If you’ve been working as a dental assistant and are considering asking your employer for a raise in your dental assistant salary, there are a few key factors to keep in mind as you present your request. In this article, we’ll discuss a few helpful strategies when it comes time for you to ask for an increase in your dental assistant salary.
Preparing Your Case for a Raise
Prior to actually requesting a raise, most employment and recruiting specialists will tell you that properly preparing your case is the single biggest key to success. If you feel that your performance merits a higher dental assistant salary than you’re currently earning, there are a few steps you can take to prepare.
Leverage Your Unique Skills: If you have specialized skills that you bring to the dental practice, make the most of them. By focusing on your strengths and how they apply to your position and increase your value to the practice, you can begin to showcase the benefits of having you in the role of dental assistant.
Go the Extra Mile: Prior to asking for an increase in your dental assistant salary, one of the best ways to enhance your odds for better pay is to take on additional duties or volunteer for projects which are beyond the scope of your normal day to day duties as the practice’s dental assistant.
Keep a List of Your Key Accomplishments: Again, before you go into raise discussions, you need to have a sound case for why you should receive a higher dental assistant salary. One of the best ways to prepare is to keep a list of key achievements which you’ve reached on the job. If there are areas in which you’ve gone above and beyond your duties or processes which you’ve made more efficient, keep track of these things so that you can present them to the practice manager during your salary talks.
Know What You Want
If you do plan to ask for a raise, you need to be clear as to what you’re asking for. This is the single largest reason why many employees come away from asking for a pay increase with disappointment. If you plan to ask for an increase in your dental assistant salary, but don’t have a specific number in mind, you not only set yourself up to walk away without the raise you had hoped for, but you show a lack of proper planning with regard to your request.
Be Reasonable
You also need to be reasonable in your request. Don’t walk into raise negotiations thinking your going to get a 25% increase in your pay. You need to set a reasonable, modest amount for the increase to increase your chances of success.
Keep it Professional
Above all, you need to maintain professionalism if you plan to ask for a higher dental assistant salary. If your request is declined or you don’t get quite the raise you were after, thank your employer for considering your request and keep your emotions to yourself. You also should know that it’s never wise to threaten to leave your position if you don’t get the raise you were after. This may put you in a precarious position in the long run.