How to hire and keep great vet techs

Veterinary technicians are the unsung heroes of any clinic. They juggle patient care, client communication, surgical assistance, lab work, inventory, and emotional support — often in the same hour. A great vet tech doesn't just make your clinic run more efficiently; they make it a place clients and patients trust.

But the hiring landscape has shifted. With growing demand, burnout, and increased competition from corporate consolidators, attracting and retaining skilled techs has become a top concern for independent clinics and consolidators alike.

A thoughtful onboarding process is the foundation of long-term success for both your new hires and your practice as a whole.

Before onboarding: Hiring the right tech

While our focus is on onboarding, finding the right candidates sets the foundation for successful integration. Before you even post a job, define what success in this role looks like. Clarify specific technical skills required—does your tech need to place IV catheters? Monitor anesthesia? Educate clients post-op?

Consider whether you need credentialed vs. non-credentialed technicians based on your state's requirements and clinic needs. Pay equal attention to personality traits and work style — does your clinic move fast and require adaptability, or does it emphasize methodical precision? Alignment on these expectations prevents future friction.

When recruiting, think beyond traditional job boards. Reach out to local vet tech programs, encourage staff referrals, and maintain an active social media presence that showcases your clinic culture. Consider paid working interviews as part of your selection process—they provide invaluable insight into how candidates perform in your specific environment.

Throughout the hiring process, keep onboarding in mind. Look for candidates who demonstrate learning agility and ask thoughtful questions. Someone who shows curiosity during interviews will likely engage more deeply with your onboarding program.

Make them an offer they can't refuse

If you want great techs, you need to compete — not just on pay, but on overall experience. Know the market rate for vet tech salaries in your area, which has risen significantly in many locations. If you're paying 2018 wages, you're going to lose out. Use tools like AVMA reports, local salary surveys, or even ask your peers.

Offer more than just a paycheck:

• CE stipends and professional development
• Uniform allowances and equipment support
• Generous paid time off and flexible scheduling
• Substantial pet care discounts
• Mental health and wellness resources

Make growth part of your pitch. Can this tech become a lead, a trainer, or specialize in dentistry or anesthesia? Even if you're a small clinic, showing a path forward builds long-term loyalty. And remember to move quickly when you find the right candidate. In this market, delays mean lost hires.

Veterinary technicians don't want to feel like just a warm body. They want to know they're joining a clinic that values their expertise.

First impressions that create lasting loyalty

Hiring the right person is only half the equation. Onboarding is what turns a promising new hire into a high-performing, loyal team member. The first-day experience makes an impression that can last an entire career. Don't leave this critical time to chance—design it intentionally.

Before their first day, send a welcome email with essential information—parking instructions, dress code, start time, and a brief schedule of what to expect. Consider including a short, friendly video tour of the clinic or introducing key team members they'll meet.

On arrival, have everything ready: name badge, scrubs or uniform, locker or storage space, and all necessary login credentials. Nothing communicates disorganization faster than scrambling to find basic supplies as your new tech stands awkwardly in the reception area.

Greet them personally and warmly. Schedule the first day to start slightly later than your usual clinic opening to ensure someone has dedicated time to welcome them. Introduce them to every team member they encounter, not just with names but with context about roles and how they'll work together.

A welcome gift — branded clinic gear, a quality stethoscope, or even just a thoughtful card signed by the team — sets the tone that you value them as a person, not just as a worker.

Create a structured learning journey

The most effective onboarding isn't a one-day orientation but a carefully designed journey that unfolds over weeks and months. A structured 30-60-90 day plan transforms overwhelming information into manageable phases of learning and integration.

For the first 30 days, focus on basic operations, clinic protocols, and essential skills specific to your practice. This includes where supplies are kept, how to use your practice management software, and understanding clinic-specific workflows. New hires should shadow experienced staff across different roles to understand how the entire clinic functions as a system.

The second 30 days should deepen technical skills and client interaction. By this point, your new tech should handle more responsibilities independently while still having clear support. Introduce them to more complex cases and procedures, and have them start building relationships with regular clients.

By 90 days, your tech should be functioning as an integral team member, though still developing efficiency and confidence. This is the time to introduce specialized responsibilities based on their strengths and interests, whether it's dentistry, laboratory work, or anesthesia monitoring.

Document this plan clearly, with specific milestones and competencies for each phase. Review it together on day one, and revisit it during regular check-ins to track progress and adjust as needed.

The power of the buddy system

Even the most experienced technicians feel like the "new kid" when joining a practice. Assign each new hire a dedicated mentor—an experienced, patient tech who enjoys teaching. This relationship provides a safe space for questions that might otherwise go unasked out of fear of looking incompetent.

The ideal mentor isn't necessarily the most senior person but someone approachable who exemplifies your clinic's values. They should meet with the new tech daily during the first week, then several times weekly for the first month.

Provide clear guidance to mentors about their responsibilities—this isn't just showing someone where the mop is kept. Good mentors explain the "why" behind protocols, share unofficial clinic knowledge (like which clients need extra patience), and actively look for opportunities to teach. Consider offering mentors additional compensation or recognition for this valuable role.

Regular feedback prevents major problems

The traditional 90-day review is too late to correct course if issues are developing. Instead, implement a rhythm of formal and informal check-ins:

• Daily brief check-ins during the first week
• Weekly structured meetings during the first month
• Bi-weekly meetings during months 2-3
• Monthly meetings thereafter

These meetings should be two-way conversations, not just performance evaluations. Ask specific questions: "What surprised you this week?" "What procedure or task would you like more practice with?" "What systems or protocols seem unclear?"

Document these conversations with simple shared notes so both parties remember what was discussed and what actions were promised. This creates accountability and demonstrates that you take their input seriously.

Don't wait for scheduled meetings if you notice concerns. Address small issues immediately with specific, behavior-focused feedback. "I noticed you seemed hesitant during dental radiographs today. What additional training would help you feel more confident with that procedure?"

Technical skill development requires deliberate practice

Learning complex veterinary skills isn't just about observation—it requires hands-on practice and focused feedback. Create structured technical skills development sessions outside of regular patient flow:

• Use anatomical models for practicing venipuncture, catheter placement, or intubation
• Schedule "lab days" where technicians practice cytology, urinalysis, or fecal analysis techniques
• Create anesthesia simulations using monitors and scenarios
• Record and review client communication role-plays

For each skill, break it down into component parts with clear success criteria. For example, dental radiographs might include: positioning the sensor, setting exposure, managing image software, and recognizing common errors.

Track progress on each skill with a competency checklist, celebrating milestones as they're achieved. Consider creating levels of technical certification within your practice that recognize growing expertise.

Building client communication skills gradually

Client communication is often overlooked in technical onboarding, but it's a crucial skill set. Start new technicians with straightforward client interactions—discharge instructions for routine procedures or vaccine appointments—before moving to more complex scenarios.

Create clear communication templates for common situations, but teach the principles behind them rather than rote scripts. Shadow experienced staff during difficult conversations about finances, poor prognoses, or complicated treatment plans.

Record (with permission) or role-play challenging client scenarios and review them together, focusing on both what was said and body language. Great client communication combines technical accuracy with genuine empathy—both can be taught and improved with practice.

Clinic culture is learned, not just observed

Your clinic's values and culture aren't just written in an employee handbook—they're transmitted through daily interactions. Be explicit about your practice philosophy and what makes your clinic unique.

Share stories that exemplify your values in action: "Last month, Dr. Martinez stayed three hours after closing to save a rescue dog's eye, even though we knew the rescue group had limited funds. That's what we mean when we say we put medicine first."

Invite new technicians to team meetings from day one, even if they're mostly listening. This accelerates their understanding of how decisions are made and problems are solved in your practice.

Acknowledge when they demonstrate your core values, and gently redirect when their actions don't align. "We always call clients with lab results by the end of the day, even when they're normal. It's part of how we show we care about every patient."

When onboarding goes wrong: Recognizing and addressing issues early

Despite your best efforts, sometimes the onboarding process doesn't progress as expected. Knowing the warning signs helps you address issues before they lead to turnover or poor performance:

• Repeated mistakes on the same procedures
• Reluctance to ask questions or seek help
• Frequent absences or tardiness
• Avoidance of certain tasks or cases
• Conflict with specific team members
• Decreased engagement or enthusiasm

When you notice these patterns, schedule a dedicated conversation focused on understanding the root causes. Is it a training gap? A confidence issue? A mismatch of expectations? Or perhaps a personal challenge outside of work?

Create a specific improvement plan with measurable goals and a clear timeline. Additional training, more frequent check-ins, or adjusted responsibilities may help get things back on track. Document these conversations and plans professionally — both to support the employee's growth and to protect the practice if termination becomes necessary.

Transitioning from onboarding to ongoing growth

There's no clear moment when onboarding ends and regular employment begins. Instead, aim for a gradual transition from structured learning to self-directed growth. By six months, most technicians should be fully integrated into your team, but their development shouldn't stop.

Hold a formal "onboarding graduation" meeting to recognize this milestone. Review their progress, celebrate successes, and collaborate on a long-term professional development plan. What specialized skills would they like to develop? What responsibilities could they grow into? What continuing education would benefit both them and the practice?

This meeting transitions your relationship from trainer-trainee to collaborative colleagues invested in mutual success. It also reinforces that your practice values continuous improvement, not just basic competence.

Keeping your best people happy

Hiring costs time and money. Retaining your best techs pays off in spades. Support continuing education and specialization — whether it's a dentistry course, anesthesia certification, or fear-free training. Investing in their growth helps them invest back in your clinic.

Conduct regular, meaningful performance reviews. Ask for feedback: What do you enjoy here? What would help you grow? What processes could we improve?

Create a culture where feedback flows freely in all directions. Encourage techs to share their ideas for workflow improvements or new protocols. Being heard matters as much as being paid well. Foster genuine belonging through both formal recognition programs and informal celebrations. From acknowledging birthdays to recognizing exceptional work, create a culture where people feel like they're more than their job title.

Burnout is real in veterinary medicine. But in a supportive, respectful environment, techs stay — and thrive.

Common onboarding missteps to avoid

Even well-intentioned practices make these critical onboarding errors that undermine their efforts:

1. The "drink from the firehose" approach: Overwhelming new hires with too much information too quickly ensures they'll retain very little. Instead, prioritize information by immediate need and spread training across weeks, not days.
2. Inconsistent messaging: When different team members provide contradictory instructions on protocols or procedures, new techs feel confused and lose confidence. Create standardized training materials and ensure all trainers are aligned on current best practices.
3. Ignoring the "why" behind protocols: Teaching only mechanical steps without context creates technicians who follow procedures robotically rather than thinking critically. Always explain the reasoning and science behind your protocols.
4. Failing to document progress: Without clear documentation of what's been taught and mastered, training becomes haphazard and gaps emerge. Maintain detailed onboarding checklists and regular progress notes.
5. Insufficient protected training time: Scheduling new techs immediately into full patient loads without dedicated learning time is a recipe for stress and mistakes. Budget protected time for training, even if it temporarily reduces appointment capacity.
6. No clear end to "new tech" status: Without defined milestones marking the transition from trainee to full team member, new hires can feel perpetually tentative. Create clear graduation points with associated privileges and responsibilities.
7. Neglecting cultural onboarding: Technical skills training without cultural integration creates competent but disconnected team members. Intentionally build relationship opportunities and cultural understanding into your onboarding process.

Measuring onboarding success: Beyond retention statistics

Effective onboarding isn't just about keeping techs on the payroll—it's about developing confident, capable professionals who enhance your practice. Establish metrics to evaluate your onboarding program's effectiveness:

• Time-to-competency: How quickly can new techs perform core skills independently? Track this for key competencies and look for opportunities to accelerate learning curves.
• Error rates: Monitor medication, laboratory, and procedural errors during the first six months. Effective onboarding should show a steady decrease in error frequency.
• Client feedback: Survey clients who interact with new technicians. Are they building trusting relationships and effectively educating clients about care plans?
• Team integration: Assess how quickly new hires become active contributors in team meetings and how often their colleagues seek their input.
• Confidence surveys: Ask new techs to self-rate their confidence on various skills at 30, 60, and 90 days. This identifies areas where additional support may be needed.
• Initiative development: Track when new techs begin suggesting process improvements or volunteering for additional responsibilities—a key indicator of engagement and comfort.

The power of exceptional onboarding

Thoughtful onboarding elevates your entire practice. When technicians feel thoroughly prepared and supported, they deliver better medical care, communicate more effectively with clients, and contribute to a positive clinic culture.

The return on investment is substantial: reduced turnover saves thousands in hiring and training costs, while capable technicians improve appointment efficiency and client satisfaction. In a profession facing staffing challenges and increasing consolidation, independent practices that excel at onboarding gain a significant competitive advantage.

But perhaps most importantly, great onboarding honors the dedication and potential of the professionals who choose this as their calling. By investing deeply in their development, you affirm that they’re valued contributors whose growth and satisfaction matter.

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