- Include all of your contact details. It may sound like a stupid tip but we receive so many CV's with missing contact details. Make sure that you include your full name, telephone number, postal address and email address . If you're moving to a new area then make sure you state that; employers might completely disregard your CV if you're applying for a job in Cornwall but the address on your CV says Glasgow.
- Structure your CV. A typical CV might look like this: Name and contact details, short personal profile, work history (starting with your most recent position), education, skills, hobbies and referee contact details (including these will save time if you were to be offered the job).
- Check spelling and grammar. Check, and double check for any mistakes. Mistakes on CVs make it look sloppy. I'm personally terrible at proof reading my own work (you'll probably spot mistakes in this blog post) and so I get other people to proof read for me. Send it to a friend and get them to look it over for you.
- Make it relevant to the job you are applying for. If you don't have any dental experience then you need to at least write something about why you want to apply for a job in the dental field. This could be included in your personal profile and/or covering letter.
- Hep B. If you are new to the dental field then it would be a really good idea to get a Hepatitis B immunisation jab organised; if you do get accepted for the job then you will have to have this done before you can start! Speak to your GP or local occupational health department for more information.
- Have exact dates for previous employment. It is a CQC requirement for employers to have exact dates of their employees previous positions; this could possibly be checked during an inspection. We see so many CV's with a list of previous employment but no dates.
- Explain gaps. If you have time gaps in dates between jobs then you should state what they were for.
- Don't waste your time. Some people send their CV for any old job without looking at the job description, it looks lazy and is frustrating for advertisers. If you work as a cleaner then don't bother trying your luck and applying for a job as a dentist- yes it actually happens...a lot!
- Change your email address. If you've kept your funny email address that you set up when you were 13 then it's time for a change. No one is going to take you seriously if you're applying for a job with a ridiculous email address like 'crazycaz69@' or 'meganisababe@' it's time for a change.
- Include your hobbies. Employers like seeing what people are interested in so near the end of your CV just list a few of your hobbies. If you like watching Netflix in bed while eating take away pizza this would equate to filmography and fine dining!
We hope you have found these tips helpful and we wish you luck with your job hunting!
Dental training is a welcome sight for any employer, so if there's anything you want to improve on or learn, don't be afraid to take a course.
We offer dental nurse training in Reading, Berkshire, through our range of online, classroom and in-house dental training courses. Check them out!
Alternatively, give us a call with any questions that you have!