Pros
Good discounts for employees on food and services. Ability to advance within the company, if you are willing to re-locate.
Cons
Oh where to start.... If you are thinking of joining a VCA clinic I advise you to try to find another clinic quickly. Even the best Vet Techs are treated like dirt. They put more and more work for you to do and cut the amount of time you have to complete the work. The 'upper' management only cares about money, they cut drug orders back so far that we'd run out of medications and supplies that are considered 'staples' of Veterinary Medicine on a weekly basis. There is also a salary freeze for 'all' employees that some have said can last years, which is fine if you make a veterinarians salary but we know that is not the case. So most Techs can not live by themselves, or support their families. The benefits are a expensive joke. I worked 40 hours per week and could not afford a family plan, would have got a bill instead of a paycheck. For an individual plan it was $158.00 a month, and they have Blue Cross Anthem. If you need to know how bad Anthem is, please call ANY doctor and they will explain that Anthem pays for basically nothing. So you better stay in top shape so the medical bills don't make you bankrupt. Even just a check up with bloodwork will cost YOU $80.00 BEFORE the co pay of $20.00. The 'training' for new employees is none, you are thrown into the pool and everyone hopes you swim. The CEs they offer are few for techs and the ones that are mandatory teach you absolutely nothing. The clinic managers are threatened daily, and the upper management love to put closing the clinic, cutting hours or employees over you head like a sword. They also tell you to try and talk expensive testing and unnecessary vaccines onto clients that make you feel like a used car salesmen. So clients become wary and then will not perform necessary testing when it is truly called for. I could go on forever, but I think these were the most important to know. Stress Stress Stress.
