Core Content Archives - RDH Resumes and Career Guidance

The Importance of Connections and Relationships

March 16, 2023 By Doug Perry

The best places to look for a job is your network – that’s how roughly 70% of all jobs get filled (according the US Bureau of Labor Statistics). And studies have also shown it’s usually the friend of a friend who are your best sources for job opportunities. So not your closest associations, but rather those that are one spot removed from them.

What I recommend is that clients engage in a three-pronged job search.

Job Boards: First, yes, keep checking job boards – Indeed and LinkedIn are a good start, but you may also have ones through your association memberships, local communities or state, and through larger companies that have their own job postings. Research who those are for you and keep a close eye on those opportunities.
Network: Second is your network as I mentioned previously, put feelers out to your friends if they have any contacts they could put you in touch with (remember, it’s THEIR friends you want to tap into).
Targeting: And then the third is to identify 10-20 companies you would like to work for. Start with ones you have some relationship with in the past because of their products/services or people or have just admired from a distance. A secondary source could be new companies you research or learn about from your network or job boards. Once you identify those, contact their potential hiring manager(s) (key people) and recruiters or HR team. Form relationships with them with some brief communications you perform over time. Ask if you can talk to them on the phone about jobs they have coming up or foresee a need for in the future. Check-in with them every few months. In other words, stay on their radar and when something opens you will have a leg up in the hiring process. I have seen the in past where they don’t even open up a job publicly and simply call you.

All three of these approaches require a resume – they will all ask you to send one at a first introduction. But don’t leave it at that, you should follow up with them. Have them go over your resume and tell you where you can make it stronger for them. Every recruiter will have a different way in which they want that information conveyed but they will be impressed if you follow through with their suggestions. Think of it as a test of your resilience and determination. It’s one thing for you to talk about those things, quite another when you demonstrate them.

A resume that looks polished, confident, and determined will create a positive impression and they will assign those attributes to you personally. They will see you as the exceptional, remarkable, and noteworthy candidate – not just the one applying for a job. Even if you don’t meet all the qualifications of every job, they will want to give you a shot because you have impressed them with intangibles they can’t teach.

As I so often tell clients, when employers see a connection between you and what’s on your resume – those attributes and others – they will begin to build TRUST that you are the real deal. And trust is the ultimate factor employers want when they hire someone. They don’t want to HOPE you will be great, they want to KNOW you will be great.

Finally – why is all of this so important? Because MOST job seekers won’t do these three things. If you are the exception and do them, you will have a strategic advantage over your competition. Employers want demonstrated go-getters and this level of job search shows is go-getter level.

Writing with Brevity

October 17, 2018 By Doug Perry

Are the readers of your resumes, cover letters, and other job-seeking materials reading, skimming, or ignoring your content? One way to improve engagement is shortening your content.

Research has been very consistent over the years that when it comes to writing, shorter paragraphs get more engagement than longer ones. Readers have an immediate visual response to blocks of text and in a split second decide if they are going to read, skim, ignore.

According to the Circulation Managers Association, print publication authors should aim for an average of 42 words per paragraph, which is two to three sentences. Online writing, consisting of anything digital such as websites and email, is even less. The Poynter Institute suggests that online readers prefer an average of one to two sentences for paragraphs.

Maximize Emails You Send to Employers

October 17, 2018 By Doug Perry

We all get lots and lots of email and simply don’t read most of it, so here are some quick tips to ensure your most important emails pass the easy-skim test.

Accuracy

Make sure you have the right address and pay attention if it bounces back. In fact, try to send to more than one person involved in the hiring. Alternatively, ask for a quick reply they received. Only some will comply, but it doesn’t hurt to ask.

Subject

This will depend on of you are applying for a job or following up. However, play it straight and short. Marketers will work hard to craft something that intrigues and compels the receiver to open it. You don’t need to. Something like “Clinical Position” or “Question About Clinical Position” are fine.

Personalize

Studies show that if you personalize an email the recipient is more likely to read more of the content and act on it. So, start it with, “Hi Dr. Jones,” or “Hello Margaret,”

Main Body

Keep your message short, in the 25-50 words range. Research shows that 28 words all but assures it will get read entirely. So, create a concise message, don’t paste your entire cover letter in the body. You want the office to print your resume AND cover letter. If you keep them separated that won’t likely happen.

Closing

Close with an informal salutation, like “Thanks,” then your name.

Signature

Along with your name, include one phone number (cell is best), and a link to something. This might be a social media profile (LinkedIn is excellent) or a website you own. Links are irresistible for people and if they can learn more about you through your link they will click it

Postscript

There are studies that show readers will often go straight to the PS at the bottom of a printed message. If the body of your message is short in an email and the PS is visible, you can bet the same will hold true. This is an opportunity to throw in something unique that differentiates you. Drawing connections is one excellent way. For example: “ P.S. I used to work with your assistant, Julie Dow.” or “P.S. I met you at the annual conference last year.”

Attachments

Finally, attach your resume and cover letter together as one document if possible. There are websites that will merge your documents for free (pdfjoiner.com is one of them). Only ever attach PDF files as it ensures your document will look the same for them as for you – fonts and formatting incompatibilities are a factor. You can create it in Word, Google Docs, Pages for Mac, or anything else, but save and send as a PDF.

=====

Doug Perry is an expert resume writer and job search coach. He and his wife, Tracie, who is a dental hygienist, created GetHiredRDH in response to the challenging dental hygiene job market and have helped thousands of dental hygienists through tips and individual services. If you need individual, click here to contact Doug.

Should I Stay or Quit?

October 17, 2018 By Doug Perry, Dental Hygiene Resume Coach

Are you working at an office that isn’t so good? Maybe the standard of care is lacking. Perhaps there are safety concerns. Or possibly yours has some internal strife.

As such, should you stay or quit? The truth is, there is no easy answer.

Quitting might solve one problem, but creates another for you and those you serve. And, changing the culture or practices of an office you don’t own or manage seems impossible.

Today, I share some thoughts to hopefully draw you closer to a solution.

Assess the Situation

Take some time to think through and list all the problems that exist. Then, list all the positive things going on. It’s easy to fixate on problems, so spend extra time on the good – what you like about the job.

Give this exercise a solid week or two. Everyone has bad days and even bad weeks, and you need a fair assessment to make the best decision. And, very important, make this assessment away from the office when you are in a neutral setting.

Decide to Stay or Quit

The results of your thorough assessment will give you a good start on the big question: Should I stay or quit?

This isn’t as simple as assigning one point for the positives and one for the negatives to determine the direction. Obviously some factors weigh heavier than others. If your boss is doing something outright illegal and your reputation is on the line, that’s probably enough. Even with all the positive patient and co-worker relationships, or salary and benefits some things can’t be tolerated.

So give each factor fair consideration when you make the decision.

Now What?

The next big question surrounds your plan.

If you stay, you need a meaningful list of things you can do to impact change. It’s likely you will need a series of lots of small things. AND, you also need a deadline. If your small efforts don’t create meaningful change, what is your exit strategy going to be? Wait until you get a job or take your chances you will find something quickly?

If you decide to quit, then skip ahead to the exit strategy. Identify the type of work environment you want. Market yourself to attract an employer that has created that type of an environment. Ready, set, go!

You CAN Bring About Changes

For those that want to see if they can affect change, let’s do the same thing. Identify the things that have to change and the things that would be nice to change. Next, identify what it will take for each of those things to change. Don’t think it impossible, really dig deep to think about what you can do to influence change.

There are ways you can do this. I wrote extensively about leading your boss several months ago. Click here you want to get some specific strategies on that. Likewise, there are things you can do about leading your co-workers better or introducing better systems and policies. Don’t be intimidated by the odds or size of the problems. You and your patients deserve your best effort in trying to make things work.

There’s a great book called “Influencer” by Joseph Grenny. Watch here and you can see Joseph talk about how organizations can change their culture or behavior in very short order.

Know When to Say When

Keep in mind, there is a point where change is either too slow or not happening. For the protection of your career, your reputation, and your sanity determine where that line is. Give it a deadline so that you don’t keep saying to yourself ‘one more week’ or ‘one more year.’ If you’ve made the effort and the deadline passes, it’s time to celebrate your efforts and reward yourself with a better job.

One very important caution: Don’t slack off or burn bridges when you decide it’s time to move on. There’s never a good time for that, but especially not when you are hunting for a job. You need everything going in your favor and those things can bite you. Show grace, dignity, and integrity. Make them wish you weren’t leaving.

There is Hope

The longer I consult with hygienists and other professionals the more I am convinced there is hope in finding a great job. Many of my clients come to me pretty dejected and beat up. They feel hopeless.

Are you one of them?

Let me tell you something – you can do this! I believe in you. Your best days are ahead of you and you will land a great job. But you can’t get there if you project defeatism on your face and in your mannerisms. Pull yourself up by the bootstraps and rekindle that fire you once had. There are things you can do to make that happen – affirmations, exercise, taking a break, hiring a career coach, and leveraging family or spiritual support. These all work!

I’ve seen some amazing come-backs. I’ve watched clients go from depressed to elated in just a matter of weeks. The common denominator, though, is getting support and help, then getting after it. Decide you going to do this, put your plan together, and execute.

It may take more time than your patience is accustomed to, you’ll lose some battles, you’ll pick up some wins. But ultimately you WILL triumph. I have seen it many times – and I suspect you have to.

=====

Spotting a Bad Boss in an Interview

August 29, 2018 By Doug Perry, Dental Hygiene Resume Coach

It’s easy to spot a bad boss after you have worked with them for a while. But much harder when you barely met or know them.

Add to that, some bad bosses are quite good at faking it around people when they need to. And some can be really nice most of the time but have a nasty mean streak when put in stressful situations.

There are things you can watch for in job interviews that may help you sort out the good from the bad.

Too Nice

Some bosses tend to get over-the-top or aggressive when they want something to adjust their behavior. They may like and want to hire you or to put their best foot forward. Nice people are naturally nice, they don’t have to force it and you can feel it. But with a bad boss, you can appreciate their “nice-ness” but still sense something is off or unnatural.

It’s easy to mistake. You are conflicted because it is, after all, a good thing to be nice. And everyone wants to feel liked, important, and to be complimented. But there is an innate balance there that you can likely spot. When you sense that an employer being overly nice or friendly (without cause or basis) they could be overcompensating to hide a nasty nature.

Bad Listeners

In the discourse of your discussions with them, do they seem to not quite connect with you after you say something?

Good communication has a natural flow to it that allows for a mutual exchange. You say something, and they react in some predictable fashion that indicates a connection was made. Bad listeners are ones who don’t seem to react to what you are saying in a logical way. They will give you blank stares, insert awkward pauses, or move to different subjects without acknowledging your thought.

Keep in mind, however, this happens to everyone from time to time. We all get distracted in our thoughts, but if it happens in multiple places during your interview, they could be a bad listener.

Some bad-listener bosses are easy to spot. They are the ones who pick up their phone and text while you are talking. I had a boss who would interrupt conversations with employees constantly to take phone calls. Emergencies or urgencies, sure. But outside of that it’s pretty rude and unprofessional.

Taking Credit

Bad bosses are often ultra self-conscious. They lack confidence in themselves and so to compensate for that they will often take credit for successes. Sure, bosses are there to steer and guide the ship and that, to some extent, is part of the success.

What I am talking about is when they take full credit. That is to say, when you hear the word “I” throughout the conversation when talking about successes, instead of “we.” So watch for humility. Is there a lot of praise for the staff? Or is the praise centered with the boss?

Worshipping Idols

This one is similar to the previous one in that the focal point for success in an office lands on one person. But instead of themselves, this has to do with giving one person an inordinate amount of attention. A type of “teacher’s pet” to use an old refrain from the academic world.

It can be true that one employee really stands out. But if the boss feels they need to spotlight one person as being the all-star of the office, could be a bad boss trait. You and others may find it hard to measure up, especially if that person ever leaves as their legend will grow.

Don’t mistake it as a challenge that you can win them over and be the all-star. You know, the reality is that everyone contributes to the success of business. Employees are worthy of praise, but shouldn’t be constantly singled out (worshipped).

Bad-Mouthing

We all have bad experiences with others. Interpersonal relationships are some of the biggest struggles. However, a good boss will not bring those things up. Or if they do to describe a bigger problem, they won’t single people out (generally) to a potential new hire. It’s just not professional so if your interviewer is bad-mouthing anyone, it’s probably a red flag and you can expect more.

Disinterested or Contrived

I’ve personally been in interviews where the boss acts like they would rather be somewhere else. Or they seem to just be going through the motions without really listening. It’s disconcerting in that they don’t seem to be present or care.

At any rate, this could be a sign that they are constantly hiring new people. They are well-practiced or well-rehearsed in the interview, almost controlling down to the minute how long it’s going to be. As we all know, if they truly have this thing down it unfortunately means they haven’t created a very satisfactory workplace.

Mood of the Staff

How the staff acts when around or referring to the boss can sometimes be a really big tip. Pay close attention to their tone, body language, and mannerisms. Do they seem relaxed or stiff around the boss? It’s not uncommon to want to be attentive or supportive of the boss, but watch for excessive behaviors that don’t seem natural.

Some staff are very relaxed and very casual or even appear to be having fun with the boss. The staff takes it’s cue from the boss, so if they are acting stiff or even scared, you will be expected or compelled to act the same.

Whatever the mood is, picture yourself working there and if that’s your style then you know you’ve found a good fit.

Other Signs

I’ve mentioned in previous articles the importance of paying attention to outdated reception areas and/or equipment within the office. I hesitate to mention it because you can have a great boss to work for who simply hasn’t modernized. But I also think part of what makes for a great boss is their attention to what helps create a great environment for patients.

So watch for these kinds of subordinating items as a factor when considering if the boss is good or bad. Overall, trust your instincts. When things seem a little off or weird raise a red flag and do some additional checking. Tally up the red flags so you can make a good decision you won’t regret and find a boss that’s great.

=====

The Importance of Connections and Relationships

Writing with Brevity

Maximize Emails You Send to Employers

Accuracy

Subject

Personalize

Main Body

Closing

Signature

Postscript

Attachments

Should I Stay or Quit?

Assess the Situation

Decide to Stay or Quit

Now What?

You CAN Bring About Changes

Know When to Say When

There is Hope

Spotting a Bad Boss in an Interview

Too Nice

Bad Listeners

Taking Credit

Worshipping Idols

Bad-Mouthing

Disinterested or Contrived

Mood of the Staff

Other Signs

Not Getting Interviews?

Contact GetHiredRDH Now

Positive Resume Action Words

Passive vs. Active Writing

Positive Personality Adjectives

Accuracy

Subject

Personalize

Main Body

Closing

Signature

Postscript

Attachments

Assess the Situation

<img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-5537" src="https://gethiredrdh.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Uncertain-Woman2.png" alt="uncertain woman" width="285" height="160" />Decide to Stay or Quit

Now What?

Know When to Say When

There is Hope

Too Nice

<img decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-5587 alignleft" src="https://gethiredrdh.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/man-looking-at-watch.png" alt="man looking at watch" width="285" height="160" />Bad Listeners

Taking Credit

Bad-Mouthing

<img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-5589" src="https://gethiredrdh.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/man-preoccupied-with-phone.png" alt="man preoccupied with phone" width="285" height="160" />Disinterested or Contrived

Mood of the Staff

<img decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-5588 alignright" src="https://gethiredrdh.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/woman-rubbing-neck.png" alt="woman rubbing neck" width="285" height="160" />

Other Signs

Popular Articles

Ready to Get Hired?

<img class="wp-image-4339 aligncenter" src="http://gethiredrdh.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Charting-Your-Dental-Hygiene-Job-Interview-1-300x121.png" alt="" width="540" height="218" />

Not Ready for a Quote? How about joining the 6,034 other hygienists getting my free tips?

Decide to Stay or Quit

Bad Listeners

Disinterested or Contrived