Whether you’re fresh out of your dental assistant program or a long-time dental assistant looking for a new home, interviewing for a job can be stressful. You don’t just want to make a good impression on your potential employer; you also want to gain insight into how the practice operates so you can be sure that if you take the job, you’re making the right decision. With that in mind, here are 4 red flags to watch out for during your interview.
1. Unclear or Unrealistic Job Expectations
Expectations for the position you’re interviewing for should be made obvious to you; the dentist or office manager should reiterate what was included in the listing, but they should also go into more detail about various specifics about the practice. It’s a troubling sign if the interviewer says you’ll be asked to perform tasks that weren’t listed in the job description or are outside of a dental assistant’s normal scope of responsibilities. If the interviewer also cannot answer your questions in a clear or satisfactory way, it may be best to interview elsewhere.
2. Unwelcoming or Negative Office Culture
The dental team must work closely together to provide the best possible patient care. During your interview, observe how the doctor and staff interact with each other. Do the front desk and back office work seamlessly? Are they communicating about patients, procedures, and the schedule, or talking about off-topic things and acting unprofessionally? Do they seem generally happy to work together, and do you see yourself fitting in? These are the important questions you should be keeping in mind; if the vibe seems off, make note of it! High turnover is also normally a sign of a problematic office culture.
3. Chaotic Work Environment
More often than not, there’s a lot going on within a dental office. In addition to providing patient care, the staff has to coordinate getting patients checked in and out, manage the inventory, maintain records and equipment, perform sanitation procedures, and much, much more. It takes a very well-organized and cohesive team to keep things running smoothly. If you see any signs of the opposite case during your interview, proceed with caution! Look for signs such as frazzled team members, poor communication, unclear workflows, or even just clutter in the office; all can point toward a disorganized work environment.
4. Inadequate Compensation
The bottom line is that a practice cannot operate efficiently without dental assistants; from helping the doctor and comforting patients during appointments to managing infection control and preparing exam rooms, they are valuable and have countless responsibilities! That said, for all of this hard work, the compensation should be more than worthwhile. Before your interview, do some research so that you can ensure you’re getting a fair offer and benefits with the potential for growth and future pay raises.
About the Green Country School of Dental Assisting
Our team here at the Green Country School of Dental Assisting has assisted countless dental assistants in Claremore and the surrounding area over the years. If you’re ready to take your first exciting steps in your new dental assisting career, we’re here to guide you through every step of the process and prepare you for your interviews. If you have any questions about the blog or you’d like to request additional enrollment information, please reach out online or call today! Telephone: (918) 343-7188.