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Toughest Dental Hygiene Job Interview Question

By

Doug Perry
Doug Perry, RDH Resume Coach

Be warned, sometimes your toughest dental hygiene job interview question won’t sound so tough.

Why is that? While you may think it’s just small talk it’s actually an opportunity for to shine.

I’ve said before, dental hygiene job interviews require preparation. Some questions are easy and others not, but if you have rehearsed it will make a big difference in your confidence and perception.

The Question Revealed

So, what’s the toughest dental hygiene job interview question? Here it goes:

“So, tell me what you know about our office?”

While it may seem like a harmless or subtle question, a lot of interviewers simply aren’t prepared to answer it very well or at all. Shrugging your shoulders that you don’t know or simply saying you don’t know much may not seem like a big deal to you but it is.

It’s a missed opportunity and really not that hard to give them what they REALLY want.

This dental hygiene job interview question isn’t really meant to trick you, but it’s most definitely been fumbled. And not every interviewer will even ask it, but many (if not most) so come prepared with the RIGHT answer.

What is the right answer? The right answer to this dental hygiene job interview question is, of course, unique to each and every interviewer that asks.

Dental Hygiene Job Interview Question being handledWhat do they want from me?

I always tell clients to shoot for two or three things YOU find interesting or can connect with or relate to.

But the bottom line is interviewers just want anything that is something. Does that make sense?

They want to know you took the time to learn about them, who they are, things that they do, people that they serve. It’s not so much what you share, it’s that you share something that is significant. Something you couldn’t possibly have guessed or known without having done your homework.

Not Homework!

Ahhh, homework! We all hate that word. But interview preparation homework doesn’t and shouldn’t scare you off too much. It doesn’t need to take much time to learn something interesting about an office. Of course, the more you learn about an office the better, and more prepared you will be for the interview.

woman preparing tough dental hygiene job interview questionYou see, even beyond this one question, “What do you know about our office?” there will be other questions where you can insert bits of information you pick up on in your research. Maybe you’ll learn that they participate in a community health fair and because you have done it previously you have ideas to discuss.

It could be anything, so as job opportunities open up and you land interviews, do some homework.

Example Responses for Toughest Dental Hygiene Job Interview Question

“I’ve learned through talking with one or two friends who used to be patients that your office is great about staying on schedule and that you are particularly good with kids. One of my friends just raves about your office and how nice everyone is. I think I already have some great connections to your office.”

“I found online that the patient reviews are excellent – you have done well at creating a great experience for people. Your website, in fact, talks about how important it is that you put patients first. I align perfectly with that value as it’s always been my focus as well.”

“I love the fact that you have kept your office so modern and comfortable. Even from the pictures on your website, I could see that it sets a mood that helps me relax being here and I am sure for others as well.”

So toughest dental hygiene job interview question is only tough if you aren’t prepared for the interview. Come prepared and you’ll have no trouble at all landing a great dental hygiene job. Here are more good tips:

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Doug and Tracie PerryDoug Perry is a recruiter, expert dental hygiene 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 help with the toughest dental hygiene job interview question or other services, contact Doug.

3 Steps to Creating an Amazing Resume Introduction

By

Doug Perry
Doug Perry, RDH Resume Coach

Your dental hygiene resume introduction is the most important section of your resume for three reasons: (1) It’s where employers look first; (2) It’s where your name and contact information are placed; and (3) It’s your first chance to introduce yourself.

Some of you will elect to include a headshot near your resume introduction as well. Yes, that does make an impact (whether you agree or not) but today I want to talk about the third of those first three I mentioned above: Introducing yourself. And there are three important points to creating this statement.

resume introductionDon’t Title it “Objective”

Does your resume use “Objective” as the heading for the top section? If so, ditch it! This is an old-school term that lots of people are still hanging on to but it’s not the current trend for resumes. Replace Objective with Summary or About Me. Objective, as a title, tells the employer something too obvious – that your goal is to get a great job with a great employer.

Instead use the space to tell them who you are, what drives you, and what they can expect that it will be like to work with you. All good brands offer the promise to consumers. You are a brand, what’s your promise to this employer?

Personally, I like the title “About Me” as it’s more personable, approachable, genuine – those are feelings you want an employer to experience when learning about you, right?

Keep it Short

If you have read my articles – you know I live by the more is less principle. But I also think people love mystery – give employers just enough resume introduction to get a simple positive impression about you, then leave them wanting to know more. There is great power in that and you are all but assured they will see and read more of your resume than anyone else.

So I recommend keeping your statement to about 30-50 words (2-3 sentences). Keep the writing tight and descript. Use positive personality adjectives that sorta jump a bit when they read the statement. This is your chance to differentiate yourself – to describe how you are unique and a great fit for their office.

How to Craft It

resume introductionSo how do we create this? Great question – the cool thing is a resume introduction is all about YOU and you are an expert on that part so it’s probably not as hard as you think. But let me give you the recipe to cook up an amazing About Me statement.

  • Sentence 1: Devote the first sentence to the type of clinician you are for patients and your love or passion for what it is you do
  • Sentence 2: In the second sentence, add the type of employee or co-worker you are

So long as technical qualifications are met (you are licensed and experienced), those are the two most important considerations for an employer, how well you work with patients and how well you work with co-workers and your employer. But now let’s give your statement some seasoning:

  • Use some positive adjectives that describe your brand, what makes you unique
  • Use an active as opposed to passive voice to help conserve words and drive straight to your points.

Here’s an example resume introduction to help

Example: “As an experienced and friendly dental hygienist, with a unique ability to build great relationships of trust, I am confident in my efforts to leave each patient with an incredible smile and memorable visit. And, I value a work environment where I’m surrounded by an inspiring team of fun and hard-working dental professionals.”

Finally, as one alternative to the above, craft a statement that instead tells your story (again very briefly) of why you became a dental hygienist and how that drives you today. Stories are both engaging and accomplish the same thing I described above. Here’s an example:

Example: “I became a dental hygienist because I loved how I felt after visiting my hygienist – I always left with a great smile. Now I enjoy doing the same for others, sharing my love for oral health with a dedicated group of compassionate professionals.”

Can’t do it – don’t want to do it – don’t have time to do it? No problem, I will do an amazing resume introduction for you, just shoot me an email right now and I can create a great About Me with you.

Have You Scheduled Your RDH Resume Makeover?

By

Doug Perry
Doug Perry, RDH Resume Coach

Dental hygienists know the importance of a good cleaning. It’s routine but it makes a difference. But how about a routine resume makeover?

The health of your career can also be compromised if you aren’t attentive to routine inspections and assessments. A resume makeover can include some important updates and better wording to give it that extra sparkle you need.

This week, let’s schedule your resume makeover for a great cleaning as you head into the job hunting season.

Polish the Objective Statement

Most resumes begin with the same boring or vague statement about your career objective (which is the same for everyone – “to get a job”). Polish it! Instead of Objective, change it to “About Me” or “Summary” and tell them more about what employers can expect when they hire you.

Keep it short. There’s a three-part formula I like to use when creating this 1-2 sentence statement, also called a Value Equation:

  • (1) Professional identity + (2) target audience + (3) your solution = your specific value to that employer
  • “(1) I am a dental hygienist; (2) I help patients, co-workers, employers… (3) do or understand… so that…” (you fill in your unique value)
  • Here’s one I might use: “As a professional dental hygiene career coach, I empower professionals with amazing information and results that make a life-changing impact on their careers.”

Seal up Your Location

Simply put, you don’t need to include a mailing address on your resume – that’s old school! There are two great alternative methods of communication (phone and e-mail) that are faster and more convenient for both you and potential employers.

The second reason is dental offices may use where you live against you – believing that if two equal candidates live 10 and five miles from the office, it’s better to hire the one that lives closer for logistical reasons and because they can potentially attract their nearby friends to go there. There’s a pretty decent chance your physical address won’t even come up during the interview stage, so just leave it off.

Radiograph for Errors

This should go without saying, but it’s shocking how many resumes contain obvious typos – and some employers will hold it against you.  We all make them (yes, me too). So take some radiographs – proof-read it as much as you can and even have a friend or two take a radiograph to ensure your resume is free of some grammatical trouble spots.

Scale-Off Some Words

I read A LOT of dental hygiene resumes, and some of them simply use too many words. There’s an art to writing a resume and some basic protocols – but more importantly too many words and thick paragraphs make your resume less desirable to read. So it’s as much about appearance as it is protocol. Consider the following:

Bad: “I started a new patient program that included an office tour and sit-down meeting with myself and the doctor. We improved patient retention by more than 25 percent.”

Good: “Implemented new patient orientation program, elevating retention by 25%.”

Educate with Simplicity

This ties into the last example. Did you notice we started the first sentence with “I” and the second one with “Implemented?” By eliminating the pronoun and going straight to the verb the sentence is simplified. Studies show this drive’s the reader’s attention directly to what you did – resume readers are conditioned to look for these active words. Start all your bullet-point descriptions with them. If you’re stumped, we’ve created a list on our website of more than 500 positive ones you can use.

Flossing Out the Extras

As I was saying about your physical mailing address above. Sometimes hygienists include a lot of unnecessary information in their resume. There’s a mentality that more is more, but more is actually less – it hurts your chances that an employer will spend very much time with your resume. You want to make it simple, succinct and easy to read.

So, make sure you have excluded things like hobbies, your high school education, or jobs prior to your dental career. If you need to fill in space to get your resume to one page or you want to show a transfer of skill from a different kind of job then you are probably okay.

Summary

A good resume makeover should easily take you less time than it takes to see a patient if you do it regularly. However, if it’s been a while or simply don’t have the time send me a copy and I can give you some pointers or even simply get it done for you. Then you’ll be one step closer to landing a great dental hygiene job in 2017.

 

Launching Your 2017 Dental Hygiene Job Search

By

Doug Perry
Doug Perry, RDH Resume Coach

One year ago today, were you happy with your job or was 2016 supposed to be the year you got something better? Now, think ahead, what do you want one year from now – to still be thinking about making a move or to have done it?

The week between Christmas and New Years Day is perfect for career reflection. A lot of the busy-ness and stress are over and you are coasting into a fresh start. But don’t coast into 2017 without a career plan and goal.

Let’s get really intentional with your career moves in 2017 so you aren’t reflecting on what COULD have been in 2017. Here are five steps to help you take action and make the move that may change the course of your entire life, or at the very least your career. Leave the regrets of 2016 behind and let’s get this train moving in a direction YOU want.

Step 1: Clearly Identify Your Market

Get really clear on the offices or companies you want to work for. It could be a geographic area or it could be offices you have hand-picked. It’s really important to create a clear target because all of your efforts to market yourself to those employers can become much more organized, precise, and efficient. If you start with a bigger list (say more than 100 offices) that’s okay. You will likely narrow it some as you go.

Put that list into a spreadsheet program, including the name of the practice or company, address, email address, website and social media addresses, maybe even a key contact or two that either works for that office or has some other connection to them. If you need help generating a list of offices in your area, let me know and I can point you to some resources for that.

As I mentioned above, refinements to the list will come so think of this is a living document that evolves. New offices will open, and others will close. Additional connections with key people will be made. Make notes about each office as you go because this is too important to simply trust to your memory.

Step 2: Create Your Printed Materials

There are several printed materials you need for a successful career move. Most think a resume will be enough. Maybe it was about 20 years ago, but you really need to do more to stand out. So here’s a list of things to create:

  • Business Cards: Just get an inexpensive set that matches your postcard and resume (you can see samples of how I did that here).
  • Postcards: For clinical dental hygiene, these will take your job search to a more pro-active level.
  • Resume: Make sure it’s different (in a good way) – that it grabs attention is succinct and easy for an employer to find what they are looking for.
  • Cover Letter: Even if an employer doesn’t ask for one, include it. It’s a nice summary or way to introduce yourself and connect with employers in a way a resume simply can’t. And, if others aren’t providing one, you have just created an additional way to stand out.
  • Testimonial Sheet: It’s one thing for you to say how great you are, but far more convincing when others are saying it. Testimonial sheets are a fantastic way to show you are the type of job seeker that goes the extra mile.
  • CAR Sheet: Employers are influenced by stories and examples and if you can give them actual ways in which you have made a difference, you’ll be hard to ignore. CAR sheets paint a more clear picture of who you are as an employee.
  • Thank You Cards: Have these ready to send out when you complete an interview. Most won’t send them, so when you do it demonstrates you value customer service and the experience patients get when they have you as their hygienist.
  • Post-Interview Summary: This is yet another way to stay at the top of an employer’s mind once the interview is over. It’s a great reminder of your strengths and how you are the perfect match for them.

Step 3: Create Your Digital Materials

Employers like being able to find more information about you – studies show that more than 90% will “Google” your name. Rather than have them stumble on to something you don’t want them to find or to confuse you with someone else with your same name, give them a place online to learn more about you that YOU control. Here are a few suggestions:

  • Personal Website: It’s very inexpensive to create a personal website and that’s why more and more hygienists are doing it. It’s a form of career posturing and positioning. Employers will see the extent of your professionalism. Moreover, a personal website demonstrates that you are current with the times, tech-savvy, and take your career very serious (all of which are things they want in new employees).
  • LinkedIn Profile: LinkedIn is an easy (and free) way to create a digital professional footprint. Of all the social media platforms, LinkedIn is the career-oriented one. It also gives you some additional tools for connecting with other professionals, performing job searches, and receiving professional endorsements of your skills. I offer an over-the-phone training to help educate hygienists about all the tools LinkedIn offers so let me know if you are interested in that.
  • Facebook & Twitter: Both Facebook and Twitter are also great ways to show employers you are serious about dental hygiene. Sure, lots of people use them strictly for social purposes, but if a potential employer finds your Facebook page it’s a good idea to have them seeing you share things that show you have a passion for dental hygiene. Along with your personal page, you can create a unique Facebook page for the purposes of your career – see what I created for my wife Tracie here.
  • YouTube: Have you ever thought about creating a video resume? You can create them with or without actual video, but they too can be very effective at engaging a potential employer in what it is that makes you different. Here is my wife’s original resume video and a sample one I created for her that is more of a slide show. Don’t judge, they are a little old, but you will get the spirit of what we accomplished with them.

Step 4: Practice Your Interview Skills

Job interviews are intimidating. But if you spend lots of time preparing, you can actually become quite good at them. Rehearse and practice what your responses will be to some of the most common questions. I would suggest that you practice answering each question a good dozen times so you REALLY know what you want to say and can rattle if off without the “ums” and other awkward pauses. Use your phone or some other device to record yourself so you can see how you sound and make adjustments, same goes with practicing in a mirror.

Prepare yourself mentally by creating a routine and a plan (when you will leave, how you will get there, and things to bring with you such as the office phone number in case you are late) so you aren’t thrown off by unexpected things. Practice some deep breathing techniques to slow your pulse down while you are waiting to be interviewed. Channel the neocortex (or rational) part of your brain and learn to relax your amygdala (the “fight or flight” side).

The more relaxed you are, the better you will be able to focus on and note potential red flags in both the interview and in the office culture and environment. And be ready to ask some good questions of the interviewer – not to put them on the spot but to show them you are serious about your career.

Step 5: Launch Your Campaign

Once you have all your materials lined up and ready to go, start applying to jobs as they get posted on Craigslist and other job posting boards in your area.

Okay, that’s the obvious part.

But take it step further, by sending out a set of postcards to your target list of practices (if you are seeking a clinical position). Then jump into some networking, both in-person (through component meetings) and online through groups, forums, and LinkedIn connections.

Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. The secret to networking, however, is in what you can do to help others. When you get out and help others solve problems they have (even very very minor), they will feel compelled to help you.

And the final piece of advice I can give is to never give up. Job searches can be very discouraging at times – you have to remind yourself of that. For every good day, there’s a disappointing day. Everyone gets rejected for jobs (usually lots of them). Sometimes it can be a blessing in disguise, but the main thing is to keep plugging away at it – there is a job out there for you but it may not be open just yet.

I almost hate to put numbers on it because it can be so vastly different from individual to individual, depending on a wide variety of circumstances. However, it’s very normal for a job search to take 30-90 days. If it’s taking you longer than this, then consider that you may not be putting in the required effort or doing the types of things that make the biggest difference.

What are those? Well, pretty much everything in this article and even more (see my FAQs page). I’ve covered a lot of ground, but keep in mind there is lots more you can and should try do. Every week I get in 2017 I am going to get into the nitty-gritty details of these things. I will be there for your every step of the way – if you doubt that, see what my former clients say.

If there’s something mentioned in this article you are unsure of or have questions about contact me. If you feel overwhelmed or don’t think you have the time or skill set to do some of these things, then hire me to do it for you.

There’s no shame in it – everyone has different schedules and abilities – sometimes you just need a pro or a little extra help to land a great dental hygiene job.

Now, take action – make 2017 the year you make the move. Get out of the crappy job and into something that is more meaningful to you. Read. Set. Go!

Reviewing Dental Hygiene Job Interview Best Practices

By

Doug Perry
Doug Perry, RDH Resume Coach

There’s a reason people get anxious about job interviews – they scare the crap out of you! But, remember these seven job interview best practices and you’ll do fine.

These job interview best practices are game-changers. They will sink your ship fast if you miss any of them.

Arrive On Time

The most important of all job interview best practices is punctuality. Plan your trip so that you can arrive at least five minutes early (keeping traffic and time of day in mind). It’s a huge red flag to an employer when someone is late.

It could be for legitimate reasons, but they may still hold it against you. If you are going to be late call the office and let them know – which means having their phone number with you.

Smile

woman smiling showing job interview best practices.pngIf a great smile is really important for non-dental hygiene job interview best practices, imagine what it means in the dental industry. Keep the smile real, natural, and relaxed – practice in the mirror before you go.

Eye Contact

There’s an art to conversational eye contact. Train your eye movement so as to avoid fully staring at someone or always looking away. But you also don’t want “crazy eyes” that are shifting around too much.

This, too, is something you can refine in front of your mirror or with friends. Find a comfort zone and watch how others to it to try and adopt those who you feel do it well.

Be Prepared to Share

There are two specific areas of information you will need to be prepared to share:

  • Preparedness to share about you, and
  • Preparedness to share about them.

Sharing about you is easier, but both are important.

The best way to answer job interview questions is through stories and examples. Stories are powerful persuaders, they resonate and foster more human-like interactions that build trust. It’s one thing to say you know how to build relations with patients, quite another to share how you do it.

But you also need to prepare to share about them. What do you know about their office? Do some homework on them so that when they ask you what you know about them, it’s obvious you took the time to understand them. Never be in the position to confess you know little or nothing.

dress and grooming guide
Click to enlarge

Proper Dress and Grooming

Far be it from me to tell anyone how to dress – I enjoy variety and individualism as much as anyone. But when you go to job interviews you’ve got to look serious and confident. Dress and grooming communicates that and high levels of professionalism.

A sit-down job interview is not a casual meeting. You will be judged poorly if you don’t come dressed and groomed well. This also includes footwear, makeup, perfume, and even accessories. These are all very important in making a great impression.

Be Open

Believe it or not, others in the office are watching you when you arrive and how you conduct yourself while you are waiting to be interviewed. Often times, doctors will ask how you seemed while waiting – their first impressions and such.

If the opportunity is there try to engage others in the office with a smile, a “hello” or even small talk. If you see they have a nice shirt or outfit, complement them. Complement them on their office decor or some feature of their office. That helps everyone relax and they appreciate the friendly gesture.

On the other hand, if they seem busy, try not to interfere. Be respectful.

Phone Etiquette

job interview best practices phone etiquetteTurn your phone on silent or even off before you enter the office. Never take or make calls while you are waiting – even if it seems like it might be a while. I would even avoid texting or appearing overly engrossed in your phone while you wait. That can be a bad signal if the previous person was let go for too much phone time. Very few employers these days have not had a bad experience with an employee spending too much time on Facebook or the Internet so you don’t want to give any hint that will be a problem for you.

Extra Job Interview Best Practices:

While those seven job interview best practices are most important, the following are also worth mentioning:

  • Work on your handshake (firm – no death grip or fishy feel)
  • Know exactly how to get to the office
  • Get lots of rest the night before
  • Eat before you go (it’s hard to hide a growling stomach)
  • Avoid eating or drinking on your drive over (assume it will spill)
  • Bring an extra printed copy of your cover letter, resume, and testimonial sheet
  • Invest in some breath mints (nerves can bring up stomach acids)
  • Play music or something that makes you happy, something with a relaxed, enthusiastic, or optimistic sound or message on the drive over

As a bonus, Christine Jahnke, author of The Well-Spoken Woman, shares some basic body language tips in this short video.

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Several dental hygienists wanting to leave clinical practice have been asking me about a transitional resume and how it differs from a regular resume. Much of the categories of content remain the same, such as work history, education history, and summary section to name only a few. The difference is in the language you use […]

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