Last week I met with a front office dental professional in the process of reworking her resume. She expressed a desire to move up in her career. While opportunities were before her in the past, she was passed over every time. She mentioned a recent experience where she applied for an officer manager position, which she thought for sure she would land. Her first interview went great. She was asked back for an interview lunch with the office staff, which followed by a week-long working interview. The potential employer praised her skills, and said they were spot on, but, the following week, the phone we all dread call came in. The employer selected another candidate for the position. Since then, she’s been racking her brain and trying to figure out why the other candidate was selected over her.
First things first here. I firmly believe that when a door closes, we should start looking toward the next open door. You can sit home and ponder all day long and ponder the whys and wherefores while breaking out the chips, dip, soda and throwing a pity party, crying on the phone to your BFF. But these actions are not going to get you on the road to achieving your goals. Over analysis causes paralysis, stopping you in your tracks and making you second guess yourself.
Don’t go there! It’s cliché, but so very true. Expect the “no.” Things happen for a reason. When you hear the “yes,” life’s that much sweeter. This simply was not the office for her.
We can’t change how people are going to judge us, but we can control how we present. Being aware of our own non-verbal cues will help us make a great impression, regardless of the biases of others.
Recently, I came across these two quick reads by Larry Kim, Founder and CTO of WordStream. I have to comment here, Larry Kim hit it out of the park with this one. Cleavage, cologne, and being overdressed or underdressed we see often, not only when we interview front office candidates, but clinical ones as well. It’s a turnoff from the start and tough to get past. We don’t hear a word you say past “hello,” and that could be the very reason you hear the “NO.” For more non-verbal tips and hints, you’ll want to read these links below.
http://www.inc.com/larry-kim/11-things-people-know-about-you-before-you-even-open-your-mouth.html
http://www.inc.com/larry-kim/7-things-you-tell-people-without-saying-a-word.html
- Don’t Let Nasty Weather Blow Your Office Off Course - July 29, 2020
- Giving = Learning|Do You Work With A Helper? - January 31, 2018
- Employment Application – How does yours stack up? - January 24, 2018