Finding the Right Teaching Job

It would be great if the school of your dreams called you up as soon as you graduate from college and offered you the teaching job you have always wanted.  However, as anyone who has ever been hired for a teaching job knows, this is never the case. If you are a certified teacher wanting a teaching job, you will need to do some serious legwork.

Obtaining a teaching position can be difficult, but it is much easier if you know where to look and start your job search with a strong teacher resume and cover letter. Consider checking the following sources when seeking your next teaching job.

• The Newspaper
While it is not the most likely place to find them, some schools post job vacancies in the newspaper; a particularly common practice when dealing with private or charter schools. You are most likely to find job listings in the newspaper between the months of June and August, but it wouldn’t hurt to check the newspaper at the end of the school year since some schools do their hiring the school year before. Most teaching postings listed in the newspaper include details on how to apply for the position and a contact number to gain more information.

• Local Department of Education Website
Almost every state or province has a department of education that has been established to govern the education of the children living in that particular area.  A great source to consult when seeking a teaching job is your local department of education website, as most Department of Education websites contain a page of job listings. These job postings are often searchable or organized by region, making them an invaluable tool for any job hungry educator.

• School District Websites
The most common way to locate teaching jobs is to look on school district websites.  Almost every school district has a section of their website that is dedicated to listing teacher or administrator job posts. Once you have identified the school district that you would like to work in, you should be sure to check the website weekly for jobs. If you are not consistent in checking district websites, you could easily miss a teaching position that would be perfect for you.

• Job Boards
Depending on where you are located, you can find jobs on physical job posting boards. Some school districts have job posting boards in the district office with information about openings. Because the methods of communicating job postings varies greatly from area to area, it would be advantageous to check with any school districts that you would like to work in and inquire as to how they post their jobs.

• Teaching Assistant and Substitute Teaching
If you don’t see many postings for teachers, you may also inquire about teaching assistant and substitute teaching positions. Many schools would prefer that their teachers start out this way so they receive training on how the school is run, get to know the other personnel, get to know the school policies, and learn to communicate and interact with the students.

• Recruiters: You may also want to send your resume to companies that are hired especially to recruit teachers for open positions. Sometimes the job you can get through these companies is better than the ones you would get through a public school system

Looking for a teaching position is serious work and the task can make you feel defeated after searching for months. It may seem like you are getting nowhere.  It is important to recognize that landing a job may take longer than expected simply because the teaching profession is flooded and schools have no difficulty filling their positions.

The key is to start with an accomplishment-based, keyword-rich, visually-appealing resume and cover letter. When you have these documents fine-tuned, keep applying for jobs because no school is going to come looking for you. Be active in your job search and eventually you will find the job that you have been looking for.