Finding a Teaching Job: Where to Start
Finding a teaching job can be a difficult process. However, if you know where to look and how to go about your teaching job search, the search process becomes much easier. This article shows you where to start your teacher job search.
Where to Look for a Teaching Job
There are many ways to look for a teaching job. The following lists five different ways to find a teaching job, including the pros and cons of each:
- Teaching Job Search Online: The internet is a great resource for those looking for a teaching job. There are numerous websites and online education recruiters that have listings for all kinds of jobs in the educational field. The best part about an online search is that you can do it at any time and have access to thousands of teaching job listings with the simple click of a mouse. However, you will need to be patient enough to go through numerous listings until you come across exactly what you want.
- Job Listings in Print: This refers to looking for teaching jobs in print media such as newspapers, career magazines, and the classified section of the phone book. The advantage of looking in such media is that you may find teacher jobs that you will not find online. Some listings also include information and brochures about the schools or school districts, which help determine whether or not you want to work for that particular school.
- Teacher Job Fair: Teacher career fairs are one of the best ways to begin your teaching job search. At them, educators get the opportunity to connect with several prospective employers easily and quickly. You also get the chance to interact with the recruiters personally and show them why you might be perfect for a particular teaching job. Click here to read our article titled How Teaching Job Fairs Can Be Veritable Gold Mines.
- Networking: How do you find teaching jobs that may not be advertised? You begin networking. Networking means talking to your personal contacts about your teaching job search. A good network can be a very profitable source of information and provide you with excellent leads for teacher jobs. You should look at building a network and then frequently contacting your sources to help you find the ideal teaching job.
- Contacting School Districts Directly: Make a list of school districts in your area and try to get an appointment to see the personnel director. Call the district and ask the personnel department's secretary when you can drop by, leave your resume, and speak to the director or an assistant. Remember to pick up any flyers listing the teaching job openings in the district when you visit. Most school districts are always on the lookout for quality educators, so getting an appointment to speak to someone should not be too difficult. Before you go, make sure you have done your homework and know a little about the school district, and, if possible, the schools that have teacher jobs available.
Tell the director why you want to join the district as a teacher, what you have to contribute, and why you are suited for a teaching job in one or more of the schools. Do not stay for more than 8-10 minutes or else you'll appear to be desperate for a job. Be well-informed and sound eager to make a difference in children's lives. If you impress the director or the assistant, you'll definitely hear from them.
Taking a systematic approach to your teacher job search will help you land your ideal teaching job. Make sure you have the perfect resume and cover letter prior to embarking on your job search. You can review our resume and cover letter sample here.