Choose which work to handle internally
Job advertising and recruiting can complement one another. A board placement does not necessarily include sourcing, screening or interview coordination; confirm the actual features and terms of any provider you evaluate.
- Consider the staff time available to manage incoming applications.
- Identify whether direct candidate outreach is required.
- Compare the complete scope and cost instead of comparing headline prices alone.
Prepare the role brief
Write down the information a candidate needs to evaluate the position before the search begins.
- Specify the surgical discipline and credentials required.
- Document theatre access, imaging, anesthesia support and equipment.
- Clarify case ownership, referrals and perioperative responsibilities.
Plan the work location in Portland.
Name the street address, city and county, and keep Portland neighborhoods separate from suburban cities. Several places cross county lines: Portland reaches Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties, Lake Oswego reaches all three, and Tualatin, Wilsonville and Milwaukie each reach two. Aloha and Bethany are census designated places, not cities. Coverage on this site is limited to Oregon; a hospital in Washington State, including Vancouver and Camas, falls under a different licensing authority.
Give the hiring team one brief for each facility, with clinical work, technician delegation, weekend duties and location commitments stated together. Oregon veterinarians report 30 hours of continuing education with renewals in odd-numbered years, so state the support the practice provides. O*NET OnLine, using Bureau of Labor Statistics 2025 wage data, lists higher median annual wages in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro area than in Oregon overall or the United States for veterinarians, veterinary technicians and veterinary assistants, and that area includes Washington State. Oregon State University’s college of veterinary medicine in Corvallis awards the DVM, and a graduate of an AVMA-accredited school can apply for an Oregon license. This site describes employer hiring coverage without claiming a Portland recruiting office.
Review Portland-area recruiting coverage →Local context for this role
Veterinary Cancer & Surgery Specialists states that it was created in 2014 and lists advanced surgery and cancer care at 10400 SE Main St in Milwaukie, VCA Northwest Veterinary Specialists lists surgery among its services in Clackamas County, and DoveLewis states on its services page that surgery is an essential part of an emergency hospital and that referral surgery is also an option there. Oregon Administrative Rule 875-015-0050 limits dental operations to licensed veterinarians, with preventive cleaning allowed under direct supervision, so a Portland surgeon’s brief should say whether dental procedures are part of the case mix. The brief should also name the anesthesia and monitoring support, the imaging on site and the referral sources a Portland-area surgeon will serve.
Plan Oregon credential checks before the start date.
Oregon licenses veterinarians, certified veterinary technicians and certified euthanasia technicians through the Oregon Veterinary Medical Examining Board. Assign a person to verify license status and the expiration date in the Board’s licensee directory, record the verification date and resolve questions with the Board. Check any additional specialty credentials required by the employer with the issuing organization.
Oregon Veterinary Medical Examining Board site and its license lookup link · Oregon veterinary licensure application steps
Compare the work, responsibility and fee.
| Decision | Job advertising | Recruiting engagement |
|---|---|---|
| Candidate sourcing | A published opening invites responses; features vary by board. | Agree whether direct outreach and sourcing are included. |
| Screening | The employer typically needs a process for reviewing responses. | Define the screening criteria and who verifies credentials. |
| Payment | Review the board's advertising terms and any add-ons. | Review BEGHR's placement estimate and written milestones. |
| Hiring decision | The employer selects the candidate. | The employer selects and directly hires the candidate. |
Confirm the service and terms with BEGHR.
Prepare a veterinary surgery recruiting brief with a defined credential requirement, procedure mix, facilities and referral support.
Read the service scope · Review the recruiting process · BEGHR veterinary placement