icing and decorating cupcakes, arranging cupcakes in the display case, cleaning, and working the cash register. 

I was so excited! I got to wear a cute, girly apron and any circus-themed attire I wanted since the shop was Cirque du Soleil inspired. Also, I loved and still do love to bake sweets and make people happy so the job seemed perfect for me. 

I spent my whole first day in a happy cupcake haze. One week after my first and only day on the job, the cupcake shop closed down. Turned out that the owner/boss was addicted to heroin, had lost everything, and was living in the shop with her boyfriend. The business didn’t stand a chance.  

I was pretty crushed. All I could think about was, “Who loses their first job after one day? Really!?” However, I comforted myself with online posts like these about people who lost or quit their jobs, sometimes within the first few hours of working. 

After much further research, I realized that it is actually not uncommon for drug/alcohol addiction to be the cause of a business failing. This particular article I found to be very interesting and it lists some of the signs that your boss may be addicted to alcohol and/or drugs. 

What was your shortest job? Got any work horror stories? Share below!

Allow Me To Introduce Myself

My name is Lacey. I am a 22 year old college student who loves to read, write, paint, and bake. This year marks my fifth year at The University of Southern Mississippi where I am attempting to get my degree in public relations. 

This blog is a requirement for one of my classes called Reporting. In order to begin this blog I had to pick a topic on a little piece of paper out of a cup with many possible outcomes inside. I unfolded my topic with enthusiasm, imagining the great possibilities. To my dismay, the word “Employment” was what I found. 

“Employment? Really?” I had thought begrudgingly as my friends got topics like pop culture and entertainment.    

However, upon further pondering, I have found that my topic could lead me to write some interesting things. This is especially true because I have recently been employed for my first real job. 

My hopes for this blog are for my readers to get some insight on me and my employment journey, but also on employment issues and events from south Mississippi all the way up and beyond the borders of our country. Wish me luck.