jobs Archives - RDH Resumes and Career Guidance

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

October 17, 2016 By Doug Perry, Dental Hygiene Resume Coach

I know for a fact there are many of you out there who are employed but working for an office that isn’t so good – isn’t providing the best care for patients or mistreating you in some way. What do you do?

The truth is, there is no easy answer.

Quitting solves that for you, but not for the patients, and it may create a new problem for you if you haven’t got a better job lined up. Trying to change the culture or practices of an office that is not owned or managed by you can be pretty daunting.

But I do have a few thoughts for you to consider that hopefully will at the very least spawn a solution that is unique to your situation so you can feel like you are moving in the right direction.

Assess the Situation

Take some time to really think through and list all the problems that exist. But next list all the positive things that are going on – with maybe only a very few exceptions there are always at least some positive things about having a job.

You can do this activity in a day if you want, but to be fair I would give it a solid week or two of really evaluating and assessing. Everyone has bad days and you just can’t be accurate when you base everything on one particular day so give it some time.

Very important: Make your assessment away from the office when you don’t feel as threatened or rushed, or are surrounded by the drama of it all.

Analyze and Decide

The results of this should give you an honest answer about the first big question: Should I stay or should I go?

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 – to pull the plug.

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

Now What?

The next big question is this: “If I stay or go, what’s my plan?”

If you stay, you need to put together 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 – how will you search for jobs and what’s your goal (for how long)?

If you decide to go, then you you can skip ahead to the exit strategy and start putting plans together for identifying the type of work environment you want and then how to market yourself to attract an employer that has created that type of an environment.

You CAN Bring About Changes

Jumping back to your thought process about making changes in your office. 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 get intimidated by the odds or size of the problems – 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

But there is very definitely a fine line and point where for the protection of your career, your reputation, and your sanity that you have to pull the plug and move on. If after your best efforts and clear analysis of the problem it is not going to move, don’t feel bad in leaving and make plans to do so.

And one more very important tip: Don’t make a bad situation worse by burning bridges. Find a way to gracefully remove yourself from the situation. Make them wish you weren’t leaving.

There is Hope

The longer I do this – consult with hygienists – the more I am convinced there is hope in finding a great job. Many of my dental hygiene clients come to me pretty dejected and beat up – feeling they will never get out of the crappy job they are in or move from unemployed to employed.

But I’ve been privileged and honored to witness some amazing successes with them, enough to know something good will come from your discouragement if you create a meaningful plan and persist. Just hang in there, keep working your networks, find new ways to stand out, invest some time in developing your interview skills and sooner rather than later you will land a great dental hygiene job.

How to Perform a Hidden Dental Hygiene Job Search

March 28, 2016 By Doug Perry, Dental Hygiene Resume Coach

Lots of dental hygienists are fearful (for various reasons) their current employer will find out they are looking for a job, but there are ways to help keep the job search hidden.

A lot of this will seem counter-intuitive to what you should do when you are looking for a job, and it really is. Most job searches require almost the opposite behavior from you to be really successful (you want to be as open as possible). However, there are good reasons as to why some job seekers want to keep things confidential and so you have to balance that against some of the activities you would otherwise do.

Here are five key things you can do to keep your boss and co-workers from knowing about your job search.

Subtle Changes in your Behavior and Attitude

This can be hard because we don’t always perceive we are acting any different when searching for a job. My best advice here to just pay extra-close attention to your attitude and work ethic.

When you know you are leaving (but don’t know when), you may become a touch apathetic about your work and not realize it. Could be following certain in-office protocols that we don’t like or disagree with, or it could be that you don’t feel the drive to connect and communicate as well with patients and co-workers.

It doesn’t necessarily mean you are a bad hygienist, it’s just a natural part of what you might feel is a hopeless cause or situation with your employer and it tends to sap you of your normal levels of energy and enthusiasm.

The problem is, however, that your employer and co-workers have probably worked with you long enough to be able to detect even subtle changes. So you really need to be conscious and try to continue work as normal so it doesn’t send up any red flags. I’ve heard many employers and co-workers remark to an employee who has just given notice that they, “kinda suspected” it was coming – it’s just really hard to not give off those signals.

Quiet Your LinkedIn Account

If you use LinkedIn (and many of you do), it’s very common for job seekers to begin updating their profile account (skills, work history, etc.) in preparation for a search. The problem is, those you are connected with could potentially get notices (which are essentially status updates that are in the news feed and sometimes go out in e-mail notices) of those changes and wonder why or conclude you must be preparing for a search.

There’s a simple solution. Turn off your activity broadcasts on LinkedIn before you begin your job search. This will ensure no one gets notices you are making changes. This is done in your account settings, but here’s a quick two-minute tutorial video on how to do it.

Keep the Search at Home

Don’t use an office computer or fax machine for your job search or sending resumes. Even if you are using your own private e-mail to do it, there are too many ways and opportunities for employers and co-workers to easily see what you are doing.

Some offices even secretly monitor employee computer activity or perform random searches of office computer search histories to see what employees are up to. And fax machines sometimes will send a notice back showing what you tried to send several minutes or even an hour later (likely when you aren’t at the machine).

First of all, I would always avoid sending your resume by fax as it looks terrible on the other end, but if you absolutely have to and you don’t have one at home you can either send one through your local office supply store or you can sign up with any number of online faxing services that usually offer a free 30-day trial. MetroFax is one of those I have used.

Avoid checking the job boards and sending resumes on your phone while at work – you may have someone notice you doing it out of the corner of their eye or may get careless when things get busy and set your phone down while the screen is still showing for everyone to see.

You also want to avoid taking calls from potential employers while at work – hopefully that’s a no-brainer. But here’s a tip I have given in the past to help you professionally and discreetly receive calls from potential employers. Create a Google Voice account. This enables you to setup a free phone line, where you can create a custom greeting for your job search.

You can even have that number route to your cell phone (along with your other number) so that you are essentially able to take calls from two different numbers – I do this and it works great. Whenever a job prospect leaves a message, you’ll get an e-mail notice and written transcription of what they said in their message.

Here’s a quick video tutorial on how to set that up.

Keep Quiet

Are you bad at keeping secrets? If so, you better get good at it. Avoid telling anyone, except maybe your closest friend or two and family. Even people you trust can innocently let the information slip into the wrong hands.

Don’t post about it on Facebook and Twitter – even if you aren’t socially connected with your boss or co-workers. Things are easily relayed back – remember, nothing is secret on the Internet. If it’s out there, it can be found.

I would even avoid complaining about your job to people you associate with as that’s another sign you are or will soon be looking.

Modify Your Resume

You may want to consider keeping your current employer anonymous. I wrote about this recently. You simply replace the name of the current employer(s) on your resume with something generic like “General Family Practice.”

Then, if asked in an interview you can use your discretion about disclosing who it is. Most potential employers will understand the reasons and keep it confidential if you ask.

Summary

Keeping your job search confidential is not easy. However you can do it and the five suggestions above a great start, but there are no doubt some things unique to your situation that can also have an impact. So think through your own situation and do what’s right for you. If you know of others, please share – I would love to hear from you.

2016 Goal: A New Job and Here’s How

December 28, 2015 By Doug Perry, Dental Hygiene Resume Coach

Are you ready to make 2016 the year you land a great dental hygiene job? If so, here’s a step-by-step summary guide of how to do it.

Collectively, these things will make a difference and you’ll stand out, so follow it as closely as you can. The clients I walk through these steps are finding jobs several weeks faster and so will you.

Step 1: Clearly Identify Your Market

Get really clear on the geographic area you are going to search within. Are there 50 offices or 450? It’s important to know exactly who you are selling yourself to. As time goes on you will hopefully be able to whittle it down some because, let’s be honest, not every office is a good fit for you for various reasons.

Put that list into a spreadsheet program, including the name of the practice, address, email address, website and social media addresses, and a place to make a note for each office. You can search all these out for yourself or you can hire someone to do it. I have a couple of great resources for that if you don’t have the time to take that on contact me.

As time goes on, refine the list. New offices will open, and others will close. Make notes about each practice you learn things about – some don’t have hygienists, others have several of them and multiple doctors. All this information comes in handy as job openings get posted.

Step 2: Create Your Printed Materials

There are several printed materials you need for a successful job search. 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: These will take your job search to a more pro-active level but create some that resemble your resume
Resume: Make sure it’s different – that it grabs attention and is succinct
Cover Letter: Even if an employer does not 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
Testimonial Sheet: It’s one thing for you to say how great you are, but far more convincing when others are saying it.
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
Thank You Cards: Have these ready to send out when you complete an interview.
Post-Interview Summary: This is yet another way to stay at the top of an employer’s mind once the interview is over.

Step 3: Create Your Digital Materials

Employers like being able to find more information about you – studies show that more than nine out 10 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, give them a place online to learn more about you that you control. Here’s a few suggestions:

Personal Website: It’s very inexpensive to create a personal website and all you need to include is basically what you put on all the printed materials above. It’s impressive and says to the employer that you have taken your job search and career seriously.
LinkedIn Profile: LinkedIn is an easy (and free) way to create a digital 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 receiving professional endorsements of your skills.
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 about good oral health practices. You can also 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’s my wife’s original resume video and a sample one I created for her that is more of a slide show.

Step 4: Practice Your Interview Skills

Job interviews can be very intimidating. But if you spend lots of time preparing, you can actually become quite good at them. So, 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.

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 pay attention to and note potential red flags in both the interview and in culture and environment in the office. 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. Then jump into some networking, both in-person (through component meetings) and online through groups and forums.

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, 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 a jobs (usually lots of them). Sometimes it can be a blessing in disguise, but the main thing is you have to just keep plugging away at it.

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 it much effort or doing the types of things that make you stand out.

What are those? Well, pretty much everything in this article and much more (see my FAQs page). I’ve covered a lot of ground, but keep in mind there’s lots more you can and should do. Every week I get into the nitty-gritty details of each of these things to help guide you through it.

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.

Dental Hygiene Jobs are Found Here

October 19, 2015 By Doug Perry, Dental Hygiene Resume Coach

Dental hygiene jobs can be pretty elusive at times, but new openings do exist and I’m going to share here the top five places they can be found.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, three out of our jobs that get filled go unadvertised. So how does an office hire someone without letting everyone know they need someone? And what about all the dental job boards – do they not have dental hygiene job openings posted? Are temporary staffing agencies a good resource?

Let’s take a look at each of these five options.

1. Internet Job Boards

Job boards are the obvious place and where most people start, but have you reviewed all of them? It’s worth your time to register for all of them that make the most sense for you. You will find that some are better than others for your area.

Go through each of the sites listed below and write down the listings for your area from the last two or three weeks. You should see some overlap in that some jobs are posted on more than one of these boards. But more importantly you will see which sites offer the most listings and you can rank which ones you need to pay the closest attention to on a daily or weekly basis. That doesn’t mean you completely ignore the sites that offer fewer, it just gives you focal point.

General National/Local – these are job boards that post jobs from all different fields, including dental hygiene: craigslist.com; monster.com; indeed.com; careerbuilder.com; simplyhired.com
Industry National/Local – these are job boards that only post dental related jobs: ihiredental.com; dentaljobs.net; dentalpost.net; dentaljobs.com; dentuit.com.
General Local Searches – your local newspaper and TV stations often have community job boards; other community-based websites sometimes have job boards.
Government – CareerOneStop.com has a link to all the state job board websites; your local city may offer one as well so look into that, too.
Corporate or chain dental office websites will often have their own job board. SmileBrands.com or Patterson (if you are wanting to move into sales).
Local office social media pages (Facebook and Twitter) sometimes will post openings. It’s worth your time to find and follow all the local dental offices in your area on social media. Not only will you occasionally learn about job openings, you’ll also learn more about these offices should you interview with them at some point.
Social media group pages: Dental Hygienists Talk is the largest Facebook social media group, but there are countless others that are more regional. Hygiene Subs in Central Florida is just one example of that. LinkedIn, though less active than Facebook, also offers some very large dental hygiene groups you can join such as Dental Hygienists.
National and Local association websites will also often have job boards. For example ADA and ADHA both offer listings, as do many of their state/local affiliates and components.

2. Job Alerts

Most of the aforementioned sites give job seekers the ability to create alerts which are where you sign up for a free e-mail alert whenever a job opening is posted that matches your criteria (such as location). Those are very hand and will save you lots of time going to these sites each day and doing searches.

You can also set up search alerts through Google Alerts and Mention.com. Both are free services that allow you to specify keywords like “dental hygienist” and “job opening” and set them to send you an e-mail daily or weekly. They search the entire internet and even include searches for posts on social media sites so they can be very effective.

3. In-Person and Digital Networking

It used to be that networking meant meeting and talking to people at monthly or yearly meetings, or the occasional chat over coffee. That’s still a very important way to do it, so be sure to include attendance at those functions and other informal gatherings with your peers.

But you can also do some very effective networking electronically. That’s where you occupy a professional presence online and use that space to reach out and create connections. This can include online social media sites, forums, and blogs. As was mentioned earlier, many of these are found on Facebook and LinkedIn. Use them for both short- and long-term strategies by actively participating and making connections with other hygienists. And don’t be afraid to move your networking from online to offline (to grab lunch or coffee together) as you get to know some of these connections better over time.

Another way you can network online is by creating your own professional Facebook or Twitter page specifically for the purpose of networking and career building activities. This allows you to have your separate personal account while being able to target your career networking on a professional account. You can post content related to work, make connections with other dental professionals only, and establish yourself as a credible resource for all things dental hygiene.

4. Pro-active Searching

If you have read anything about our story, you know that postcards were one of the signature ideas that helped Tracie land a great dental hygiene job. In fact, it was one of the singular reasons we launched GetHiredRDH.com and continues to be a powerful job hunting tool.

Postcards really are helping our clients and others find great dental hygiene jobs. Often, finding job openings is all about timing and if your postcard strikes a doctor or an office at the right time you could be like Tracie and get one of those unadvertised job openings.

But postcards do even more – they show you are the type of employee who is pro-active (a highly-sought-for-skill among employers). They also tend to be pinned to a bulletin board and kept some where handy, as opposed to a resume that gets filed or thrown away.

5. Temporary Staffing

Finally, it would be a huge oversight to not mention the importance of temporary staffing agencies (we have a link to most of them here). Stay very well-connected with your local agencies as they can not only help you find temporary and permanent work, but also provide some valuable local information about the job market (including salary trends). They often have really good, established relationships with many of the local offices and can help introduce you even when an office isn’t currently looking.

Again, it can be very challenging to find dental hygiene job openings. But they are out there in different places and by using both traditional and non-traditional methods, you will be ready to find and land a great dental hygiene job.

Problematic Dental Hygienist Resume Information

August 6, 2014 By Doug Perry, Dental Hygiene Resume Coach

Last week I talked about the two most important things dental employers want in an RDH candidate. I promised this week I would cover things they wish you would put on your dental hygienist resume that you might NOT want included.

I’m not aware of anything illegal about these things they want, but recognize that employers are seeking the easiest path to the best possible candidate. Like you, they have their own interests to look after so don’t take it the wrong way but realize this information could hurt you.

1. Multiple Phone Numbers

Why? So if they can’t reach you at one, they can try another. I am all about simplicity – one phone + one e-mail = less confusion less resume space and less chance you miss their call.

There’s a cool thing called voicemail (or even texting). If they can’t reach you at your only number, they should leave a message. Take it a step further, get a free Google Voice account and give out that number to protect your privacy.

2. Salary Requirements

Dental employers will say, “I need this so I know you are a good fit.” That’s true, but some will use it to low-ball their offer. I say, YOU should have just as much say in knowing if it’s a good fit.

Tell them you are “flexible” then immediately turn the table and ask them what the range is. If they are insistent on a figure, go one of two directions.

(1) Tell them you have researched the industry average and that it’s ____; or

(2) Give a wide range and tell them you are willing to negotiate.

In knowing a range, make sure you understand the average in your area. Local dental staffing offices will know, and you can also check payscale.com.

Note: One possible win-win, if they offer something meager, is to agree to that rate, if they agree to a six-month review and adjustment to your rate, provided the review is favorable.

3. Home Address

There’s three reasons they may want this information: (1) If you are close and have transportation issues you still have a shot at getting to work (via a neighbor or mass transit); (2) similarly, if they need you at work sooner than expected or to fill in for someone it can be done more easily; and (3) if you are close, you may already know existing or potential patients thus strengthening new patient marketing and retention efforts.

Unless you live ultra close (a few miles or less), I say leave it off. If it comes down to you and another applicant, the tie-breaker could be who lives closer.

4. All Previous Employers

They want to know everyone you worked for as it may be someone they know – perhaps a trusted colleague they can talk with about you.

If you left a job on a bad note, got fired, or are searching but don’t want the current boss to know, you really need to think about including that information. The dental community is competitive but also tight-knight. If it’s the only job you have to put on your resume then you may just have to roll the dice on including it.

One option is to disclose in your cover letter (in bold) that you would appreciate the confidentiality of your application. To avoid any red flags, include why you are asking for this.

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

How to Perform a Hidden Dental Hygiene Job Search

2016 Goal: A New Job and Here’s How

Dental Hygiene Jobs are Found Here

Problematic Dental Hygienist Resume Information

Creating a Transitional Resume for a Dental Hygienist

Contact GetHiredRDH Now

Positive Resume Action Words

Passive vs. Active Writing

Positive Personality Adjectives

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