Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers

Feed, water, and examine pets and other nonfarm animals for signs of illness, disease, or injury in laboratories and animal hospitals and clinics. Clean and disinfect cages and work areas, and sterilize laboratory and surgical equipment. May provide routine post-operative care, administer medication orally or topically, or prepare samples for laboratory examination under the supervision of veterinary or laboratory animal technologists or technicians, veterinarians, or scientists.

tasks jobzones knowledge skills abilities work_activities work_context interests work_styles work_values

Tasks

• Groom, trim, or clip animals' coats.

• Dust, spray, or bathe animals to control insect pests.

• Sell pet food and supplies to customers.

• Assist professional personnel with research projects in commercial, public health, or research laboratories.

• Perform office reception duties such as scheduling appointments and helping customers.

• Provide assistance with euthanasia of animals and disposal of corpses.

• Prepare examination or treatment rooms by stocking them with appropriate supplies.

• Write reports, maintain research information, and perform clerical duties.

• Perform accounting duties, including bookkeeping, billing customers for services, and maintaining inventories.

• Perform hygiene-related duties such as clipping animals' claws, and cleaning and polishing teeth.

Back to top

Job Zone

• Name: Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed

• Experience: Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed. For example, a teller might benefit from experience working directly with the public, but an inexperienced person could still learn to be a teller with little difficulty.

• Education: These occupations usually require a high school diploma and may require some vocational training or job-related course work. In some cases, an associate's or bachelor's degree could be needed.

• Job training: Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees.

• Examples: These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include sheet metal workers, forest fire fighters, customer service representatives, pharmacy technicians, salespersons (retail), and tellers.

• Svp range: (4.0 to < 6.0)

Back to top

Knowledge

Browse Knowledge

• Customer and Personal Service
  Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

• Clerical
  Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.

• Mathematics
  Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

• Chemistry
  Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

• Medicine and Dentistry
  Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

• Biology
  Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

• English Language
  Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

• Computers and Electronics
  Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

• Sales and Marketing
  Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

• Education and Training
  Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Back to top

Skills

Browse Skills

• Reading Comprehension
  Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

• Active Listening
  Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

• Instructing
  Teaching others how to do something.

• Active Learning
  Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

• Learning Strategies
  Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.

• Speaking
  Talking to others to convey information effectively.

• Critical Thinking
  Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

• Social Perceptiveness
  Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

• Writing
  Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

• Monitoring
  Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Back to top

Abilities

Browse Abilities

• Problem Sensitivity
  The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

• Oral Expression
  The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

• Oral Comprehension
  The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

• Inductive Reasoning
  The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

• Extent Flexibility
  The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.

• Manual Dexterity
  The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

• Speech Clarity
  The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

• Written Comprehension
  The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

• Near Vision
  The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

• Speech Recognition
  The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Back to top

Work Activities

Browse Work Activities

• Handling and Moving Objects
  Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

• Assisting and Caring for Others
  Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.

• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
  Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
  Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
  Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

• Performing General Physical Activities
  Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.

• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
  Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
  Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

• Getting Information
  Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

• Documenting/Recording Information
  Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Back to top

Work Context

• Face-to-Face Discussions
  How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?

• Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
  How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?

• Work With Work Group or Team
  How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?

• Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
  How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?

• Telephone
  How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

• Spend Time Standing
  How much does this job require standing?

• Contact With Others
  How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

• Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings
  How often does this job require exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings?

• Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
  How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?

• Exposed to Disease or Infections
  How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?

Back to top

Interests

Browse Interests

• Realistic
  Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

• Investigative
  Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

• Social
  Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

• Artistic
  Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

• Enterprising
  Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

• Conventional
  Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Back to top

Work Styles

• Dependability
  Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

• Cooperation
  Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.

• Stress Tolerance
  Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.

• Attention to Detail
  Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

• Self Control
  Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.

• Integrity
  Job requires being honest and ethical.

• Initiative
  Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

• Concern for Others
  Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.

• Adaptability/Flexibility
  Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.

• Independence
  Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.

Back to top

Work Values

Browse Work Values

• Moral Values
  Workers on this job are never pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.

• Variety
  Workers on this job have something different to do every day.

• Security
  Workers on this job have steady employment.

• Achievement
  Workers on this job get a feeling of accomplishment.

• Supervision, Technical
  Workers on this job have supervisors who train their workers well.

• Activity
  Workers on this job are busy all the time.

• Working Conditions
  Workers on this job have good working conditions.

• Relationships-Mean Extent
  Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.

• Co-workers
  Workers on this job have co-workers who are easy to get along with.

• Achievement-Mean Extent
  Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Back to top