Fresh hiring market news and perspectives.
ETS is your greatest resource.

10. Fail to produce good references
If experienced, you should be able to find colleagues, former employers or specialists you referred to who can describe your professionalism, clinical skill and organizational ability. New graduates, you should list a dental school faculty member who worked closely with you. NEVER list parents, friends, or spouses as references.

9. Listen to classmates or believe everything they read on dentaltown.com
So many dentist lose out on great positions because they allow classmates or message board contributors to skew their expectations. Not every great job pays 35%. Not every practice will pay a $150,000 guarantee.

8. Don’t ask questions on an interview
Why would a potential employer take a job applicant seriously if there is no attempt to determine how well they fit in the office?

7. Claim an artistic eye and strong attention to detail while sharing a resume that looks like a 4^th grade book report
Consistent, clean formatting and attention to presentation are important. If an associate cannot demonstrate a mastery of those details, how likely is it that a patient will be confident that the associate can provide good results on that large crown case?

6. Ask about money on the first call
The money is important, just not most important. Asking about money up front is considered rude by most Baby Boomers and many Gen Xers. Also, if the practice owner senses that money is the only driver, there will always be a concern that the associate will push for unnecessary production or undervalue the non-revenue producing aspects of the role.

5. Assume they are the top candidate or that they have an offer before they do
Most positions have multiple applicants. Everything is talk until there is a contract.

4. Act unprofessional
This is a common deal killer. ALL owners take offense when calls or emails are not returned promptly. Showing up for an interview dressed less than professional is a quick way to lose a job offer. Bashing a previous employer is another way to invite rejection.

3. Only focus on positions that meet narrow criteria or interview with only one practice at a time
Keep an open mind and pursue multiple options. The best jobs may be in areas not previously considered. If nothing else, learning about less-than-ideal jobs can confirm your expectations and preferences while allowing you as a job seeker to negotiate from a position of strength.

2. Treat staff poorly on an interview or fail to interact with them at all
In most practices, staff input is a critical part of the practice owner’s hiring decision.

1. Act disinterested
Job seeking and hiring is a lot like dating. No one wants to feel unwanted. If a practice owner gets that impression, there is little that can be done to salvage a job offer.

Posted by Morgan Pace, Vice President and Senior Dentist Recruitment Consultant with ETS Dental. To find out more, call Morgan at (540) 491-9102 or email at mpace@etsdental.com.