Veterinary Voices
Veterinary Voices is for veterinary clinic owners who want to hire Their Kind of People—and want vets and nurses to recognise them as Their Kind of Clinic.
For years, hiring gave vet clinics two options: run a job ad or don’t. Veterinary Voices is about the third: sharing culture stories consistently, so the right vets and nurses can get to know your clinic before you’re recruiting.
Hosted by Julie South, founder of VetClinicJobs, each episode explores the Decision Gap: the space between a job advert and a job application, where vets and nurses research your clinic and decide for themselves whether it could be Their Kind of Clinic.
You’ll hear REAL culture stories from vets and nurses, along with practical guidance for recognising the everyday experiences that reveal how a clinic genuinely operates—how people support each other, respond under pressure, make decisions and live the values displayed on the clinic wall.
You’ll learn which stories to share, how to turn those experiences into credible recruitment evidence, and how to remain recognised by vets and nurses who may be keeping an eye out for their next career move.
If you want your “great culture” to be something vets and nurses recognise instead of something you claim, this is your show.
Veterinary Voices
013 - Reference Checks - 9 questions to ask | what you can and cannot do - or ask | NZ law
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Reference (and background) checking - why you absolutely must see it as an investment rather than a cost
- why you should do it – even when you think you can’t spare the time,
- what questions to ask,
- what answers might raise some red flags,
- what to do with those red flags, and
- what you can and cannot do in relation to reference checking and NZ law
In Godzone Aotearoa New Zealand there are some things you absolutely cannot do in relation to reference checking potential new recruits and things you absolutely must do.
Reference checking is protected and/or governed by three different Acts of Parliament:
- the Employment Relations Act 2000,
- the Human Rights Act 1993, and
- the Privacy Act 2020
We’ll take an in depth look at the 9 reference check questions I always ask every referee so you can understand what types of answers or responses raise red flags and then how to handle those.
You'll understand why I ask the questions I do and how to accuracy-check some of the answers you might be given from referees.
You'll also understand why a ‘no’ to the question “would you hire this person again” might not be the deal breaker you expect it would be.
We’ll also quickly look at some reference checking that’s fallen foul of the law and ended up in court.
Choosing Referees:
- Immediate / Direct-report manager
- Choose wisely
- Let your referees know what you're doing / what you're up to
- Ask them first
- Mutual trust
Case Studies:
- an inaccurate reference
- supposed breach of privacy
- lying on job application
Summary:
- background & reference checking is essential
- choose referees wisely
- respect & protect people's privacy
- ask for only what you need & nothing else
- ask the right questions
- reference check every new hire - regardless of the job / position / duration
- reputations at stake
- outsource if necessary
leading veterinary sector recruitment in New Zealand | veterinarians | locums | nurses
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Could Your Kind of People recognise Their Kind of Clinic?
A job ad may catch a vet’s or nurse’s eye. But it’s their own due diligence that determines whether they apply—or keep in touch.
Culture Story Centres turn real experiences from inside your team into credible, discoverable recruitment evidence, giving vets and nurses meaningful reasons to choose your clinic.
Explore Culture Story Centres for veterinary clinics
