NAVC Hosts VMX Virtual Job Fair Wednesday, June 24 for Veterinary Professionals
The North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) today announced the launch of VMX Virtual Job Fair on June 24 which will connect veterinary professionals worldwide with leading organizations in the veterinary profession who are seeking to fill more than 2,500 positions. Using advanced simulation technology, NAVC’s VMX Virtual platform recreates the experience of a live face-to-face job fair where job seekers can move through the 3D, interactive VMX Virtual platform, explore each hiring organization’s custom-designed virtual booth and meet with recruiters as if they were physically there.
Banfield Pet Hospital, Petco, VCA Animal Hospitals, The Vet Recruiter, Christian Veterinary Mission and NAVC Retriever are among those hiring organizations participating in the job fair with opportunities for veterinarians, veterinary technicians/nurses, practice managers and veterinary students. Veterinary professionals from around the world, including North America, South America, Asia, Australia and Africa have registered to participate in the VMX Virtual Job Fair.
“Veterinary conferences traditionally provide the venue for job seekers and hiring organizations to meet, but with so many conferences cancelled this year, that opportunity has been lost during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Gene O’Neill, CEO of NAVC which hosts VMX, the veterinary industry’s largest global conference for continuing education. “The VMX Virtual Job Fair will bridge that gap and connect job seekers worldwide with hiring organizations. Veterinary professionals who are looking for a job and those who are hiring can virtually meet and experience all that they normally would at a live industry event using this breakthrough technology.”
The NAVC deployed VMX Virtual, a first-of-its kind online event platform earlier this year at VMX 2020. The advanced simulation technology enables visitors to experience life-like booths that are individually designed and engineered to mirror what attendees would see in a live exhibition space, like the VMX Expo Hall in Orlando, FL, each January.
Using its Netflix-style search menu, job seekers can easily identify organizations they want to visit during the job fair. Once an attendee has selected a company, they can meet and engage with company representatives, watch videos and webinars and explore and collect company resources, business cards and links in their virtual backpack. Recruiters who specialize in particular positions will be able to discuss current openings and share documents about benefits and employer programs with attendees via chat, e-mail and video features.
“We’re always looking to connect with talented veterinarians and credentialed veterinary technicians,” said Melissa Marshall, VP of People and Organization at Banfield Pet Hospital. “Under the current circumstances, organizations are having to find new, creative approaches to connect with potential candidates. We’re incredibly excited to leverage NAVC’s VMX Virtual platform, which will enable us to maximize our reach and engage with talent in innovative ways, no matter where they are in the world.”
According to an April 2020 report from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, veterinary jobs are expected to grow by 19 percent from 2018 to 2028 with 15,000 new jobs added during that period according to veterinary industry executive and recruiting expert Stacy Pursell Founder and CEO, The Vet Recruiter.
“There is plenty of good news in the veterinary profession in terms of hiring and employment,” said Pursell. “There was a shortage of veterinarians six months ago, and the pandemic didn’t change that. The quality candidates that existed before still exist in the marketplace right now. They did not disappear, and practice owners understand that and are still trying to hire them. There is also opportunity due to the fact that pet adoption is on the rise and pet owners are more committed than ever to taking their pets to the vet.”
The VMX Virtual Job Fair will run from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, June 24. For more information about how to become a participating company, contact expo@navc.com. Job seekers may register for free for the event by visiting VMX Virtual Job Fair where they will also find tips for a successful job fair and virtual job interview.
The NAVC provides continuing education and training to more than 500,000 veterinary professionals each year through a variety of initiatives. VMX, its largest program, was recognized as one of the Trade Show Executive Gold 100 and Trade Show Executive’s Fastest 50 in 2019.