5 Reasons You’re Not Getting Applicants on Your Dental Job Ad

“Job post despair.” We see it over and over again.
Day 1: You agonize for 45 minutes over the perfect job posting.  Then, DONE, click…posted. 
Day 2: Crickets. Nothing.
Day 6: Still nothing (or worse yet, a trickle of resumes from all the wrong candidates, getting your hopes up and wasting your time).
Day 14: “What the heck, man??! Where are the good candidates?”
Day 29: A few more applications have trickled in, but nothing spectacular. “I thought this would be easier.”
Day 43: Complete disillusionment. “We’re never going to find anyone.”
Day 57: Out of sheer frustration, you lug your toolbox to work, unfasten the chair in Exam Room 2, and lob it through the front window into the parking lot.

All jokes aside, let’s face it – the hiring market is rough…and though we are excited to see job seeker activity starting to ramp back up, it still takes dental practices and hiring managers more time and effort than ever before to find and attract the right candidates. Top dental talent has options, and they know it. So, is it the market…or is it what your job ad is communicating to job seekers? 

Let’s get to know today’s job seekers. They aren’t simply looking for a job; they want more out of where they spend their time daily. Upward mobility potential, a sense of purpose and belonging, and a workplace that reflects their spirit and values.

So, are your job posts illustrating that kind of work experience? Let’s look at what might be triggering job seekers to look elsewhere…

1. Passe, Outdated Language

“Looking for a team player”

“We have a fast-paced office”

…uhh, nope. These are cliches that burned out with leg warmers and parachute pants. Time to update. 

Let’s dig a little deeper. Speak to what your office vibe is really like. Don’t be afraid to be just a little open…even vulnerable. It shows that you’re being authentic. 

Something like: “Our practice owner is warm, thoughtful, a little OCD, and won’t shut up about Minecraft. We push ourselves to get things done right, do it over when we don’t, and everyone leaves early on Fridays to grab the big corner booth at Fast Eddie’s next door before Happy Hour starts at 5.”

Be authentic about what it’s like to work in your practice. Paint a picture. Speak to the idiosyncrasies and unique culture one would expect walking through the halls of your office. Talk about the good, and don’t be afraid of the bad – they’ll find out anyway.

Caveat: There’s such a thing as TOO much reality – readers don’t need to know that you’re going through a messy lawsuit or about the asbestos problem you just had remediated. Just get to the heart of why yours is a great place to work.

2. No Mention of Growth Potential

We’re in a job seeker’s market, so benefits like 401K and PTO are something your new front desk person or hygienist would simply take for granted. 

We can do better.

You’re trying to attract the best hire you can. So what kind of irresistible treats can you use to front load that ad?

Well, let’s turn this around. Let’s say you’re in your third or fourth year of a career that you’re excited about AND are eager to get to that next plateau. 

For a hygienist, maybe you offer to pay for specialized training in presentation skills to become a dental educator at local schools, thereby beginning to establish her/himself as a local, or even regional/national thought leader (representing your practice, of course). 

At the very least, are you there to mentor them and aid their growth as a professional? Say so.

How can you foster this person’s growth in ways that 1) isn’t being offered by your competitors, and 2) ultimately benefits your practice’s trajectory? This could easily stand out in a sea of dull and unoriginal job perks.

3. You’re Offering A Hiring Bonus

Okay… I’ll admit that one needs some explanation.

Money is money, and sure – we all want more of it. But terms like “bonus,” “earning potential,” etc. can sometimes connote a sketchy pay structure. If you offer these kinds of enticements, be sure to back them up with solid language on what to expect when it comes to salary.

4. Antiquated Office, Antiquated Thinking

Look around your office. Chairs, equipment, decoration…does everything feel like it needs an update? 

Now look at (and listen to) your staff…could something else use a refresh?

We’re living in an era that emphasizes diversity, inclusion, and equity for everyone. It’s up to you how and if you make these elements a priority in your office culture. But if you do, consider mirroring that priority in your post, because your potential hires already are. 

Note: There’s a fine line here, so take care how you word this part of your job post. You run the risk of pandering if you say it the wrong way. If you’d like some help, consider some outside counsel.

5. Painting a Transactional Picture

Gone are the days of going to work and hating it. We are no longer “workin’ for the weekend,” Loverboy. So don’t expect to woo any prospective hires with a job post that makes it sound like “clock-in/clock-out” is the norm. 

Your office is a family. A tribe. You spend the better part of your week with them. So again, give your job seekers a sense that they will belong to something bigger than themselves by coming to work with your team. 

Do you work to connect with patients on a deeper level? Do you help your staff avoid burnout? Is there an emphasis on self-care and work/life balance? Speak to all of this in your ad to show that your workplace mirrors job seekers’ needs.

Creating A Job Your Staff Will Love

When they first land on our site, here’s the first thing our job seekers see:

You’ll notice we don’t say: “Find a job that pays you the most money” or “Get on the career fast track”. 

Instead, we’ve worded this headline carefully and simply to reflect the primary goal of the modern job seeker: to love what they do.

We find that the job posts that get the quickest and largest volume of responses do a great job of drawing the reader in and making them feel what it’s like to be a member of that practice. 

Do your posts accomplish that goal? Would a potential hire see it, and then immediately send it to her/his spouse and say, “I want this job!!”

If not, consider tweaking your posts to portray a warm, supportive, inclusive environment with benefits that extend beyond what you see on a pay stub every two weeks. 

For more advice, check out our FREE 5-step hiring toolkit, filled with worksheets, checklists, tips, and best practices to help you build a better team.

One final thought: As the practice owner, you face myriad challenges beyond hiring concerns. Have you considered that there are easier paths to higher profits, fewer headaches, and even… 4-day weekends, every single week? Discover how this doctor produces $4.4 Million per year working just two days per week.