Perhaps you are thinking about a profession in Dentistry. You want a job in a Dental Practice to affirm your decision, but you’re uncertain where to begin. Maybe you’re right out of school and you don’t have experience, but you’re wanting a job in that leading-edge Dental practice. Consider this:

Explore what you’ve got!

You’ve all got tons to offer, even if you’re feeling insecure because you’re right out of school. There are Dental Practices looking for someone ‘fresh out of academia,’ even if you haven’t taken your boards. You did a lot to get into a dental curriculum, I suggest you discuss your qualities. Or even if you haven’t gone through a dental education, think about doing this:

What are the top five adjectives that best describe your attributes? Are you dependable, how about your confidence? Every patient wants a dental professional to approach them with confidence. Are you a Team player? An absolute must in a dental environment.

Sit down with your best friend and discuss what makes you a great individual. You’ll be amazed at what you discover together! In other words, what do you bring, what value do you provide or what problem do you solve?

Be choosy!

Did you know that dentists and dental office managers prefer a resume that appears you’re being choosy, vs someone just looking for a paycheck? What is it you’re looking for in a new dental home?

~ As a new dentist, perhaps you’re looking to grow in an office doing procedures such as implant placement, or IV sedation.

~ Perhaps you’re a dental hygienist working in a state that allows expanded practice opportunities such as administration of anesthesia or N2O or certification in the use of lasers.

~ Maybe you’re a Dental Assistant who loves working with kids. Get specific! I know a couple of pedodontists who would never consider working on anyone but kids. If you want to work with kids, try orthodontics or pedodontics because you won’t be as happy in a general practice with fewer kiddos.

When posting your resume, think about what you want a perspective employer to see. What makes you unique? Who inspires you? It doesn’t all have to be about dentistry because you are not just about dentistry. Further, if a perspective employer is just looking for a warm body, all the important things you’ve expressed about yourself will go right over their head. Remember, you have a lot to offer and you’re going to be choosy.

Discuss your accomplishments and long-term goals!

What association to your professional license or certificate have you failed to pursue, but are interested in pursuing? Whether you already possess these skills or you’re just leaning in that direction, talk about it in your resume.

You don’t have any experience? You can talk about specific projects you’ve performed outside of dentistry that speaks to your capabilities as an individual. For example:

~ “helped organize a large community of residents to clean up the downtown streets following a storm.”

~ “volunteered to help serve Thanksgiving dinner at a homeless shelter three years running.”

Any contribution to society speaks volumes about you, the individual, even if you don’t have dental experience. How did your accomplishments make you feel?

Brand yourself!

The more experience you have, the easier it is to brand yourself. Branding says everything you need to know about you in one sentence. For example:

Dr. Peterson keeps the families in our community healthy and pain free through his warm and friendly dental office that provides the most up to date and long-lasting dental treatment.

That about says it all regarding Dr. Peterson and it makes me want to call and make an appointment! How about you? What can you bring to the party? Sit down and write your brand. What do you do or plan to do in your profession? What personal attributes can you provide and to whom? Your employer, your teammates, and your patients. And lastly, what services can you provide these same people?

I’m just looking.

If you’re not posting your resume because you don’t want anyone to know you’re looking, DentalStaffing.org has a tool to post yourself anonymously. Throw out that old, generic resume and try our suggestions. I promise if you tell them what you’ve got, you’ll stand out above the crowd. Plus, your employer won’t know you’re looking!

One more thing…

A cover letter is not a one size fits all. Be certain to develop your cover letter with a clear understanding of what the employer is seeking and how you are uniquely capable of filling that role.

Go to DentalStaffing.org, develop your profile and upload your new resume and get the job you want!

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“Make yourself necessary to someone.”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson