Finding a new job is more than just moving practices, it is an investment in your future. That’s why it’s so important to make your decision carefully and to find a role that will allow you to both develop and flourish. It is important to take a strategic approach to each position you take on. This means setting yourself some goals and driving your career development in a way that will help you to achieve your ambitions.
SMART career goals
Just as the SMART principles are applied to marketing and other business targets, they offer a useful tool for professional development. By following the concept, you will create career objectives that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound. This ensures that aspirations are tailored to you and your interests, and that they can be monitored so that you know you’re on track. The framework also ensures that goals are realistic and that there is a deadline to reach each milestone.
Some career objectives that follow these guidelines may be to start delivering fixed orthodontics to patients within the next two years, or to increase the number of implants placed to 25 in a year. Other examples may be to establish and host a monthly study club dedicated to endodontics in 6 months, or to buy your own practice in 5 years.
Whatever your ambitions, clearly defining them will be key to driving your personal and professional growth. Your objectives will also be critical to any decisions around new job roles.
New job, new you
In fact, your career goals may be the reason that you look for a job vacancy in the first place. If your current practice doesn’t have the capacity or opportunity to accommodate your aspirations and allow you to grow in the area you wish, then finding somewhere that will facilitate this will be a priority. Your targets will also influence your choice of new practice – if hoping to develop within dental implantology, you’ll need to join a practice that can offer the appropriate clinical mentorship and support specifically in the field. Should your interests lie in facial aesthetics, it might be more advantageous to find a practice that doesn’t currently provide the service at all, reducing the competition you would face and creating exciting opportunities for you and the business to grow.
Prepping for success
When preparing for the next step in your professional journey, it is important to understand the broader market. A little research into average UDA rates for the area you’re looking to stay in or move to, average pay for associates in different disciplines or with various years of experience, and even general patient need for the area will offer insight into the jobs available.
Your CV and professional portfolio should then be tailored according to your research. It should present the very best of you while highlighting the value that you will bring to the practice you join. Where you can include previous achievements such as an increase in new patients, community-based projects you ran or income you have generated for previous businesses, this offers tangible evidence of your worth.
From here, attention will turn to the interview process. This is no longer just your opportunity to impress a potential new employer, but rather, it should be a two-way conversation with both parties selling themselves. As such, you are assessing the practice as much as the manager or principal in front of you is evaluating you. Be prepared to engage, to ask questions, and to really get a feel for what working in the practice would be like. Think beyond pay too – consider the clinical support, mentorship, autonomy, flexibility, education and training available to you.
Seizing opportunities
For anyone looking for a new job right now, it is a candidate’s market. The recruitment challenges experienced by practices nationwide mean that most are offering highly competitive opportunities for the right clinician. Be sure to use this to your advantage by discussing any additional value a potential new practice is willing and able to offer to the right candidate. You will be able to utilise your experience, your skills, and your value to the business to leverage the most mutually-beneficial contract. Of course, while candidates are well-positioned to find a great role in today’s market, it is still crucial to sell yourself to secure the job you want in the best possible practice for you.
For bespoke support in finding the most appropriate vacancies and presenting yourself in the strongest way, work with the recruitment experts from Dental Elite. They have years of experience helping dental professionals accelerate their career progression with new roles that unlock exciting opportunities to grow. Whether you’re seeking full-time, locum or other work, give us a call today!
Shaping your future
A career in dentistry can take various different paths, each as rewarding and fulfilling as the other. Which direction you take will depend on your personal interests and clinical strengths, but strategically guiding your career towards identified goals will help you achieve your objectives faster and more effectively. This will often coincide with finding a new role, which can be done very successfully with a little planning and support.
For more information on Dental Elite visit www.dentalelite.co.uk, email info@dentalelite.co.uk or call 01788 545 900
Author: Adam Neeves: Recruitment Consultant Dental Elite
