Face to Face or Online? The Truth About Interviews Today
By Dr. Geoff Carullo, DVM, FPCCP, DPCVSCA
There is a growing debate in hiring today.
Applicants ask:
“Why require a face-to-face interview if there’s no guarantee of getting hired?”
“Will I be compensated for my time and transpo?”
“Why not just do everything online?”
Let’s address it directly.
Yes, pamasahe costs money.
Yes, time is valuable.
Yes, online interviews are convenient.
But here is the uncomfortable truth.
An interview is not a contract.
It is a test of intent.
It tests how serious you are.
It tests if you are exploring or committing.
It tests whether you want the position, or you just want options.
Face to face reveals what no screen can hide.
How you walk in.
How you greet the guard.
How you speak to the receptionist.
How you sit.
How you listen.
How you respond under pressure.
You cannot filter character.
You cannot edit presence.
You cannot mute body language.
This is veterinary medicine. Not freelancing. Not remote data entry. Not passive income.
You will stand in front of grieving clients.
You will handle critical patients.
You will represent a clinic’s reputation.
If you hesitate to show up for an interview because there is no guarantee, then understand this clearly:
There is no guarantee in life.
There is no guarantee in medicine.
There is no guarantee in business.
There is no guarantee in growth.
Commitment comes first. Results follow.
Hiring is not shopping.
It is not bidding season.
It is not a card shuffle.
It is not salary window shopping.
It is alignment.
Employers invest their time.
Applicants invest their effort.
Both risk rejection.
If showing up already feels like too much risk because you want assurance before effort, then maybe you are not ready for responsibility.
You want certainty before commitment?
That mindset will limit you.
Opportunities are not built for the sigurista who refuses to step forward.
They are built for those who are willing to show up, even without guarantees.
Face to face is not about ego.
It is about accountability.
If you cannot present yourself physically when asked, how will you present yourself professionally when it matters?
Harsh? Maybe.
But veterinary medicine is not built on convenience.
It is built on presence.
It is built on responsibility.
It is built on showing up.
And the best hires are not the ones who demand assurance first.
They are the ones who understand that growth always requires stepping forward before certainty.
Dr. Geoff Carullo is a Fellow and the current President of the Philippine College of Canine Practitioners.
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