So, have you recently graduated from college with a teaching certification and are excited to find your first teaching job?
Have you completed all your college credits and have a teaching diploma ready to secure a classroom to call home?
Landing your first job out of school can be chaotic and stressful. Dealing with the demands of job-hunting, interviews, and starting a new career can be challenging. How do you make a transition from college to a job?
While it will help to know the desired career path after graduating from teaching college, don’t worry if your first job does not entirely fit your plan.
How Long Does a Job Search Take
Many recent college graduates change jobs after their first year; sometimes, it takes that long (or longer!) to determine what you want to do in life or get into the teaching position you want. In many geographic areas, securing a teaching position is very competitive.
If your job search techniques are not working, it may be time to reevaluate your time and methods.
The competitive job market is due to constrained budgets and a surplus of teachers; it may take a while to get your foot in the door. For this reason, you may seek to start your career in related teaching positions such as daycare, preschool, substitute teaching, coaching sports teams, or working in youth centers.
Start With a Powerful Resume and Cover Letter
Creating a compelling and targeted resume and cover letter is essential for finding a teaching job after graduation. Don’t underestimate the significance of submitting the right resume and cover letter.
Scrutinize the job postings to locate keywords and the school district’s needs to get selected to advance to the next stage in the hiring process.
Each job opening may draw hundreds of applicants’ resumes. A+ Resumes for Teachers (us) can write you a powerful and handy resume to increase job interviews. Your resume and cover letter should focus on how you can contribute to the school you want to work in.
Send your resume to potential principals, school district offices, and your network. Spend time daily looking for employment. Your job search should serve as your job while you are unemployed.
Soon, you will interview and land your first job. Congratulations!
You are ready to transition into your teaching career!
What an exciting time it is for you!
Appropriate social behavior is much different in the working world than in college. It’s much more formal and requires professional speech and action. Your response will judge you in interviews and during your job search.
Prove you are intelligent, articulate, motivated, and professional. Act responsibly at all times. You are serving as a role model for your students, so this is the type of behavior you must model at all times.
Most jobs require employees to arrive on time, take lunch and breaks, and leave work at a particular time. It can be frustrating because you have been used to a more flexible schedule as a college student. With teaching especially, you will find you are often required to work more hours than expected, usually arriving at school long before the students, not having specific times to eat lunch, and frequently taking your work home at night.
Especially as a new teacher, you will need extra hours to design your lesson plans, complete professional development, and get used to the school community’s routines and procedures. It won’t be a smooth transition! Work will now be (and should be) your primary focus until you have a family.
Your ability to collaborate and get along well with individuals from different cultures and backgrounds, as well as with other teachers and the administration, will be essential to your first teaching job. Show you are involved and understand parent concerns.
Keep your job search organized and manage your time carefully. Learn from your mistakes, and do not hesitate to ask for advice and assistance.
The transition from college to a teaching career can be challenging. Stay in touch with your college friends. Initiate conversations with your new co-workers. These people should encourage, motivate, and help you. Strive to get the best job offers from the best schools, and be realistic about what you can expect.
You should always start your teaching job search with a targeted, visually appealing, keyword-rich, accomplishment-based resume and cover letter to pass the applicant tracking system software and WOW the reader to get interviews.
If you need help, contact Candace at 1 877 738 8052 or via email.
