Iosif applied for AdvantEdge after hearing friends’ positive experiences of the programme
Achieving the perfect work-life balance means something different to everyone. To Iosif Maier, it means having a challenging job that keeps him on his toes but allows him to make the most of his spare time.
As a father of two young children, he wanted a job that would allow him to balance fast-paced work with a relaxing home life.
“I’m looking for the full package from my job,” Iosif explained. “There’s no point in working until I’m exhausted as I wouldn’t be of any use to anyone, at work or at home.
“I love my work but I can’t forget about the rest of my life. I have two daughters and I need to have the time to spend with them.”
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Find out moreIosif, veterinary surgeon at our Reading clinic, grew up in Romania and spent his childhood learning about animal care from his father, who is also a vet. Having been around animals for as long as he can remember, he naturally decided to follow in his father’s footsteps.
“I graduated in 2002 in Romania and I worked over there for almost two years before moving to the UK,” Iosif explained.
“I did some jobs outside of the profession to improve my English, then I gradually returned to the field, first as a volunteer, then as a full-time vet in small animal practice.”
After speaking to friends and colleagues, Iosif realised that a career at Vets Now could help him strike that perfect work-life balance and he decided to apply to our AdvantEdge programme after receiving a recommendation from a friend.
“I heard about the programme through one of my friends from university who already worked for Vets Now,” he said.
“He spoke very highly of Advantedge and the training it had given him, and I got the impression that Vets Now was a great company to work for.”
Iosif praised the programme for helping him to enhance his knowledge and approach cases differently.
“I applied for AdvantEdge in the hope that it would make my mind sharper and give me a different approach to managing very difficult situations in a very short space of time, and it definitely did that. I’d recommend it to everyone.
“We covered everything from ultrasound and cardiology to blood gases, and I learned how to use them in the correct way. It showed me that there are lots of different ways to approach cases without always jumping to the most complicated procedure”.
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The programme also led him to view certain aspects of his job in a new light.
“There were certain procedures that I used to hate and avoided using, but now I realise I just didn’t understand how to apply them correctly.
“After doing AdvantEdge, I have a much clearer sense of how to put my knowledge into practice and I have a better understanding of why I should do things, which I think is very important.”
He also noted that AdvantEdge was the ideal first step into a career at Vets Now.
He said: “AdvantEdge gave me the opportunity to get paid while learning. Not only did it improve my skills but it was also a perfect welcome into the Vets Now family.”
Now an established member of the team in Reading, Iosif was full of praise for the treatment and support he and his colleagues have received at Vets Now.
He said: “The way Vets Now continuously looks after its staff is quite unique. There’s a very open and honest relationship between the staff and the company, and any issues are dealt with quickly for the benefit of everyone. We are very well looked after, which is very important to me.”
And he speaks positively of the impact working in ECC has had on his life, both professionally and personally.
“I love how much the work challenges me. I really hate standing still and the work I do here keeps me moving and engaged. Plus, I only work nights in ECC, which makes it much easier to make the most of my free time with my daughters.
“As long as I have enough time for them then I’m happy.”
And while he is content in his current role, Iosif is very optimistic about his future at Vets Now.
“I’d like to do some further study somewhere down the line, but for the moment I’m focused on making sure I do my job to the best of my ability.
“Who knows what the future holds. I get the feeling that anything is possible here.”
If you have experience in small animal or mixed practice and want to develop your skills to allow you to pursue an exciting career in emergency and critical care, AdvantEdge might be for you. Learn more about our AdvantEdge programme here.