The people who make up your dental team are a direct reflection of you. That’s why it’s so important to hire the right people who believe in your vision. No one wants to conduct dozens of interviews before finding the best candidate. Creating a detailed and concise job description is the key to limiting the number of unqualified applicants and attracting qualified candidates to your dental practice.
What to Include
Job descriptions should summarize the responsibilities, activities, qualifications, and skills for a role. It should include important details like your company vision, philosophy, culture, and benefits. You may also want to include the salary or hourly pay and whether the job is full or part-time.
Here are 10 tips for writing an effective job description for your dental office:
1. Be specific.
Create a working title that encompasses the level of responsibility and role of the job. Be specific, but not so specific that people over-look it. For example, “Program Director” is a better job title than “Director of the Children’s Program at the School of Music.” The overly specific title will reduce the number of applicants, even if they are qualified.
2. Avoid confusing terms.
If you’re looking for someone to fill a position that doesn’t require dental experience, like an office assistant, avoid using dentistry lingo that could potentially eliminate qualified candidates.
3. Grab their attention.
When writing the job summary, be sure to use words and details that grab the reader’s attention. Here’s an example of a good description and a better description.
- Good: The office assistant welcomes patients, handles clerical tasks, and schedules appointments.
- Better: The duty of an office assistant is to make our patients feel at home by greeting them with a smile and a happy attitude. Other important tasks include…
4. Include unique details.
In the job summary, introduce the culture of your dental practice, team member expectations, and other unique details that will attract like-minded people.
5. Provide the exact job location.
Stating exactly where your dental office is will boost the job posting so more people see it.
6. Outline the core responsibilities.
Potential applicants should be able to determine if they’re qualified after reading the responsibilities of the job. This will save you time later.
7. Provide details about day-to-day activities.
Candidates will want to know what to expect on a normal day of work before filling out an application. This will ensure only those who are truly interested in the job submit an application.
8. Explain the importance of the job.
Most people desire a job that has purpose. Let the applicants know how this specific job helps the dental practice run better and how it impacts the patient experience.
9. List hard and soft skills.
Hard skills are learned while soft skills are traits that make a person a good employee. Examples of hard skills include:
- Being bilingual
- A degree or certificate
- Typing speed
- Computer programming
Soft skills, also known as people skills, include:
- Teamwork
- Time management
- Flexibility
- Good communication
10. Be to the point.
When creating a list of hard and soft skills, be concise as to not push away potential candidates. Use this tip throughout the entire application. According to Indeed, job descriptions that contain between 700 and 2,00 characters get more applicants.
Dental Practice Enhancement
For more tips and information on how to enhance your dental practice, contact our experienced team online or by calling (833) 373-3678.
