Finding Career Opportunities

Cover Letters

• Before You Begin to Write
  Think about the cover letter as a quick snapshot of your skills and experience. You want the employer to be interested in what you have to offer and want to know more by looking at your résumé. The cover letter must be customized for the position you are applying for and the practice you are applying to. Avoid the common mistake of focusing entirely on "I…" by keeping the needs and goals of the practice in mind. This requires research—look at the employer's website, promotional materials, newspaper articles, pamphlets or brochures, and any other place that you might be able to find insight into the practice. A very good resource is the internet; type the name of the dentist or the practice into a search engine like Google and do a search in LinkedIn and other social media platforms. Often, even small companies and professional offices have websites and are referred to in news articles. Talk to employees for insight into the practice if you can. Your cover letter should show the employer how you understand the practice's goals and would fit well into the practice's direction.
• Tone & Focus
  Have a clear picture of how you want to be perceived by the employer and make a mental list of your best-selling points. Remember, the cover letter is your first impression to the employer. Be sure that it is well written and professional.
  
  Be professional in your writing, but also be friendly. Remember that you are being considered for your personal skills and attitude as well as your knowledge and skills. Demonstrating that you are good-natured and desirable to work with is much more effective than claiming to be so.
  
  Brevity is important when writing the cover letter; not more than one page. Don't leave out important information or ideas, but try to be as concise as possible. Remember to keep to the point, and keep paragraphs short.
• Introduction
  In the upper left corner, include your contact information with full name, address, phone number(s), and email address. Address the letter to the specific individual who will be reading it (e.g., hiring manager, dentist employer). If the job posting doesn't include the person's name, do some research or phone the office. Ideally, you should find out the name of the hiring person and greet them directly. Also make sure to use the name of the company or practice and use the title of the position you are applying for.
• Opening
  The introductory paragraph should be very short, two to three sentences at the most. Refer to the position you are applying for and how you found out about the opening. Think about your opening sentence as your opportunity to grab the hiring person’s attention and get them excited to learn more about you. Outline what differentiates you from all the others applying for the same position. State concisely how your qualifications make you the top candidate.
• Body of the Letter
  The body of your letter should be two or three paragraphs, where you need to sell yourself. This is where you expand on how your qualifications make you the top candidate. Pick out the most important experiences and skills that you have, and elaborate on how they will enhance your performance at this job. Be specific, provide examples of measurable accomplishments that support your abilities that you outlined in your résumé. Only include the most relevant, current and positive information about yourself.
• Conclusion
  In your concluding paragraph, you want to inspire the employer to pursue an interview with you. Firstly, thank them for their time and point them in the direction of any other documents (e.g., résumé, website, portfolio). Be professional in expressing your availability for an interview or a face-to-face meeting by reiterating your contact information and adding times that you can be reached. Refer to your enclosed résumé. Thank your reader for his or her consideration.
  
  Close with a professional phrase such as "Respectfully," or "Yours sincerely," and add your name.
• Editing
  Perhaps the most important step is the last: proofreading. It is extremely important that the cover letter have no errors in grammar or spelling. Get help in proofreading from others, like friends, family members, professors, or résumé consultants.

Interviews

The interview is an opportunity to show the employer your interest in the position and, in turn, the energy and expertise you will bring to the job. Getting to the interview stage shows that the employer has deemed you as qualified for consideration, and the interview is your chance to show that you will put that qualification to good use.

• Preparation
  One very important aspect of preparation for the interview is research and preparation. Hopefully you have already done research on the employer for the cover letter, but if not, it's not too late. Find out about the office, its staff, and its practice policies. Gather information about key staff and the size of the practice, and know the appropriate salary range. Find any literature available about the employer and/or the practice, and if there is any such literature at the office, you may want to read that while you wait. Familiarize yourself with the job description and use it to prepare yourself.
  
  Another important preparation is self-examination. Develop a clear picture about your skills and interests. You know that there is an excellent chance that you will be asked about your strengths and weaknesses, so think about them and write down what you are going to say. Recall certain situations you have found yourself in at school, other jobs, extracurricular activities, and volunteer activities. Keep key accomplishments in your mind, as well as times when you made the wrong decision or took the wrong action and think about what you would change. Think about your long-term goals.
  
  Practise is also a key part of preparation. Most people benefit from a role-playing interview with friends or peers where uncomfortable questions are asked regarding your skills, abilities, soft skills, experiences and how you would react in difficult situations. The more practice you have, the more comfortable you will be in front of a stranger asking you those hard to answer questions. Perfect practice makes perfect! You want an easy and smooth interview. Options to think about include meeting with a career counselor, practising with a friend, and videotaping or audiotaping yourself in a mock interview. From this practice, you can develop an interview strategy that you believe will show you in the best light and allow you to give more complete answers to the interview questions posed and feel good about your interview when done.
• Presentation
  It is important to dress professionally and conservatively, but without misrepresenting your true self. The rule "less is more" is very appropriate and applies to everything from make-up to heels for women, and cologne and perfume for everyone. Be neat and polished.
• Finding Out if the Job is Right for You
  Keep in mind that you are interviewing for a dental hygiene position as a professional. The focus is very different from interviews for a part-time or summer job, in that the objective is no longer solely to impress the employer and get a job. If this position is the beginning of your career as a dental hygienist, you want to make sure that the position and the organization are right for you. In most cases, the dentist will not only be your employer, he or she will be your professional colleague and co-worker. The interview marks the beginning of a working relationship, and it is important to get a feeling that all parties will benefit from this relationship.
  
  Don't let the interview be one-sided. Ask questions, be sure you are aware of details such as responsibilities, what type of clientele you will see, what kind of equipment and instrumentation will be made available to you, the appointment scheduling practices, vacation, sick days, other benefits, working hours, and other office policies. Ask about the staff and the office. Request a tour of the office and note details such as its equipment, layout, and supplies. Picture the office as your workplace and evaluate it from that mindset. Ask about staff turnover rates and reasons why they left the office.
• Communication & Etiquette
  Be aware of interview etiquette. Arrive early, ask for the correct spelling of the interviewer's name, and get their title. Shake the interviewer's hand firmly at the beginning and the end of the interview. Make sure you demonstrate good verbal communication skills throughout the interview. Smile and nod frequently and at appropriate times. Be always pleasant and as calm as possible. Show interest through body language and careful listening. Maintain eye contact and sit up straight. Be enthusiastic.
  
  Listen carefully and answer thoughtfully and concisely. Ask for clarification if you don't understand what is being asked and give the interviewer answers that are as complete and specific as possible. Use proper grammar and try to avoid words like "um", “ah”, and "like". Don't be negative about past employers and co-workers, and especially about yourself. This is the time to be positive and shine! Be always courteous.
  
  Be aware that non-verbal communication is very important and says a lot about your character. Be conscious of it and stay in the moment. Keep in mind the image and qualities you want to convey while you are in the interview. Provide examples whenever possible and appropriate. Anticipate behaviour-based questions; questions about past experiences and incidents are designed to give you a chance to show how you deal with problems, interact with people, and learn from experience and mistakes. Let certain topics such as salary expectation and benefits be introduced by the interviewer.
• Concluding the Interview
  Be aware of clues from the interviewer as to the length of the interview. When it is over, thank the interviewer for their time, and restate your interest in and qualifications for the position. Offer a firm handshake. Ask when you might expect to hear from them and convey your eagerness to speaking or seeing them again soon.
  
  Send a short thank-you letter directly after the interview. This is both a courtesy and a way to refresh the interviewer's memory of you. Restate your interest in the position. If any new questions come to mind, phone the office.
• Working Interviews
  Working interviews are sometimes used for dental hygiene positions. If your interview is a working interview, don't be more stressed because of it; think of it as a first day on the job (which is the object of the application and interview process, after all) with no obligations. In a working interview, you and the employer have the opportunity to experience working together in order to determine whether the fit is right. When confirming the day and time of the working interview inquire about the employer expectations in terms of hours worked, amount of time scheduled per client, the number of clients seen during the day, the type of treatment you will provide, and the compensation for the work done. Following the completion of the working interview, send a short thank you letter to the employer and the entire staff with a few positive notes of your day/time spent with them.