We all know that every job that you apply for nowadays is going to be competitive. That is just the way of the world. But, it can be even more difficult to secure one of the dental jobs advertised, as sometimes there are more than fifty applications for just one position. I recently heard of a dental recruiter who had 97 candidates for one opening. This is why standing out from the crowd is essential.
Central to “standing out” is during the interview process. Of course, this is where many of us are at our most nervous and we often don’t let our true personality shine through. We tend to behave in a way that you think the recruiter would like, which can reduce the likelihood of you landing the job. This is why we would recommend to be yourself. Appear relaxed, yet engaged.
Bond at a Personal Level
Sure, many recruiters will first be looking at your experience and whether you have the right qualifications for the opening. But, they also need someone who can fit into their culture and someone who is “good to work with”. They want a team player. You don’t need any qualifications for this. All you need to do is to show that you can work as part of a team and that you are a nice person. One way of showing this is to bond with the interviewer on a personal level. They may have a picture of them golfing in their office, so you could mention that you also play and crack wise about that.
Ask Questions
You don’t want the interview process to be a one-way conversation. It has been proven that if you ask more questions, the interview can turn more into a conversation, which would be beneficial for you. Every candidate should have many questions they need to ask, so don’t be scared to speak out. In fact, it will show initiative on your part.
When interviewers are greeted with a candidate who doesn’t ask questions, they think that the candidate is either not interested or not engaged. This makes them less likely to hire the individual.
Research the Culture
Recruiters are looking to hire for the right fit at the first time of asking. Central to the success of this is to find a candidate that can seamlessly integrate into the culture of the dental office. You can maximize the chances of fitting into this culture by identifying what makes the organisation the way it is, and how you could contribute to that. They may have a forward-thinking approach, and you could say that you are doing more than the minimum required for continuing education credits. This shows that you too are forward thinking.
So, why not browse the latest job openings in the industry now and put these new interview techniques to the test – https://www.dentreps.com/cm/candidate/search_jobs.
