For job seekers in the field of education, the spring of the year is a time filled with great anticipation. School districts around the country are moving in full swing to hire highly qualified staff for the upcoming school year. Having said that, the inevitable question is “what do I have to do to get a job?”.
One of the fundamental questions in today’s electronic world is “what do you know about the school district where you want to apply?” With websites improving daily and in-depth information available on the internet, candidates need to do a thorough job of reviewing potential employers. Not all questions can be answered this way, but a general sense of what you are getting in to will probably come across. Seek more information by emailing specific schools or central offices to get things like timelines and job expectations. Read the advertisement closely to see if you fit the position. Finally, don’t apply for positions that won’t fit you. I have had many people tell me that you should not apply for a position unless you are willing to accept it.
School districts are in competitive hiring with their geographic counterparts. To only look at salary or the age of a building, probably does not give you enough of a picture to make a decision. Be clear what it is that will make you happy. Is it student diversity, location, test scores, or something else? Once you have spent the time preparing you are now ready to enter the candidate pool.
Doug Peden
Executive Director of Human Resources
Falcon School District