They say there is no such thing as a 2nd first impression. And whether you are a Registered Dental Assistant, Hygienist or a Treatment Coordinator, your resume is going to provide the basis for your first impression with a Dentist or Office Manager.
Now we know, in this market, offices are so desparate to hire that a short and sloppy resume will still get you an interview. But what if your resume knocks their socks off? And they are so excited to interview you. Having a strong resume can instantly put you at the top of their list which could instantly put you at the top of their pay range.
Putting in some extra effort into your resume could result to $1 to $10 more per hour.
To see if your resume will help you earn top dollar read the below questions.
Have you managed to thoroughly articulate your appropriate skills and work experience?
Have you ensured that your spelling and grammar is error free?
Does your format set itself apart and stand out from the crowd?
Will a hiring manager feel compelled to reach out to you when seeing your resume?
Do you have a professional looking online profile where you can list your desired pay rate?
If your answer isn’t a resounding * YES * to all of the above, then here are a few helpful tips to get you on the right path:
# 1 Absolutely NO spelling errors
Spelling errors seem to be the biggest peeve that dentists and office managers have when looking at a resume. And while they office will probably still call to schedule the interview, they might be holding those spelling errors against you. If the job comes down to you (with spelling errors on your resume) and someone without spelling errors, the resume without spelling errors will win. SO… CHECK, TRIPLE CHECK, THEN CHECK AGAIN!!!
Another good thing to do it read it aloud. Reading aloud can help you find errors you might not have caught if just reading in your head.
#2 Ensure contact info is accurate and easy to find (top center of page)
This is a biggie. In order for your resume to help you earn top dollar, the office has to be able to reach you. Before applying to a job, just double check that your number and email are accurate, then hit apply.
Remember to keep your voicemail box empty, because if they can’t leave you a message, they won’t call you back. And check your emails. Many offices still send emails to connect with applicant.
#3 Be concise and relevant. Keep it to single page if possible
Don’t include every job you ever had. Your last 3 are enough. Also make sure to include the MONTH and YEAR of employment. Office’s tend to prioritize persons who have stayed at other offices for 2+ years, but if you only put 2020 to 2021 on your resume, they could assume you only worked there from December 2020 to January 2021. Meaning you worked there a month.
Now, if that is the case, put that is was a temp assignment or why you left after such a short time. Or leave it off your resume completely.
#4 Make sure all these items are included
Name, Address, Number and Email, Objective OR Professional Profile, Skills, Professional Experience (work history), and Education.
#5 Make your resume stand out
Add a photo
The likelihood of your resume getting a call back drastically increases when a photo is included. It helps the doctor or office manager feel like they already know you, so put on your best smile for one afternoon and have a friend snap some professional looking photos!
Bold and Italicize your big accomplishments
This used to be a big no-no, but in the dental world where all resumes look the same, and the doctor or office manager only has a few moments to review your resume, we need to help them see what they want to see. Making sure their eyes are drawn to the things you want them to see will increase your chances of a callback. You usually want to bold and underline words that they used in their job posting. Example: If they said they need someone with CEREC experience, make CEREC stand out in your resume.
Use pops of color
This also used to be frowned upon, but now you have to stand out from all the basic black and white text. But just stick to one color and make sure it is dark enough to read.
Add Texture
Don’t make it look too busy, but using 2 to 3 different fonts to separate items in your resume, makes it easier for the reader to follow along. Example: under Professional Experience, I use 4 slightly different fonts. 1 for the name of the practice, 1 for the dates of employment, 1 for my position title, and 1 for the description of my responsibilities.
#6 Create an online profile and standout from the crowd
In today’s world having an online profile is pretty much a requirement for job seekers. In fact, most employers expect you have one. So if you have a great resume AND a great online profile you will be setup to have more job options and be in position to get higher pay. It only takes a couple minutes so if you want to earn more money start by creating your free online profile here.
Lastly if you need a traditional resume template, we have attached a free sample resume that you can download and make your own.
DOWNLOAD OUR KILLER SAMPLE RESUME
We hope these resume tips help you find your dream job with top pay!
Smiles,
Holli Perez
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