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New year, new job?

Written by: Adrian O’Dowd
Published on: 16 Jan 2019

The beginning of a new year can trigger a desire for change and something new, which can easily apply to work, but what is the best way to secure a new job?

It is generally accepted that January and February are the best months of the year to look for new long-term, full-time jobs.

In these months, most companies have updated budgets and sales forecasts while executives have a good idea of what they need and if they can afford to hire new team members.

According to recruitment firm TopResume,1 career advisors consider these the most popular months for hiring. Job search website Monster had its busiest day of the year for searches on 4 January in 2016 and many of the busiest search days were in the same month.

So now could be the perfect time to start job hunting and the dental market is hungry for applicants, according to Andrew Normile​, Head of Resourcing for dental corporate firm Colosseum Dental.

‘Overall this is an excellent time to be looking for a new role in dentistry. There are lots of positions readily available nationwide,’ he says.

‘Demand for dental services will increase as the population ages and as studies continue to link oral health to overall health. The demand for cosmetic dentistry is only expected to increase in coming years.

‘The flexibility of the role also appeals to more and more qualified dentists – to be able to work as a self-employed contractor and have control over arranging your working hours mixing NHS with private work.’

Andrew Normile​, Colosseum Dental
Andrew Normile​, Colosseum Dental

Alpesh Khetia, a dentist and director with Rodericks Dental who works in the company’s recruitment team, agrees, saying: ‘It is a good time to look for a new job in dentistry because the new year brings about a natural opportunity for you to reflect on the year gone by and to have a vison of what you would like to achieve in the new year.’

Opportunities are there for the taking in the current market, according to Normile, who says: ‘The market remains healthy at all levels, ranging from a dentist that has just completed their foundation training to dentists that have sold their practice and are looking for part time associate work.’

Alpesh Khetia, Rodericks Dental
Alpesh Khetia, Rodericks Dental

Cathie Brady, chief clinical officer for Rodericks Dental, agrees, saying: ‘The jobs market is healthy for dentists at all stages of their career. Many young dentists are choosing to stay in practice now after their FD year so that they can develop in a range of different areas from special interests in a particular field of dentistry, tier 2, becoming clinical leads or educational supervisors among other areas.

‘We have mentors and advisors who can create a plan for each dentist so that they can develop in the way they want to develop. As a consequence, we are finding that we have a lot of applications for each role.’

Cathie Brady, Rodericks Dental
Cathie Brady, Rodericks Dental

Job hunting help

Dentists interested in seeking a new job have a lot of resources and help to tap into, as Khetia says: ‘We have a small dedicated recruitment team, myself included. We understand dentistry and the nuances of our profession and what a good job looks and feels like.

‘We are here to listen to your needs, ensuring that if you join us it’s in the practice that’s right for you. Our commitment to lifelong learning means there is a plethora of CPD available including a comprehensive induction, hands-on courses, lectures, seminars to formal university accredited qualifications – we have it all. Any dentist who would like to talk to one of our Directors is able to do so and we have Clinical Advisors on-hand.’

Normile says: ‘At Colosseum we are proud of the assistance we offer candidates through the whole recruitment process. We are Europe’s fastest growing dental network and can offer great locations, modern equipment and excellent career development. The training we offer is high quality with ongoing CPD coupled with unlimited access to expertise through our European network.

‘We have a highly experienced resourcing team who offer advice and guidance from initial contact and submission of CV to offer and acceptance stage. We help arrange practice visits, meetings with dentists currently working in practices and will also help with relocation packages where necessary.’

CV brush-up

When applying for jobs, most people know how important it is to ensure their CV is impressive and one that will stand out to potential employers.

According to BDJ Jobs website2, there are various tips to make a CV stand out from the crowd including:

  • Think about the layout to ensure it catches an employer’s attention, such as having a punchy first line and a clean and easy to follow layout
  • Sell yourself by detailing jobs after graduation including recent clinical courses and what skills you gained from them
  • Demonstrate your passion and enthusiasm for particular areas you enjoy in dentistry
  • Show your knowledge of clinical governance by detailing any clinical audits that you have undertaken, risk management projects or research you’ve done
  • Tell what makes you different by listing what you enjoy in your outside life that links into dentistry
  • Detail any awards or prizes that you have won, qualifications gained, your best clinical work, and try to get published in a dental magazine.

Khetia advises: ‘Mainly I would say be open and honest, enthusiastic and demonstrate your experience and interests within dentistry in an elegant and intellectual way. There is always a debate about whether you should put a picture on your CV but I would say no to that, and make sure that there are no coffee stains on it!’

Normile adds: ‘The biggest tip that I can give is – think about the opportunity you are applying for and ensure that your CV provides evidence that you can do this role and add value.

‘Making a first impression starts with your CV. It doesn’t need to be an autobiography, a maximum of two sides excluding the cover letter will suffice. Make your CV easy to read and succinct in its presentation.’

Good job interviews

Job interviews are daunting for most people but they can be seen as a chance to shine as well as impress with the right attitude.

Khetia says: ‘Do your homework! Make sure that you know about the company that you are applying to, the directors, the practice, location and also know about yourself and prepare to answer questions on all of these topics.

‘Be professional and friendly during the interview and consider what you can bring to the role. You may be asked some clinical questions but the questions asked at interview are really the start of a conversation so that we can get to know more about you, so relax and remember that communication is the most important skill that you can bring.

‘Make sure if you are taking part in an interview in person to dress and act in a professional manner, this includes being in the right place at the right time. Most of all I would say relax – the interview is about you. Remember that you are the expert on you.’

Best areas to target

Some parts of the country have more job opportunities than others and dentists are seeking different sorts of positions in the current market, according to James Richards, Head of Global Career Services Development for the BDJ.

Richards says: ‘There are shortages everywhere apart from London. Employers need to do a lot in terms of employer branding to enhance their adverts and convey why their location is a great place to live and work.

‘We are seeing more and more of dentists wanting to work part-time and then picking up locum work as well. They want more flexibility in how they work. Full-time vacancies are harder to fill as a result.

‘We’ve seen a rise in the amount of dentists, a rise in the amount of views to BDJ Jobs, and a rise in applications in affluent areas.’

Brady adds: ‘We receive so many applicants for any positions in London, it seems like a magnet for dentists of all backgrounds.

‘Practices in all locations offer great opportunities with different environments and it is exciting to try somewhere new. Many Foundation Dentists are happy to travel for the right job because they have already had to move for Foundation Training National Recruitment so another exciting move, for the right job, is a natural choice. Be flexible and prepared to move for the right job.’

Final advice for any dentists thinking of hunting down a new job in the new year comes from Khetia, who says: ‘As a young clinician, you now have so many opportunities to develop yourself. Ensure your next job will allow you not only to do that, but encourage and support you, also allowing you to flourish.’

 

  1. Smith, M A. The Best Times of the Year to Look for a Job. TopResume.  https://www.topresume.com/career-advice/the-best-times-of-the-year-to-job-search
  2. BDJ Jobs. Tips for making your CV stand out from the crowd (October 2018). https://www.bdjjobs.com/article/tips-for-making-your-cv-stand-out-from-the-crowd/