1. Marketing Your Skills Chapter 64 1
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2. Chapter 64
Lesson 64.1
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3. Learning Objectives
Determine your career goals and develop a personal philosophy.
Identify potential career opportunities.
Prepare a letter of application.
Prepare a professional résumé.
Describe the preparation and demeanor needed for a job interview.
Prepare a follow-up letter.
(Cont’d)
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4. Learning Objectives
(Cont’d)
Discuss factors to consider in salary negotiations.
Discuss the elements of an employment agreement.
Describe the steps for job termination.
Describe the steps for achieving career objectives.
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5. Introduction
As you complete your education, you will begin to identify and assess the kind of employment you will be seeking. Your knowledge, skills, and attitude will enable you to select a career in which your needs and capabilities are met and in which you will be recognized as a valuable employee.
Determining a career goal and personal philosophy can help you focus your job search.
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6. Factors to Remember When Seeking Employment
Feel physically, psychologically, and socially comfortable in your work environment.
Select an employer whom you respect and whose philosophy of practice parallels your beliefs.
Find the type of employment that will be the most stimulating, interesting, and rewarding for you.
Work with members of the dental health team to achieve mutual respect and shared values.
The job of dental assistant is expected to be one of the fastest-growing occupations through the year 2012, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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7. Your Professional Career
Career opportunities
Private Practice
Sales
Consulting
Dental Schools
Insurance
Research
Teaching
Hospitals
Public health/government
Dental assistants have a range of choices once they complete training.
Analyze your qualifications, interests, and goals to help choose a direction that will be rewarding for you.
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8. Locating Employment Opportunities
Newspaper advertisements
Campus placement
Employment agencies
Temporary agencies
Dental-supply companies
Professional organizations
In 2002, dental assistants held 266,000 jobs in the United States, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
A study by the University of Missouri showed that 48% of job openings were found through friends and family.
How would a recent graduate go about contacting each of these job sources?
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9. Seeking Employment Telephone contact Letter of application Résumé
First impression!
Letter of application
Introduces you to your prospective employer and markets your skills and qualifications
Résumé
Presents a summary of your skills and qualifications
How many hours a week should be spent job hunting? (Between 35 and 40 hours.)
Why is it important to do homework about yourself—that is, identify your skills, interests, and goals, in priority order?
What information should a job applicant have to match qualifications with job function? Why is this matching important?
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10. Fig. 64-1 An example of a letter of application.
What elements should be included in a letter of application?
What are some additional guidelines to follow when writing a letter of application?
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11. Components of a Résumé Heading Professional objective
Your full name, address, and telephone number
Professional objective
Clear statement of the type of job you are seeking
Professional experience
List your most recent to least recent work experiences
(Cont’d)
Remember that the résumé is a self-promotional piece and also a guide for the interviewer.
What elements should be included on the résumé?
What elements should NOT be included on the résumé?
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12. Components of a Résumé Education Certifications
(Cont’d)
Education
Your most recent to least recent education obtained
Certifications
Uour certification, cardiopulmonary resuscitation certification, and any other appropriate certification information.
What are the three different types of résumés?
What type of résumé is most appropriate for recent graduates of a technical program, such as dental assisting?
How could different types of résumé s be combined to present the applicant most effectively?
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13. Fig. 64-2 An example of a professional résumé.
What elements in this résumé make it look professional and thorough?
Why is the appearance of a résumé important?
Visually, what should the résumé not do?
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14. The Interview Appearance Presenting yourself professionally
Interviewing professionally
Concluding the interview
Sending a follow-up letter
Why is preparing emotionally for an interview as important as researching the company? (The right mood brings the best performance.)
Initial answers to questions should be brief.
Why is it important to write a thank-you note after an interview?
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15. Fig. 64-4 An example of a follow-up letter.
Why are follow-up letters often better than phone calls?
What elements in this letter make it appropriate?
If circumstances were different, what could be done differently in the thank-you note? Why?
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16. Salary Negotiations Benefits to inquire about: Health insurance
Dental care for you and family
Retirement plan
Uniform allowance
Profit-sharing
Dues for professional organizations
Travel expenses for professional meetings
Bonuses
Remember to look at the whole compensation picture.
What factors should the job applicant consider relative to compensation?
What is the best way to ask questions about benefits?
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17. Employment Agreement Should cover: Job description Work schedule
Compensation
Professional attire
Termination
Summary dismissal
Giving notice
A written employment agreement can eliminate misunderstandings in the future.
In what ways does a written employment agreement protect both the employee and the company?
If something is not covered in a written employment agreement, how should the job applicant proceed?
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18. Fig. 64-5 An example of an employment agreement.
What key elements are included in this agreement?
Is anything missing?
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19. Job Termination Leaving on friendly terms Leaving on unfriendly terms
Give adequate notice.
Help select and train your replacement.
Request a letter of recommendation.
Leaving on unfriendly terms
Leave quickly and quietly.
A job termination handled successfully can lead to positive opportunities in the future.
For what reasons might an employee want to terminate his or her employment?
For what reasons might an employer want to terminate someone’s employment?
How can both parties make the separation as positive as possible? Why is this important?
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20. Achieving Career Objectives
Positive attitude
Professional responsibilities
Physical well-being
Why is keeping a positive attitude helpful in attaining a career objective?
How can a person relate positive attitude and professional responsibilities to career objectives and personal philosophy?
What can a person do to maintain physical well-being?
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