By: Laura Bennett
Director of Marketing
 The key to success in today’s job market is effective marketing. As your residency comes to a close you must begin the task of finding a location in which to practice. A small number of residents choose to begin their own practice from scratch or work with a family member after their residency, but the majority are interested in becoming an associate or buying into a partnership to establish their orthodontic career.
Finding the perfect practice is much easier said than done, but it is possible if you are well-informed, well-educated and motivated. Your overall goal is to work at a prosperous practice with great patients in an ideal location for you and your family. Three easy steps to get you to that goal are to network, communicate and listen.
The way to find this practice is to sell yourself like you are a product of great wealth that has value. Your target market will be the current practicing doctors in the location in which you want to practice. Identify the selling points that you want to communicate to your target market. Achievements, awards, skills, strengths, and involvement (community, religious, educational) can all be key selling points. Sometimes it is hard to pinpoint your strengths; ask friends and teachers what they see as your strengths. You will be provided with an honest outside point of view. Use these selling points to compose your CV. Once you have completed these steps you can begin your marketing campaign.
Network
Networking is the most underrated tool of locating a practice. This extremely valuable tool is easily forgotten in the overwhelming search. Use your friends, family, family friends, neighbors, colleagues, teachers and other residents. Let everyone know what you are looking for and the location in which you hope to find it. As an example, you may tell your neighbor that you hope to move to Arizona and he happens to have a grandchild in Arizona wearing braces; you may be able to use that as a lead to the area. Never underestimate the power of networking!
Attend orthodontist conferences and trade shows. Speak with as many people as time allows and let them know of your intentions. Become involved with orthodontic associations on the local, state and national levels. Register with companies who know the market and can match you to sellers in your desired area. Become familiar with your school’s alumni; most schools have a database record of what alumni are doing now. Contact the alumni who are practicing in the area you hope to practice and let them know your situation. Alumni are generally willing to help underclassmen from their alma mater because they were in the same position once.
Become very familiar with industry publications. School libraries subscribe to thousands of trade publications if you are unwilling to subscribe yourself. Sign up for newsletter and e-newsletter from companies that are within the orthodontic industry. Use these as a tool by reading articles and contacting the authors if you believe they can help you in your search.
Leave a business card with everyone you meet. Your business card should include your contact information so your possible lead can contact you. On the back side of the business card it can be helpful to write what you are looking for (location, start date and type of practice). Collect a business card or contact information from your possible lead so you can follow up with him or her.
Communicate
While networking is a priceless tool to use, it cannot get you a job by itself. Communication is one of the primary keys to all personal and career success. Both oral and written communication are equally important in your search. First impressions count and say a great deal about who you are. Your appearance and your communication skills are key items that give a first impression.
Your verbal communication is second nature and is rarely given any consideration, however oral words give significant insight amount about you. One of the best ways to examine your oral communication is to listen to your answering machine message. Is your message professional? Do you use slang? Is your message so fast that it is hard to understand? Are you upbeat? If a potential employer reaches your answering machine what impression will they receive? Make sure your answering machine sounds professional and inviting to anyone who may leave a message.
Work on approaching others and introducing yourself. This will be a major selling point when you are meeting new people within the industry. Your approach and introduction will be your “cold call” selling approach. These professionals are not looking to “buy” something but you are there to “sell” yourself. Each resident is different. Your approach must mirror your personality, but you must exhibit that you are strong, firm and dedicated to finding a practice.
Sending letters of introduction are a fantastic way to make contact with professionals within the orthodontic industry. The receiver of the letter can take his/her time when reading your letter and come back to it if he or she is busy, unlike a personal face-to-face contact. Make sure to introduce yourself and include many of your “selling points” within the letter. Specify what you are looking to find and the time frame in which you hope to achieve it. It is very important to thank them for their time and for any help they may provide you in the future.
Follow up contact is vital in keeping your name fresh in the minds of your contacts. Be persistent with your follow up. There is no wrong way to follow up because different individuals are partial to one method over the others. Young professionals tend to prefer e-mail while older professionals generally are not as keen on this method. Within your follow up include clues that will help your contact identify you by mentioning where you met them or particular event that stands out, such as a side conversation you may have had. Include the specifics of the practice you are hoping to find. If you believe this lead is strong, include your CV.
Listen
Listen to everything that is said to you, regardless of whether you believe it applies to you. Something that is said today may not affect you until a few years later. Be a good listener. Become curious if you hear something interesting or something that you feel could be helpful. During your communication with others, you may obtain some helpful information that could develop into another leads. Build on and use feedback for the future. It can help strengthen your approach and the way you search for a practice.
Practice active listening during a conversation. It is human nature to be thinking about the next thing to say instead of taking in the words that are being spoken. When someone else is speaking, give one hundred percent of your attention to their oral words. Their conversation may possibly trigger a question that could be of interest. You may also be able to use questions to guide the conversation to a topic of your choice. Using questions can be a great lead in to help introduce yourself, your residency situation and your anticipations in the future.
Networking, communicating and listening are the three tools that can help successfully market yourself to potential employers of the future. Locating a practice is a time consuming process, but all your efforts will pay off when you find the perfect practice. During the search process remember to be yourself and honest with everyone you meet. Every resident is a valuable asset but you have to market and position yourself to demonstrate that you are more valuable than all the other “goods” on the market.
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