Everyone wants to know the secret to landing his or her dream job. What would you say if I told you that it is actually something you have been learning since grade school? Having good communication skills is key in any career or field of work. Good communication skills help employers to determine if someone is qualified for a job; they can also help individuals in choosing a career to advance in. Lastly, good communication skills can help someone grow as a professional so he or she can succeed in their careers.

We all want that job interview to go great. We all want to land that job. But are we all qualified? Using good grammar is very important in the work environment. Therefore, Susan Adams, a writer for Forbes, feels that employers can use someone’s grammar skills to measure how well they will be able to perform at their tasks, how intelligent they are, if they will take their work seriously, and their overall work ethic (Adams). The CEO of the company iFixit agrees with Adams about good grammar skills in the workplace. He mentions that he, along with many other employers, demands that a person take a pre-qualifying grammar test to even be considered for the position. These tests are very common and are even required for applicants who are applying for positions not pertaining to a need for writing or typing skills. Those who do not pass these tests are looked over for the position even if they have all the other right qualifications. He goes on to say that many businesses believe that actively practicing good grammar is the foundation to success in all aspects of work. For many people who run or own companies this is the smartest and best way of doing business (Weins).

Landing a job is not what we work so hard for though, is it? We don’t want a job. We want a career. We all have thought about what we want to be when we “grow up.” After that long and hard decision, the careers we choose tell us what kind of school and credentials we need to get there. Communication skills are always somewhere in that list of credentials. When I “grow up” I want to be a dental hygienist. In order to be a successful dental hygienist, communications skills are extremely important. To obtain productive communication skills as a dental hygienist I will need to learn the terminology that I will be using in this profession and the knowledge of how to interpret X-rays. Successfully completing the Dental Hygiene Program at Thomas Nelson Community College will be needed for me to learn this information. But I have learned that the most important and necessary skills I will need as a dental hygienist are skills I have already learned throughout my prior education and work experience. I must become very lucid in these skills to be able to professionally communicate to the patients as well as the staff in the dental office. This means that I may need to explain terminology in simple terms that anyone can understand, show the patients pictures of what is being talked about as it is being explained, and sometimes demonstrating things on myself as I am explaining what I am doing.  I will need to be able to communicate with many different kinds of people with many different education levels. Speaking different languages is also an advantage in this career. As a dental hygienist, I will have to communicate with patients and the dental staff through notes in the patient’s history charts, care and treatment plans, X-rays, procedure instructions, and details about what I am doing and how it will benefit the patient. To do this I will have to be knowledgeable with the X-ray machines and all the different programs and software the dental office uses to treat patients. I will also need to be able to communicate in a way that the patient learns to trust and feel comfortable with me so they will be more assessable to the guidance and directions I give them. The type of body language I give off and the tone of voice I use can help to calm some patients that are nervous or hesitant about dental appointments. All types of communication are extremely important as a dental hygienist; I feel it may even be the main focus in this career. The fact that I am a big factor in the overall health of my patients leaves me with little or no room for error. Reading, writing, or saying the wrong information could cause major problems for the patient and/or the dental practice. This could result in lawsuits or losing a patient.  Mastering my communication skills with my patients as well as everyone in the dental office is a very crucial part of the job (Bureau of Labor Statistics). 

I’ve chosen my career, and I know what I need to do to get there. Now I just have to get to it! In the profession of Dental Hygiene, having good communication skills is vital. Based on the communication skills I now possess, there are many areas I can improve in. I definitely want to improve in my grammar, spelling, and note taking skills. In order to accomplish this I will challenge myself with spelling tests, with new words, every week. I will also read more. Reading more will help show how proper grammar is used while I am reading, and it will help me focus on the spelling of words as I say them. It is also suggested I always use proper grammar and instill good grammar habits, like looking things up and carefully reviewing all my work before it is sent or shown to anyone.  Another thing I will do to improve is follow and apply the concepts my professors provide me with to as many things as I can in my daily activities. The resources and concepts will help me check my work, answer any questions I might run into, and organize my thoughts and notes. The College Success Seminars and the other resources that are available on campus, like tutoring and the writing lab will also help improve my communication skills.

Having good communication skills is always a key factor in a successful career. Having these skills will help employers to determine if I am qualified for the job. Good communication skills will also help me advance as a dental hygienist. Lastly, these skills will help me grow as a professional so I will succeed throughout my career. People start learning communication skills very young and keep learning well into their careers. It is important that everyone really focuses on improving his or her communication skills every day.

 

Works Cited

 

Adams, Susan. "Why Grammar Counts At Work." Forbes. 20 July 2012. Web. 22 Jan. 2015. <http://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2012/07/20/why-grammar-counts-at-work/>.

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. "Dental Hygienists." Occupational Outlook Handbook. U.S. Department of Labor, 8 Jan. 2014. Web. 27 Jan. 2015. <http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dental-hygienists.htm>.

Wiens, Kyle. "I Won't Hire People Who Use Poor Grammar. Here's Why." Harvard Business Review. 20 July 2012. Web. 22 Jan. 2015. <https://hbr.org/2012/07/i-wont-hire-people-who-use-poo>.