Light a Fire Under Your Dental Industry Career “Three Sticks at a Time” (Part 1)
(Author Kristine A. Hodsdon, RDH, BS)
Spring is just around the corner, and with it comes the melting snow, blooming flowers and birds serenading their siren song of… spring cleaning.
Just like a home needs to be cleared to free up space and energy, so, too, does every successful career need a good spring cleaning to make room for the new opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.
So whether you are a dentist, hygienist, dental assistant, office manager or dental sales rep, if you want to make your career red-hot, these three approaches can clear the space and create the spark.
1. Tough Self-Love
For genuine, lasting career advancement, look in the mirror and ask yourself:
- Overall, is work enjoyable? Does it provide enough money to enjoy life AND save for the future?
- What’s the best way to get on an employer’s or client’s radar AND stand out in an overcrowded pack?
- Is it time to fire that troublesome client, patient and/or employer despite losing the revenue? What’s the potential fallout? Is that fallout manageable?
- Is it time to take a real stand with a colleague, patient or employer, regardless of the consequences?
2. Clean Sweep
A cluttered workspace (private office, car and/or operatory) is a creativity and productivity killer. Clear space equals clear thinking. It also saves time finding things and makes a good impression on patients, colleagues and/or customers. Ten minutes is all it takes.
3. Get Smart
Staying relevant in today’s technology-fueled dental industry requires people to evolve on the fly. Lack of knowledge can be a deal breaker for some dental practices, patients and companies.
Approaching technology and professional development from a position of curiosity instead of education makes it more enjoyable, and less like work.
This is part 1 of a three-part series on career development by Kristine Hodsdon, RDH. Parts 2 and 3 will be posted over the course of the next few months.
[…] Spring is here, and so is part two of “Light a Fire Under Your Career.” […]