3 Steps to Grow in Your Career

So, where do you want to be in ten years? The magic in that question lies in the number. While ten years may seem like a long way off, the reality is that it's far enough away from the present to allow you to dream big but close enough for you to take steps today that will directly result in achieving your goals not too far down the road.

I'm five years into my ten-year plan, and I'm happy to say I've achieved everything I set out to do, and more. Through this journey, I find myself almost an entirely new person-except that this "new person" was really who I was all along. I share this because it's important to hear one another's professional journey stories so we can learn, empathize, and relate to one another.

Every month in my travels, I meet dental hygienists who are eager, who want more, and who are ready to unleash more of their energies. I also work one-on-one with dental professionals and business owners to help them take their careers and businesses to the next level. Through this, what I've discovered is a set of three key concepts to grasp if you want to grow your professional self.

Whether you'd like to stay in the op, move out of the op, or do a combination of both, use these three strategies as a launchpad. Then, ten years from now, you can look back and celebrate how much you've grown.

Where do you want to be in ten years? No matter what your professional goals are, follow these three key steps to help build a foundation that will allow you to reach your dreams.

1. Identify Your Menu of Offerings

If you'd like to grow in your career, the first concept is to understand what you offer to the community. Identifying your offerings will help you begin to build a personal brand strategy where you see yourself as a service provider and expert. For instance, within the next ten years, do you want to provide clinical services, manage a team, speak, write, develop a product, or offer coaching or consulting? If you're unsure where to begin, think of it this way: Have you ever said to yourself, "Oh, that's just too easy." If yes, this is a great place for you to build from, because what is too easy for you may be difficult for someone else and may indeed be your strength.

For example, I love to write. In the past I often found myself assuming everyone loves to write, and I even discounted the fact that writing came "too easy" to me. Fast forward a few years, and I have literally built my career on writing-I've been published more than 200 times in dental journals, wrote a book, post daily on social media, and often write copy for marketing campaigns. Leaning into the things that are "too easy" for you may indeed set yourself up for success.

2. Create a Visual Portfolio

Speaking of writing, in a world where we are inundated with sales, marketing, and advertisements, it's easy for words to get lost in the sea of information. Creating a visual portfolio is the key to bypassing this information overload and standing out from the crowd. A visual portfolio includes formal headshots, high-quality photos of you in action, as well as creating a color scheme and choosing overall brand elements.

This can be simple. For example, if you'd like to be a speaker, schedule a professional photo shoot to include photos and videos of you on a stage and with a microphone. Use that photo as your profile photo across all your social media accounts. In today's world, a picture is worth a thousand words, which means visually including what you have to offer in your profile photo. That will make more of an impact than adding the word "speaker" to your biography. From there, pick a brand color and stick with it. Consistency is key and will help create a vibe and feel for your personal brand.

3. Build Your Network

Social networking is useful, but this year in-person networking is even more useful. Why? Because not a lot of professionals are doing it, which will make you stand out from your peers. Social media is a helpful tool, but because of the lingering isolation impacts of the pandemic most dental professionals are relying on it too much. They will spend hours socializing virtually but think twice before meeting in person. Face-to-face contact is especially important if you want to grow in your career in a clinical setting. Volunteering at your local free-day-of-care event or attending local study-club meetings will help you meet professionals you otherwise wouldn't have met and might potentially help you land your dream job.

That said, if you'd like to grow in your career, it is critical to understand that how you come across in the virtual world must match how you come across in the real world. Ever meet someone you've been networking with online but you didn't recognize them when you met in person? For example, I was in the same social circles with a fellow hygienist and had even swapped messages with this person. On social media she came across as bold, assertive, and very informative. When I met her in person for the first time I was confused, because she hung in the background and rarely contributed to the conversation. As you build both a social and in-person network, be intentional about being the same person both on and off screen, as this will enhance your overall professional brand image. 

Melissa Turner, BASDH, RDHEP, EFDA
Chief Hygiene Officer
Cellerant Consulting Group
Portland, Oregon