I need to be careful not to give you all the wrong idea.
Job boards are extremely important – lots and lots of hygienists find jobs that way. They are easy to use, convenient and often packed with features. You can’t ignore them.
But there is another way to find RDH jobs too many seekers ignore or haven’t cracked yet.
It’s called networking and referrals.
According the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, around 70 percent of all jobs filled are done so without even advertising the job. That means people are talking and referring – are you getting in on this channel?
If you’re not, you are missing out on possibly your greatest career tool. Consider some additional research by Jobvite.com, in that referred employees get hired faster (about 1-2 weeks faster) and report higher satisfaction and tend to stay longer.
So get in on the action…
- Find out when your local component meets each month and join them
- Amp-up your participation with the group to include volunteering with them
- If there isn’t a group close by consider starting one
- Re-acquaint yourself with previous employers and co-workers
- Use social media to foster and create new local relationships (ie LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, even Pinterest!)
- Focus extra attention on the network closest to you (within the radius you are willing to work)
- Don’t think of this as a quick strategy, rather a career mindset. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. You won’t likely land a job quickly doing this, but it will pay off eventually (possibly when you need it most).
