Coming right out of any dental education is an exhilarating experience. Your dreams are about to start, and there’s a whole new world to embark upon - starting your professional career. If you’ve been working in a dental practice before this, then you already have a head start on your fellow new graduates. But if you haven’t, these tips may help you land that dental position.
1. Use a professional voice.
The tone of your voice is important, whether you are writing a cover letter introducing yourself, or you are in a face-to-face interview. A confident professional tone will communicate you are a competent individual that is able to handle all the requirements of the dental position being filled. Be confident in your answers, and if you can, back up all statements with facts.
Don’t forget to let a bit of your personality come through. In the case of cover letters, hiring managers use it to get a feel of your attitude and not just your skills. Show a bit of enthusiasm and sell yourself in an engaging way. Keep it from sounding too dry and boring.
2. Clearly respond to the direct needs of the job.
Don’t send a generic response. Generic cover letters usually don’t provide answers to the specific requirements of the job. Further, it makes the practice manager feel like you haven’t given enough time and thought to your application.
Make sure to address the points that have been laid out in the job ad and clearly convey what you can do for the practice. Don’t make it too long because many recruiters go through volumes of applications a day. Keep the letter short and succinct, and stick to one page of text only.
3. Provide an up-to-date, professional resume.
Ensure that all your achievements and accomplishments are well-documented before you send your CV. You’re supposed to pitch yourself as the best candidate for the role, and you need to back it up with facts and figures to support your claims.
4. Include soft skills to show you're a good fit for the position.
While top notch technical skills are extremely crucial in the field of dentistry, soft skills are equally important because these are much harder to learn. Since dentistry is a very interpersonal business, strong soft skills, particularly in communication, listening, and collaboration, can be a great asset to the practice. They are personal attributes that show interviewers how well you can assimilate with the team, do your job, and help the dental practice thrive.
5. Follow up with a phone call.
A follow-up phone call will not only remind the recruiter of your candidacy, but it will also show your interest in the position. Ready a list of the subjects you want to cover (but keep it brief), and be clear about your purpose for calling. Affirm they've received your application, or if you’ve been interviewed, ask for a possible date when you can expect a decision.
Don’t want to browse through dozens of dental job postings?
Dental Staffing will post your profile at no cost and Dental Practices can request your resume. Get found by the right people when you're seen throughout the entire United States. Setting it up is easy and can be done through a computer or mobile device.
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"Be so good they can't ignore you."
- Steve Martin