BEFORE:
1. Specificity
Research the practice to which you are applying. Address the doctors, staff, or hiring authority by name. If possible, at some point in your letter you could even mention what you know about this particular practice’s environment that appeals to you professionally as a potential employee.
2. Confidence
Who are you and why are you writing a cover letter to this practice? State what you are looking for and what you can immediately bring to the table.
3. Sell your experience
Briefly touch on experiences with specialty clinics, conferences, lectures, research, externships, residencies, school organizations, professional organizations, certifications, teaching, or continued education. You may even want to mention your undergraduate degree or a previous work experience, if they are relevant to the position for which you are applying.
4. What’s in it for you?
Not only do you want to show the practice what’s in it for them, but you also want to illustrate how this practice will benefit you as a professional in your field. What do these goals say about your work ethic and personality?
5. Sell your virtues
Throughout your letter, you want to clearly explain why it would benefit the practice to hire you. Express your passion for your field by highlighting traits and skills you posses that make you an invaluable asset to the organization. For example, what skills do you have with communication, business, or management?
AFTER:
1. Consistency
In just a few short paragraphs, you are trying to convince a company that you are the best choice for a potential hire. Disperse your virtues throughout the letter as they are relevant to your experiences and future goals. Consistency in purpose will balance your letter and make it easier, more enjoyable to read, and more impressive.
2. Concise wording
Brevity is the key, as it will allow you to more easily insinuate self-confidence and purpose within your letter. Avoid clichés and redundancy in your wording, and try to use fresh verbs and adjectives.
3. Contact information
In your closing paragraph, include a sentiment regarding your availability and the different methods of contact, which should include a phone number and email address. Detailing your specific times and methods of availability denotes professionalism and a sincere interest in speaking further with your potential employer.
4. Clean, simple formatting
Break up your paragraphs so that each one addresses one or two points and contains no more than five sentences. Look up proper formatting for formal letters so that you know where to put dates, names, addresses, or contact information.
5. Correct grammar and spelling
The editing process may be daunting, but proof-reading is essential for an impressive cover letter. When you’ve spent so much time writing, it can be invaluable to get a fresh perspective from a friend, peer, or family member; new eyes may be able to spot a mistake that you’ve overlooked and small technical errors could break your chances for an otherwise well-deserved interview.
Showing posts with label DDS DMD associate practice sale hiring interview recruiter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DDS DMD associate practice sale hiring interview recruiter. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Dentists: Cover Letter, CV, What's Missing?
Proof Book: An Essential Tool for a Successful Interview
On a typical day our recruiting team speaks with more than thirty Dentists who are actively or passively seeking a new Associate position or potential partnership opportunity. Every Dentist and Dental Staff member we speak with understands the importance of putting together a solid cover letter and resume/C.V. Developing a great cover letter and solid CV are very important in landing an interview. But there is one more thing you need: A Proof Book.
Whether you are about to graduate from Dental school or you’ve been in practice for twenty years, it is always beneficial to put together a Proof Book for interviews. Over the years we’ve seen Proof Books tip the scales in a candidate’s favor more than fifty times.
So what is a Proof Book?
A Proof Book is simply a collection of information that encompasses your background, your professionalism, your accomplishments, and your clinical and patient relations acumen. There is certainly no magic format or combination of content, but typically a Proof Book should include some or all of the following:
a. A current CV/Resume
b. Case presentations
c. Before and After photos
d. Production numbers or equivalent
e. Accomplishments
f. Treatment plans
g. Letters of Recommendation
h. References
i. Blank paper for notes
j. Questions for the practice
k. Blank thank-you notes
How do I use it in an interview?
This depends on the interviewer. If the interviewer is taking the lead, you can use some of the sections as back up when you are answering questions about your how you’ve handled various patients and procedures. You can use it to show that you produce $55,000 a month in your current practice. You can use it to prove that you’ve successfully completed advanced training. You can even use it to show off letters of recommendation from patients, professors, or previous employers.
If you take the lead in the interview, you can use your Proof Book to illustrate the key points you want to make during your interview. It is one thing to tell an interviewer you produce $70,000 a month; it is much more impactful to be able to show the interviewer a report that backs up your claim.
A Proof Book gives you the opportunity to advertise your clinical skills when you don’t have the luxury of doing a working interview. A picture is worth a thousand words when you are trying to display the quality of your margins or the aesthetic results of a particularly complicated case. Bringing a few X-Rays can be a great way to exhibit your competency in providing endodontic treatment.
Even if you never open it during your interview, having a Proof Book demonstrates of preparedness and professionalism. I can’t guarantee that if you go to the office supply store, buy a nice binder, and take three hours to assemble a Proof Book that it will always get you the job. What I can guarantee is that creating a Proof Book will give you the advantage over another candidate with similar skills and background.
Written by Mark Kennedy, Owner/Managing Director of Executive Talent Search (ETS Dental, ETS Vision, ETS Tech-Ops). To find out more, call ETS Dental at (540) 563-1688 or visit us online at www.etsdental.com.
On a typical day our recruiting team speaks with more than thirty Dentists who are actively or passively seeking a new Associate position or potential partnership opportunity. Every Dentist and Dental Staff member we speak with understands the importance of putting together a solid cover letter and resume/C.V. Developing a great cover letter and solid CV are very important in landing an interview. But there is one more thing you need: A Proof Book.
Whether you are about to graduate from Dental school or you’ve been in practice for twenty years, it is always beneficial to put together a Proof Book for interviews. Over the years we’ve seen Proof Books tip the scales in a candidate’s favor more than fifty times.
So what is a Proof Book?
A Proof Book is simply a collection of information that encompasses your background, your professionalism, your accomplishments, and your clinical and patient relations acumen. There is certainly no magic format or combination of content, but typically a Proof Book should include some or all of the following:
a. A current CV/Resume
b. Case presentations
c. Before and After photos
d. Production numbers or equivalent
e. Accomplishments
f. Treatment plans
g. Letters of Recommendation
h. References
i. Blank paper for notes
j. Questions for the practice
k. Blank thank-you notes
How do I use it in an interview?
This depends on the interviewer. If the interviewer is taking the lead, you can use some of the sections as back up when you are answering questions about your how you’ve handled various patients and procedures. You can use it to show that you produce $55,000 a month in your current practice. You can use it to prove that you’ve successfully completed advanced training. You can even use it to show off letters of recommendation from patients, professors, or previous employers.
If you take the lead in the interview, you can use your Proof Book to illustrate the key points you want to make during your interview. It is one thing to tell an interviewer you produce $70,000 a month; it is much more impactful to be able to show the interviewer a report that backs up your claim.
A Proof Book gives you the opportunity to advertise your clinical skills when you don’t have the luxury of doing a working interview. A picture is worth a thousand words when you are trying to display the quality of your margins or the aesthetic results of a particularly complicated case. Bringing a few X-Rays can be a great way to exhibit your competency in providing endodontic treatment.
Even if you never open it during your interview, having a Proof Book demonstrates of preparedness and professionalism. I can’t guarantee that if you go to the office supply store, buy a nice binder, and take three hours to assemble a Proof Book that it will always get you the job. What I can guarantee is that creating a Proof Book will give you the advantage over another candidate with similar skills and background.
Written by Mark Kennedy, Owner/Managing Director of Executive Talent Search (ETS Dental, ETS Vision, ETS Tech-Ops). To find out more, call ETS Dental at (540) 563-1688 or visit us online at www.etsdental.com.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Why It's A Good Idea to Work With a Dental Recruiter To Find Your Next Associate
Shortage of Dentists – Over the past 20 years there has been a 32% drop in students entering Dental Schools in the US. At the same time the demand for dental services has increased dramatically.
Common Methods Don’t Work – Many practices around the country have been looking for Associate(s) to join their practices for years. Conventional methods of locating new Associates simply don’t work anymore. How many times have you seen the same ad in the ADA Journal? How many responses did you get when you put an ad in your local newspaper?
Cost – Paying for a Professional Recruiter is not cheap. But, when you consider the alternatives you will find that it is money well spent. Some recruiters charge upfront fees to do a search, however there are firms like ETS Dental that do contingency searches and you only pay a fee if you hire someone that they present.
Cost of NOT using a Recruiter – Take a moment and consider what it really costs you to find an Associate using conventional methods.
Cost of your time – As a practicing Dentist, your time is probably worth somewhere between $150 and $350 an hour. At an average of $225 an hour, it would cost $18,000 if you personally invested 80 hours in a search. Considering your chances of success, most find this is neither time nor money well spent.
Lost Opportunity Cost – Most successful practices are booked up for at least three or four months. Think how much new patient/referral revenue is lost every day from not being able to readily accommodate new patients. What would it mean to you to bring on an Associate six months sooner? (Example: $1000 Net collections per Associate per day – Less $350-$400 for Associate Pay = $625 x 104 days (4 days a week for 26 weeks) = $65,000.
Cost of Not Being Open Five or Six Days a Week – What would it mean to your practice if you could stay open one or two additional days a week? One would expect your net collections to increase from 10% to 40%. Most of this money would go directly to your bottom line since your fixed cost would remain relatively stable. (Example: Your Current Weekly Net Collections x (10% to 40%) = $???,???.
Cost of Your Vacation Time – What would it mean to your practice if you could keep it open when you take a vacation. One Dentist told us it costs him at least $30,000 for him to take a one-week vacation. How much does it cost you? ??,???.
Cost of Not Having a Choice – If you found just one Associate Candidate but you didn’t think there was a real fit, would you hire the Associate anyway? What if you settled for the only Associate candidate you’ve seen in months or even years? Wouldn’t it be nice to have a choice among multiple candidates when you make a decision that is this important to your business? What would it cost you if you hired the wrong Associate? $???,???.
Cost of Selling a Practice – Many Dentists are interested in selling or getting ready to sell their practices. The going rate to engage a Practice Management Firm to sell your practice is 10% of the practice value. This means that it would cost you $70,000 to sell your practice if it were valued at $700,000. Even if you find your own buyer, you still have to pay the Practice Brokerage according to most exclusive contracts. Wouldn’t it be better if you paid a recruiter to find the Associate of your choice then pay your own Lawyer and Accountant $5,000 to $15,000to sell the practice to your Associate?
There are many advantages to working with a dental recruiter during this very important process. Research the firm that you are considering working with. Ask your colleagues, who have recently hired Associates, who they worked with and ask if they would work with them again. Most importantly, make sure that you understand how the recruiting process works. Communication is key to finding your next great Associate!
Written by Marcia Patterson, Dental Recruiter for the Northeast at ETS Dental. You can reach Marcia at (540) 491-9118 or mpatterson@etsdental.com. Check us out at www.etsdental.com.
Common Methods Don’t Work – Many practices around the country have been looking for Associate(s) to join their practices for years. Conventional methods of locating new Associates simply don’t work anymore. How many times have you seen the same ad in the ADA Journal? How many responses did you get when you put an ad in your local newspaper?
Cost – Paying for a Professional Recruiter is not cheap. But, when you consider the alternatives you will find that it is money well spent. Some recruiters charge upfront fees to do a search, however there are firms like ETS Dental that do contingency searches and you only pay a fee if you hire someone that they present.
Cost of NOT using a Recruiter – Take a moment and consider what it really costs you to find an Associate using conventional methods.
Cost of your time – As a practicing Dentist, your time is probably worth somewhere between $150 and $350 an hour. At an average of $225 an hour, it would cost $18,000 if you personally invested 80 hours in a search. Considering your chances of success, most find this is neither time nor money well spent.
Lost Opportunity Cost – Most successful practices are booked up for at least three or four months. Think how much new patient/referral revenue is lost every day from not being able to readily accommodate new patients. What would it mean to you to bring on an Associate six months sooner? (Example: $1000 Net collections per Associate per day – Less $350-$400 for Associate Pay = $625 x 104 days (4 days a week for 26 weeks) = $65,000.
Cost of Not Being Open Five or Six Days a Week – What would it mean to your practice if you could stay open one or two additional days a week? One would expect your net collections to increase from 10% to 40%. Most of this money would go directly to your bottom line since your fixed cost would remain relatively stable. (Example: Your Current Weekly Net Collections x (10% to 40%) = $???,???.
Cost of Your Vacation Time – What would it mean to your practice if you could keep it open when you take a vacation. One Dentist told us it costs him at least $30,000 for him to take a one-week vacation. How much does it cost you? ??,???.
Cost of Not Having a Choice – If you found just one Associate Candidate but you didn’t think there was a real fit, would you hire the Associate anyway? What if you settled for the only Associate candidate you’ve seen in months or even years? Wouldn’t it be nice to have a choice among multiple candidates when you make a decision that is this important to your business? What would it cost you if you hired the wrong Associate? $???,???.
Cost of Selling a Practice – Many Dentists are interested in selling or getting ready to sell their practices. The going rate to engage a Practice Management Firm to sell your practice is 10% of the practice value. This means that it would cost you $70,000 to sell your practice if it were valued at $700,000. Even if you find your own buyer, you still have to pay the Practice Brokerage according to most exclusive contracts. Wouldn’t it be better if you paid a recruiter to find the Associate of your choice then pay your own Lawyer and Accountant $5,000 to $15,000to sell the practice to your Associate?
There are many advantages to working with a dental recruiter during this very important process. Research the firm that you are considering working with. Ask your colleagues, who have recently hired Associates, who they worked with and ask if they would work with them again. Most importantly, make sure that you understand how the recruiting process works. Communication is key to finding your next great Associate!
Written by Marcia Patterson, Dental Recruiter for the Northeast at ETS Dental. You can reach Marcia at (540) 491-9118 or mpatterson@etsdental.com. Check us out at www.etsdental.com.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)