Someone with experience as a veterinary technician has great compassion for animals and wants to do everything to keep the pets healthy. They have complete training programs to learn how to provide health services to domesticated pets. You want veterinary technicians who continue their education and stay abreast of new techniques to improve the health of pets.

What to look for in an answer:

• Has at least an associate’s degree
• Experience working in a vet’s office
• A great love for animals

Someone who has experience as a veterinary technician has assisted the vet with surgical procedures. They have lifted and turned animals as directed by the vet. They have provided certain medications and assisted or performed procedures, such as teeth cleanings that required sedation. You want veterinary technicians who understand their surgical responsibilities and understand which procedures they aren’t allowed to complete.

What to look for in an answer:

• Experience assisting with surgical procedures
• Has the ability to lift at least 25 pounds
• Familiar with the protocol for sedating and monitoring animals

This is an important question because you’re looking for veterinary technicians who have performed several healthcare services for animals. They draw blood and obtain stool samples for testing the animals for breed-specific conditions and parasites. They have experience with x-rays and provide medication as directed by the vet. You want a candidate who possesses these skills and knows how to manage health services for all domestic pets.

What to look for in an answer:

• Training and experience in radiology
• Experience conducting lab works
• Experience administering IV and injected medications

Look for candidates who have had experience treating a wide variety of animals. They have experience with domesticated pets, such as dogs and cats. They may also have experience taking care of exotics and larger animals. You want a candidate who has experience providing services for all animals that you treat.

What to look for in an answer:

• Experience with different types of vet clinics
• Potential specializations and additional veterinary training
• Motivated to learn more about caring for animals

Experienced veterinary technicians are familiar with proper protocol for an animal quarantine. They understand that the purpose is to determine if the animal has rabies or an aggressive temperament that designates the animal as a danger to the public. You want a candidate who is detail oriented and understands why it’s important to monitor the animal closely. You want a candidate who also understands the legalities of the process and has experience helping animal control officers.

What to look for in an answer:

• Experience with animal control orders
• Follows protocol for potentially dangerous animals
• Willing to stay overnight to watch over animals

Veterinary technicians have to juggle a lot of responsibilities in the workplace, from maintaining office records and medical supplies to providing animal care to keeping the office environment clean and more. By asking this question, interviewers want to find out how dedicated candidates are to their profession and if they are open to taking on extra duties when the need arises. As long as the veterinarian doesn't make unreasonable demands, many veterinary technicians would not shirk from the additional tasks.

The candidate's answer should emphasize:

• Compassionate attitude
• Willingness to work hard
• Positive outlook

A sample response would be something like this: