Sometimes it feels as if jobs are elusive. Or that you see other people finding them, but you are left in the dark. There is a “secret” fountain of jobs that many aren’t fully aware of.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 70% of all job openings go unadvertised. How are employers finding job seekers without advertising? Several, so let’s review all the ways you can find jobs because often, the unadvertised ones are the best.

Internet Job Boards

Let’s start with the obvious – Job boards. Most people start and end their search on job boards. They could be in newspapers, websites, and other places. There are dozens of digital job boards dedicated to the dental industry alone.

Some offer extra features, such as posting your resume or profile and sending notices when they find a match. You should check out each job board, both local and dental-specific, to find ones that seem to have the most openings. Most, if not all, are free.

New ones are popping up all the time, so if I am missing one here, let me know.

General National/Local: These are national, generalized boards with listings for all professions. Dental employers do use them, however so don’t neglect them: craigslist.com; monster.com; indeed.com; careerbuilder.com; simplyhired.com; ziprecruiter.com; googleforjobs.com; glassdoor.com; LinkedIn.com

Industry National/Local: – These national, industry-specific boards with only dental listings: ihiredental.com; dentaljobs.net; dentalpost.net; dentaljobs.com; ondiem.com; dentaljobs2day.com; dentistjobcafe.com; dentalclassifieds.com; mydentaljobs.com; dentalgrind.com; dentistjobcafe.com

Federal and State Government: CareerOneStop.com has a link to all the state government job board websites. So that would include military and veteran hospital jobs, prisons, and other public health positions.

General Local Searches: Local newspapers and TV stations often have community job boards, and other community-based websites sometimes have job boards.

Corporate and Larger Practices: Dental manufacturers, such as Patterson, American Eagle, and Hu-Friedy all have their own job boards. And you will also find that most dental service organizations (DSO’s) – such as Heartland Dental (750+ practices), Aspen Dental (600+ practices), and Pacific Dental Services (500+ practices) – have their own job sites. Occasionally, smaller DSO’s (those with say a dozen or so practices) will have them as well. If there’s an employer you want to work for, look to see if they have a job board.

Independent Practices: Often when a local office needs employees, they will post that on their social media pages. So, again, follow the offices you want to work for in the event they post something.

Social Media: Using social media group pages (particularly Facebook) has emerged as an important resource over the last several years. You should be able to find both national and local Facebook groups in dentistry that post job openings.

National, State, and Local Associations and Components: For a long time, associations provided a valuable resource to there members in the form of job boards. And many still do, but I do see where some no longer include job board listings or they are not kept current. Check your local ADA or ADHA websites to see what they offer. A lot of them have gone to posting through their social media channels only.

In-Person and Digital Networking

It used to be that networking was done entirely in-person at conferences, study groups, and other settings. And that’s still a great way to make introductions, but the Internet and social media have added to that. You can now network 24-7 at a computer or phone screen.

But networking is much more than meeting people or making introductions. The real genius of networking and why it is so effective in helping you land a job actually has very little to do with you. Some think networking consists of contacting random people someone and asking if they know of any job openings. That’s awkward.

Good networking practices (online or offline) do include contacting someone. But you first have to get to know them and even help them with what they need. So for example, if someone you meet at a conference needs some help with locating a new supplier for a product, you help them. Or let’s say your local component needs volunteers to help with a fundraiser, you volunteer.

It doesn’t matter what you do. The point is you are supporting someone and then when you need the support, they are there for you. Obviously, you can’t decide once you are looking for work that you will tap your non-existing network for help. Networks are like insurance, you invest in them when you don’t need them so you can request help when you do.

And one final word that is important. Studies have shown that thin connections with people are actually more productive in job searches. In other words, the friend of a friend. So the bigger your network, the more thin connections you have. Real estate and insurance understand this well – it’s called a “sphere of influence” and it’s how you get sales leads.

Pro-active Searching

If you have read anything about our story, you know that postcards were a key strategy that helped Tracie land a job. And they continue to be a powerful job hunting tool for many of my clients.

Finding a job is all about timing. Because postcards can hit the mailboxes of dozens or hundreds of offices all at once, it’s very likely at least one or more offices are in need. Or, they know it’s handy to have someone to call when they need a temp and will keep your postcard.

They also show you are the type of employee who is pro-active (a highly-sought-for-skill among employers).

And don’t think of them as solely for landing temp work or a clinical position. Postcard are also an inexpensive way to create connections with corporate contacts. They can help you bypass HR or personnel department gatekeepers and go straight to the hiring manager. So for those who feel under-qualified for a position and want to impress, postcards are a great way to do that.

Temporary Staffing and Recruiting

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) and recruiters. Stay connected with your local agencies and recruiters as they communicate regularly with hiring managers.

A lot of times, temp work is an audition for permanent work. When an office finds a good temp, they like to have them back and eventually hire them. And recruiters have an inside track on who’s hiring or who might be hiring, good employers to work for, and will recommend you. Both staffing agencies and recruiters can also advise you on hiring tips and salary information unique to your area.

Summary

Again, finding jobs is taxing work. But the more time you spend on it, the better your outcome. Don’t settle for just going to the job board once a week. Make sure you are conducting a job search that is robust – multiple irons in the fire.

When you do that, you will find jobs quickly and can even be picky about who you work for it.

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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.