Why It’s Smart to Be Open to Opportunity in Your Career

The way in which you view opportunity is the number one factor in ultimately determining how successful you will be in your animal health career.

That may sound like a rather bold statement, but I can say with confidence that it’s based upon my experience as an executive recruiter and search consultant for the past twenty-five years. I’ve worked with thousands of job seekers and candidates during that time and how they handled opportunity had a direct impact on their career growth, and in many cases, their career satisfaction.

So, how should you view opportunity?

First and foremost, it is a good idea to view an opportunity as an opportunity and not strictly as a risk. Everything in life is risky to some degree. You can’t escape it. In many cases, the greater the opportunity, the greater the risk. This is why you can’t “play it safe” all the time. If you do, then you increase the chances that you’ll get stuck in a “career rut,” and once you’re in one of those, it’s more difficult to escape than you might realize.

There are three distinct stages involved with approaching an opportunity in the correct way.

Stage #1—Being open to hearing about an opportunity

You can’t take advantage of an opportunity unless you know what that opportunity is, and to know what it is, you have to hear about it. This is an important first step because I sometimes encounter professionals who don’t even want to hear about an opportunity when one is presented to them. They say “no” before they even know what they’re saying “no” to.

One of the most successful people I know within the animal health industry told me that early in his career, his mentor instructed him countless times to never say “no” to an opportunity without first knowing about the opportunity. His mentor told him to always be open to at least hearing about the opportunity and that it costs you nothing to listen.

Stage #2—Being open to considering the opportunity

Once you hear about an opportunity, you must be open to considering it, especially if it’s clearly better than your current job. This means thoughtfully comparing and contrasting the opportunity with your current position and evaluating each in an objective fashion. Will the new opportunity help advance your career more than staying in your current job? If so, how will it? Or will staying in your current job help you to advance your career? Once again, if so, then why would that be the case?

Stage #3—Being open to exploring the opportunity

If you come to the conclusion that the opportunity is clearly better than your current job and does have the potential to advance your career, then you must be open to exploring it. And by “exploring,” I mean being willing to enter the hiring process of the organization that has the open position. Remember: just because you’re interviewing with another employer does not mean that you’re disloyal. It just means that you’re exploring your options. At the end of the process, you can always make the decision to stay at your current employer.

However, consider this: people who change jobs every three to five years earn more in compensation and benefits than people who stay at the same employer for ten to fifteen years. Why is that? Because employers must entice professionals they want to hire with more money, compensation and other benefits. And there are people in the job market who are changing jobs more frequently than every three to five years. In fact, they’re changing jobs every eighteen months to two years, and they’re not being labeled as a “job hopper,” either.

According to an article on the Forbes.com website, “staying employed at the same company for more than two years on average is going to make you earn less over your lifetime by about 50% or more.” The article also indicates that 50% is at the lowest end of the spectrum, with the potential for the percentage to be even higher. Not only that, but the numbers are only based on the assumption that a person’s career is going to last ten years. Consequently, the longer you work, the greater the difference in income will be over your lifetime.

While the Forbes.com article was published in 2014, it’s even more applicable now. The year 2014 was before there was a shortage of talent in the job market. It was before the “Great Resignation” and the virtual elimination of the job hopping stigma. In short, the passage of time has made “50% or more” far too conservative of a number. Market conditions have driven the dynamics involved to a fever pitch, ramping up the pace, the frequency and the severity of the factors contributing to the difference in income between people who change jobs frequently and those who do not.

This is why it’s a smart idea to be open to opportunity in your career — hearing about it, considering it and exploring it when it makes sense to do so. 

All you’re really doing is creating options for yourself. At no point during the process, especially during the initial stages, are you saying, “Yes, I will resign from my current employer and leave tomorrow to take another position.” First, there is no reason to resign your current job until another organization extends an offer of employment to you. Second, even if another organization extends an offer, you can always turn it down.

There are a number of factors that influence the amount of professional success that you’ll enjoy — your education, your skills, your experience, etc. However, as important as they, you can’t truly maximize your career with these things alone.

To truly maximize your career, you must have a healthy attitude about opportunity, you must approach it the right way and you must recognize and take advantage of those opportunities that have the potential to truly change your life in a positive way.

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The Science of Love: Hill’s Pet Nutrition and Actor Taylor Lautner Invite Pet Lovers to Join the Clear The Shelters Campaign to End Pet Homelessness

Hill’s Returns as National Sponsor of NBCUniversal Local’s Clear the Shelters for the Fifth Consecutive Year to Help Shelter Animals Find Homes Through Science-led Nutrition this August 

TOPEKA, Kan., – August 2, 2022 – Approximately 6.3 million companion animals enter U.S. animal shelters nationwide every year1. This year marks a critical time as over the past five months, more animals are entering shelters than leaving them2. That’s why Hill’s Pet Nutrition, a global leader in science-led pet nutrition, is ramping up its year-round support of shelters as part of its mission to help end pet homelessness.

For the fifth year, Hill’s returns as the national sponsor of  Clear The Shelters, NBCUniversal Local’s nationwide pet adoption and donation campaign, and is teaming up with actor Taylor Lautner (Twilight, Scream Queens) to encourage prospective pet owners to find their new best friend during the country’s largest pet adoption of the year.

A Cause Close to the Heart

As a longtime pet lover and owner, Lautner adopted his dog Remi in 2021 and jumped at the opportunity to join this year’s Clear The Shelters campaign.

“Adopting Remi was one of the best decisions my fiancée and I have ever made. She not only completed our family but has also fueled our passion for advocating for shelter pets who are in need of a loving home,” said Lautner. “Hill’s does a great job helping get shelter pets ready for adoption through science-led nutrition. Together we encourage anyone considering adopting a pet to open their hearts and homes to pets in need.”

Clear The Shelters…For Good

Each year through Clear The Shelters, NBC and Telemundo stations nationwide team up with shelters and rescues in their communities, which included more than 1,300 organizations last year, to help find loving homes for pets in need. Since its inception in 2015, the campaign has helped more than 700,000 find their forever homes.

The campaign will again feature online donations through partners Greater Good Charities, a global nonprofit, and The Animal Rescue Site, which will host the fundraising and cover all transaction fees so that 100 percent of donations go directly to shelters and rescues in need. Online donations can be made to participating shelters or rescues during the campaign at ClearTheSheltersFund.org, which is also accessible via ClearTheShelters.com.

In addition to being a national sponsor, Hill’s will provide adoption kits to new pet parents containing starter bags of Hill’s pet food, coupons, pet-parenting tips and other supplies, which will be available at select shelters throughout the month. 

“For the past two decades, Hill’s has helped millions of shelter pets find their forever homes through our Hill’s Food, Shelter & Love program, and we are proud to continue our long-time support of the Clear The Shelter campaign,” said Nicki Baty, President of Hill’s Pet Nutrition US. “We are grateful to work in partnership with Greater Good Charities, Taylor Lautner, and thousands of veterinary, retail and shelter partners nationwide, to help end pet homelessness – especially during a time when shelters are under-resourced and experiencing rising intake rates.”

Hill’s is also providing financial support for the campaign to support two Greater Good Charities “Good Flights” pet airlifts during Clear The Shelters month in August, where at-risk animals in overpopulated shelters will be transported to new shelters to be evaluated and receive needed medical care before being put up for adoption.

With purpose at the heart of everything, Hill’s is empowering its employees to give back to communities and support the initiatives that help drive the brand’s mission forward. Across the organization, hundreds of Hill’s employees will volunteer at participating shelters during Clear The Shelters crescendo weekend August 26-28, 2022 to provide adoption kits to help pet parents welcome their new pets into the family.

20 Years of Helping Pets Find Forever Homes

The year’s campaign also coincides with the 20th Anniversary of Hill’s Food, Shelter and Love program, which partners with shelters 365 days a year to supply premium pet nutrition for animals in need. The program has provided more than $300 million in pet food to more than 1,000 shelters and has helped more than 12 million pets find new homes. When pet parents purchase Hill’s products, they help us provide premium nutrition to thousands of shelter pets across the country.

For more information on Clear The Shelters, including participating animal shelters and rescues, along with details on local events, visit ClearTheShelters.com and the Spanish-language site DesocuparlosAlbergues.com.

To learn more about Hill’s support of shelters and the pets they care for, visit www.hillscleartheshelters.com.

1 American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

2 Shelter Animals Count

PR Contact:

Jennie Rosenberg, Hill + Knowlton Strategies

jennie.rosenberg@hkstrategies.com

About Hill’s Pet Nutrition

Founded more than 80 years ago with an unwavering commitment to science-led pet nutrition, Hill’s Pet Nutrition is on a mission to help enrich and lengthen the special relationships between people and their pets. Hill’s is dedicated to pioneering research for dogs and cats using a scientific understanding of their specific needs. As a leading veterinarian-recommended pet food brand, knowledge is our first ingredient with 220+ veterinarians, PhD nutritionists and food scientists working to develop breakthrough innovations in pet health. Hill’s Prescription Diet therapeutic nutrition plus our everyday foods, Hill’s Science Diet, Hill’s Healthy Advantage and Hill’s Bioactive Recipe, are sold at vet clinics and pet specialty retailers worldwide. For more information about our products, nutritional philosophy, visit HillsPet.com or HillsVet.com. To learn more about Hill’s Food, Shelter & Love program, visit hillspet.com/shelter.

About Clear The Shelters

Clear The Shelters™ / Desocupar Los Albergues® is an annual, nationwide pet adoption campaign that is spearheaded by NBCUniversal Local, a division of NBCUniversal. Every year, NBCUniversal Local’s NBC and Telemundo-owned stations, plus affiliated stations, partner with animal shelters and rescues in their communities to host Clear The Shelters events. NBCUniversal Local’s Clear The Shelters campaign was inspired by a 2014 North Texas pet adoption event hosted by NBC 5 / KXAS and Telemundo 39 / KXTX and dozens of area shelters that resulted in the most adopted pets in one day for North Texas. Since 2015, NBCUniversal Local’s Clear The Shelters pet adoption campaign has resulted in more than 700,000 pets finding new homes. Visit ClearTheShelters.com and DesocuparLosAlbergues.com for more information.   

About NBCUniversal Local

NBCUniversal Local is NBCUniversal’s local media division that delivers English and Spanish-speakers and bilingual audiences in 31 U.S. markets and Puerto Rico, the very best in local sports, news, weather, consumer and investigative reporting, and lifestyle entertainment across any platform and screen. NBCUniversal Local is comprised of three individual media groups including the NBC Owned Television Stations, the NBC Sports Regional Networks and the Telemundo Station Group. The division is also home to multicast networks NBCLX, COZI TV and TeleXitos, the regional cable news network NECN, as well as NBC Spot On, an advanced video advertising business designed for local/regional CTV and OTT advertisers and several in-house companies including production company LXTV, marketing and promotions company Skycastle, its out-of-home business NBC Everywhere, and the Arthouse, a graphics design group. With seven regional sports networks and 42 NBC and Telemundo stations serving 38 percent of U.S. homes, NBCUniversal Local is the only network-owned local media division that is home to the largest bilingual local newsrooms within the country’s top 10 TV markets. NBCUniversal Local’s stations and networks serve diverse audiences and communities across linear, streaming, OTT, digital web, mobile and audio, and cable platforms and work together to keep local audiences informed anytime and anywhere. For more information, visit NBCUniversal.com.

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CAPTION:  Hill’s Pet Nutrition and Greater Good Charities work together to transport at-risk animals to shelters nationwide during a heroic Good Flights mission.

CAPTION: Hill’s Pet Nutrition employees gather at an adoption event during NBCUniversal Local’s Clear The Shelter campaign last year. Hill’s Food, Shelter and Love program provides science-led nutrition to hundreds of shelters across North America.

CAPTION: Dr. Karen Shenoy, Chief Veterinary Officer for Hill’s US, plays with adoptable kittens at Dumb Friends League, an animal shelter participating in NBCUniversal Local’s Clear The Shelters campaign.

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Why You Need a Recruiter . . . Even When the Job Market is Good

The VET Recruiter

www.thevetrecruiter.com

You don’t need to be told that the job market is good right now, especially for the best candidates and top professionals. There is a shortage of qualified candidates in most industries and professions, and that includes the animal health industry and veterinary profession. Quite frankly, there may be more opportunities than ever before. Armed with this information and secure in this reality, you may think that the last thing you need is to speak with a recruiter.

Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, all of the reasons that you would need a recruiter in a “normal” job market still exist now. And the argument could be made that you need a recruiter even more now because there are so many opportunities. If you attempt to navigate the job market alone, you might come across opportunities, but how do you know for sure that they are the best ones available… or even the best ones for you?

With this in mind, here are five good reasons why you need an experienced and reputable recruiter, even when the job market is good:

#1—The “hidden job market”

Employers do not post all of their jobs through major job boards, or even on their organization’s website, for that matter. There are multiple reasons for this. It could be a critical, high-level search. Or perhaps they’re looking to replace a low performer and they do not want to advertise the fact that they’re doing so. As a result, only recruiters know about these opportunities because their clients are attempting to fill the positions on a confidential basis. So, if you don’t have a relationship with a recruiter, then there are simply some premium positions about which you will not know.

#2—Valuable intelligence and insight about employers

If you are not working with a recruiter, then the only things you know about an employer will be those things that the employer wants you to know. (Unless, of course, you have a colleague or friend already working at the organization.) Remember that one of the most valuable assets in your job search is information. The more you have, the better positioned you are to grow your career. Recruiters have this information, and they’re willing to share it with you.

#3—An edge during the negotiation stage of the process

An experienced recruiter has negotiated much more than you have during your career. Not only do they have inside information about the employer, but they also have insight regarding how the employer likes to negotiate. They can put both their knowledge and their experience to work for you during the most important part of the hiring process: the negotiation stage. This way, they can help to ensure that you receive the best offer possible, which will set you up for success as you make the next move in your career trajectory.

#4—Time and energy savings

Conducting a job search and/or exploring other employment opportunities requires a certain investment of time and energy. Since you are already fully employed, this is a more difficult task, especially if you want to make sure that you find the best opportunity available and take advantage of it. A recruiter can help do a lot of the “leg work” for you and only present premium opportunities that are clearly better than the job you have right now. This way, you can devote your energy and time to those things that matter the most.

#5—Overall market intelligence

As mentioned earlier, information is one of the most valuable assets in your job search or in your career. The more information you have, the better your chances of reaching your goals. A recruiter, especially an experienced one with many years of operating within the profession, has that information and can share it with you as you plot your career course. Their advice and expertise can be incredibly valuable.

So yes, the job market is good right now — even great. However, that does not mean a recruiter can not help you take advantage of the opportunities that exist in the market. They can help you to identify which opportunities are the best, which ones are right for you, and which ones will allow you to grow your career.

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