Top 10 Interview Mistakes Vets and Nurses Make — And How to Avoid Them
Landing an interview is exciting — but for many veterinary professionals, the pressure of making the right impression can feel overwhelming. The good news? With the right preparation, you can avoid the most common pitfalls and walk into your interview with confidence.
At Vetmatch, we’ve supported hundreds of vets, nurses, and support staff through successful interviews. Here are the mistakes we see most often — and our advice on how to avoid them.
1. Not Researching the Practice
Mistake: Turning up without knowing the clinic’s services, values, or culture.
Fix: Spend time on their website and social channels. Understand their ethos and be ready to discuss it. This gives you useful talking points and potential questions to ask.
2. Forgetting Practical Preparation
Mistake: Misjudging travel times or not knowing how to get there.
Fix: Check the distance, plan your journey, and allow extra time. Arriving flustered or late is an easy way to get off on the wrong foot.
3. Not Preparing for Common Questions
Mistake:Being caught off guard by expected questions such as “Where do you see yourself in five years?” or “What are your strengths and weaknesses?”
Fix:Prepare clear, honest answers in advance. Make sure your goals align with the practice — for example, telling a small animal clinic you want to become an equine physio may not land well. Saying “I’ll do anything” can actually sound positive — employers value flexibility — but always balance it by showing genuine interests and skills.
4. Focusing on What You Want, Not What You Offer
Mistake: Talking mainly about salary, rota, or CPD.
Fix: Highlight what you bring to the role — your clinical strengths, teamwork, client care, or even ways you’ve supported the wider clinic (such as social media or client experience). Show them how you’ll make the practice stronger.
5. Trying to Negotiate in the Interview
Mistake: Discussing pay, rota, or holiday allowances in detail during the interview. It can break rapport.
Fix: Keep the focus on the role and your fit. At Vetmatch, we handle all negotiation on your behalf afterwards — ensuring you get the right package without awkwardness.
6. Undervaluing Your Experience
Mistake: Playing down achievements — many nurses and vets are too modest!
Fix: Prepare 2–3 specific examples of when you made a positive impact (solved a client issue, supported a colleague, improved a process).
7. Not Asking Insightful Questions
Mistake: Ending with “No, I think that’s everything.”
Fix: Always prepare 2–3 thoughtful questions. These not only show interest, but also give the interviewer a chance to highlight the clinic’s strengths — which you can then reflect back. Examples:
“What are the team’s core values?”
“How do you support CPD for your staff?”
“What does success in this role look like in the first 6 months?”
8. Overlooking Your Soft Skills
Mistake: Talking only about clinical abilities.
Fix: Practices also want to know you’re good with clients, financially aware, a strong team player, or able to support client communications. These qualities are hard to convey on a CV — but mentioning them in an interview sets you apart.
9. Rambling Instead of Structuring Answers
Mistake: Talking in circles under pressure.
Fix:Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to keep your answers structured. Also, ask questions that allow the interviewer to showcase their clinic — people enjoy talking about their strengths, and it helps you build rapport.
10. Poor Basics & Weak Video Prep
Mistake: Being late, dressing too casually, or treating a video call like a quick chat on your phone.
Fix: Be smart, punctual, and professional. For video calls:
Test your Wi-Fi and audio in advance.
Use a computer, not a phone — constant movement is distracting.
Choose a quiet, well-lit spot.
Look at the camera, not the screen.
👉 For more detail, check out our guide on How to Ace a Veterinary Video Interview (link placeholder).
Final Thought
An interview isn’tjust about proving your skills — it’s about showing how you can contribute to the practice’s success. With preparation, insight, and the right support, you can avoid these common mistakes and shine as the candidate they remember.
And remember — you don’t have to do this alone. At Vetmatch, we’ll guide you through the process, help you prepare, and negotiate the package that works for you.