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Veterinary assistants gave their overall job satisfaction 3.5 out of 5 stars when Career Explorer surveyed more than 1,400 veterinary assistants.
They rated their salary satisfaction at just 2.7 out of 5 stars.
The former veterinary assistants who participated in the survey rated the utilization of their skills at 3.4.
The result of the survey is a likely indicator of some of the reasons that veterinary assistants explore alternative careers.
Pursuing alternative careers can often lead to a job with a better salary, better utilization of skills, and opportunities for career advancement.
The 6 top alternative careers for veterinary assistants allow them to gain new skills while making great use of their existing skills.
Changing careers often leads to less job-related stress and improved work-life balance.
List of Alternative Careers
Veterinary assistants earned an average salary of $36,440 in 2023.
The six top alternative careers offer a better average salary.
Veterinary assistants who want to change careers can choose one of these options, which has a good job growth outlook.
1. Veterinary Technician
Description
Changing careers does not mean that veterinary assistants must work outside a veterinary clinic or a veterinary hospital.
They can become veterinary technicians and still enjoy working in the same or similar job settings.
Veterinary technicians collect information about the medical histories of animal patients and observe their behavior and their current condition.
Some other duties that veterinary technicians perform include taking X-rays, performing laboratory tests, and restraining animal patients for examination.
They also bathe animals, clip their nails, and prepare them for surgery.
Transferable Skills
Veterinary assistants bathe and exercise animals.
They restrain them during examinations and medical procedures.
Some other transferable skills include providing emergency first aid to injured or sick animal patients, monitoring and caring for animals after surgery, and administering medications that are prescribed by veterinarians.
Potential Requirements
Veterinary technicians need to complete a veterinary technology program.
They need to earn an associate’s degree.
They also need to earn a certification or become licensed, depending on the requirements of their state.
Completing a credentialing exam is another requirement for veterinary technicians in most states.
Benefits
People who work as veterinary technicians earned an average salary of $43,740 in 2023.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicates that the 10-year job growth for veterinary technicians is 19 percent, which is much faster than average when compared to other careers.
2. Veterinary Sales Representative
Description
Veterinary sales representatives are inside or outside sales representatives.
They identify leads follow up on leads and build relationships with clients.
They specialize in understanding the veterinary pharmaceutical needs of veterinary clinics, animal shelters, and veterinary hospitals.
Veterinary sales representatives recommend and sell products that are based on the needs of their clients.
They also provide training on the proper use of products, medications, and equipment.
Transferable Skills
Veterinary assistants already know the anatomy and physiology of animals.
They have the inventory management skills, strong communication skills, and problem-solving skills that are needed by veterinary sales representatives.
Some other transferable skills include having organizational skills and providing face-to-face contact with customers.
Potential Requirements
Veterinary sales representatives need to have good computer skills and sales experience.
Veterinary assistants who want to work as veterinary sales representatives need to earn a bachelor’s degree.
They need to be able to work independently, as well as in a team environment.
Benefits
Working outside the veterinary clinic or hospital is likely to be a benefit for some veterinary assistants who want to change careers.
One other benefit of transitioning to a veterinary sales representative is the salary.
The site salary.com indicates that the average salary for veterinary sales representatives, as of December 1, 2024, is $51,131.
3. Veterinarian
Description
Veterinarians examine animals to assess their health and to determine their medical needs.
They treat illnesses and injuries in animals and perform surgery.
Veterinarians prescribe medications.
They educate animal owners on the care, medical conditions, and treatment prescribed for their animals.
Operating medical equipment, using surgical tools, and euthanizing animals are some other duties of veterinarians.
Transferable Skills
Veterinary assistants have skills that help them to start their career as a veterinarian.
They have strong organizational skills, strong communication skills, and experience working with sick and injured animals.
Potential Skills
Veterinarians need to earn a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from an accredited school.
They also need a license to practice in the state where they work.
They need to pass the North American Licensing Examination.
Benefits
The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that the average 2023 salary for veterinarians was $119,100.
The much faster-than-average job growth is another benefit that veterinary assistants likely want to consider when changing careers to become veterinarians.
4. Animal Shelter Manager
Description
Animal shelter managers oversee the daily operations of animal shelters.
People who are animal shelter managers ensure the health and safety of animals.
They staff the shelter and train employees.
Animal shelter managers coordinate services with animal control workers and with law enforcement departments.
They implement and maintain a program to adopt animals from the shelter.
They also develop and manage the budget for shelters and represent shelters in the community and with the media.
Transferable Skills
Working as an animal shelter manager requires good communication skills, good organizational skills, and good interpersonal skills. Veterinary assistants have these skills.
They also know the importance of keeping the facility clean and making sure that the animals have food and water.
Veterinary assistants can count on having a smooth transition to an animal shelter manager career by using their skills to promote responsible pet ownership and to promote the animal shelter.
Potential Requirements
Animal shelter managers need management skills and proficiency in computer software.
They also need to have a Bachelor’s degree.
Benefits
Animal shelter managers can work with shelter staff while also networking with the community, local leaders, and law enforcement.
They earn a good salary.
The site salary.com indicates that the salary for animal shelter managers, as of December 1, 2024, is $60,690.
5. Zoologist
Description
Zoologists, like wildlife biologists, study various animals in the wild and captivity.
They learn about how animals interact with their ecosystems.
Zoologists develop experimental studies and implement them, collect and analyze data, and study the characteristics of various animals.
Some other duties of zoologists include initiating and maintaining breeding programs, analyzing the influence of human activity on wildlife and their habitats, and developing conservation plans.
Transferable Skills
Veterinary assistants already have the skills to work with various animals.
They have good organizational skills, and the ability to collect information about animals and enter it into a computer system.
Some other transferable skills for veterinary assistants who want to work as zoologists include having good communication skills and the ability to network with a variety of people.
Potential Requirements
Zoologists need to have a bachelor’s degree to work in entry-level zoology careers.
They need to have a Master’s degree for positions that are not entry-level jobs.
Many zoologists earn a Ph.D.
Working as a zoologist requires having outdoor skills.
They may work in remote locations.
Benefits
Zoologists often work in the great outdoors.
They have some freedom in their job that veterinary assistants usually do not have when working inside a veterinary clinic or hospital.
The 2023 average salary for zoologists was $70,600.
6. Nursing Assistant
Description
Nursing assistants assist patients with their basic needs, including their activities of daily living (ADLs).
They provide patients with their basic care needs, clean equipment, and transport patients within the medical facility or care facility.
Some nursing assistants, depending on the laws in their state, may dispense medication.
They also measure and record patients’ vital signs.
Transferable Skills
Veterinary assistants have several skills that are the same or similar to the skills that are required of nursing assistants.
Providing for the basic needs of patients, and having strong communication skills and strong organizational skills are important in both careers.
Potential Requirements
Nursing assistants do not need to earn a college degree.
They need to complete a state-approved program.
They also need to pass a competency exam for nursing assistants.
Some states require nursing assistants to have a license.
Veterinary assistants should check the license requirements for nursing assistants in their state.
Benefits
A good job outlook is one benefit of transitioning into a nursing assistant career.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that there will be more than 216,000 job openings for nursing assistants over the next decade.
The 2023 average salary for nursing assistants was $38,200.
Tips for Transitioning Careers
Changing careers is easy for veterinary assistants when they choose one of the six top alternative careers.
Veterinary assistants have many good skills that are valued in other fields.
Leveraging these skills on resumes and during interviews helps veterinary assistants have a smooth transition to a new career.
Gaining new skills, earning a degree, seeking a license or certification, and networking with people who work as nursing assistants or who hire them are all tips for transitioning careers.
Conclusion
Veterinary assistants sometimes express dissatisfaction with their job.
The low salary and under-utilization of their skills are some primary reasons that they want to change careers.
The skills that veterinary assistants have may give them an edge over other job applicants.
Knowing how to leverage their existing skills is important for veterinary assistants who want to have a new career.
Earning a higher salary, using their existing skills, gaining new skills, and having more freedom in their job allows for a smooth transition into a new career.
