Think differently about getting the message of your candidacy to the individuals responsible for hiring. In today's competitive job market where there may be hundreds or even thousands of applicants for each position, and with the advent of online applications, it is increasingly difficult to catch the attention of principals and human resource professionals. How can you rise above the crowd of applicants? How can you share a personal message about your candidacy? Consider creating a multi-media personal statement that highlights your personal vision of teaching, experiences supporting your candidacy, accomplishments, and credentials. Both iMovie (Mac) or MovieMaker (Windows) are ...

The application process for candidates can be a frustrating process considering the variance between what is expected from one school district to the next. While there are a number of school districts that require candidates to complete paper & pen applications, a growing number of districts require candidates to complete online applications. These online applications can be time-consuming endeavors that challenge the patience and test the desire of many candidates. Candidates need to understand that online applications are often the first place school district administrators will turn to when openings occur in their particular school or school district. Therefore, it is ...

When speaking with candidates during job fair events, I am often asked what people can do to "stand out" as they look for a position. Following are some things to keep in mind as you navigate the process: • Always be professional, courteous and considerate • Avoid spelling and grammar mistakes on your application materials and correspondence • Learn everything you can about the school district(s) that interest you (websites often contain a plethora of information) • Prepare good questions for job fairs and interviews • Express genuine interest and enthusiasm for the district • Be conscious of your personal "web presence" (social networking sites, ...

We are rapidly approaching a time when things get really hectic. Whether you are an administrative or teacher candidate, there are tasks that you can be completing now to make it easier this spring. The job search process will require a variety of documents which would be helpful to start developing and collecting now. • Resume - create your resume, consult your career center for assistance. It needs to be highly readable and contain information regarding your teaching experience, student teaching or other experiences involving children/students. There are also some great specialized books on resumes written for teacher candidates. • Cover ...

I recently attended the American Association for Employment in Education (AAEE) national conference. The unique aspect of this association is that the membership consists of directors of university and college career centers and K-12 school district Human Resources directors. We had great conversations between institutions that train and provide teachers with those in school districts who want to hire them. One topic caught my interest and I thought it was worth sharing in this career corner. School districts shared that teacher networking was valuable in the job search process but in the discussion, it was hard to define what that "networking"...

I had an opportunity recently to talk to a group of student teachers at a local university. The questions that they asked were general and typical of those that I've answered in the past. One question, however, was timely and I think worthy of sharing in this blog. What should teacher candidates be doing to maximize their job search process for teaching positions if they are graduating mid-year? First, the obvious advice for a December graduate is, to be prepared to substitute teach in the spring semester. In this current economy, school districts have a deep pool of substitute teachers. ...

I apologize for this blog being offline for a few weeks. We were having some volunteer scheduling problems but are now back on track and eager to be of assistance!! I wanted to start our comeback with a very timely article that appeared in last week's EdWeek. The lead sentence stated that "Two out of five of America's teachers appear disheartened and disappointed about their jobs." The article further elaborates, "The view that teaching is "so demanding, it's a wonder that more people don't burn out" is remarkably pervasive, particularly among the Disheartened, - they are twice as likely as ...

Since I started working as a Career Counselor with student teachers three years ago, I knew I was in my element. As I began developing specific programming to help student teachers prepare for their first teaching position, it occurred to me that finding a teaching position can be competitive and for some student teachers a rude awaking once it comes time to start their job search. So what can students do to be better prepared and approach their job search with confidence and competence? Preparation - Developing a well-organized resume, preparing a professional portfolio and practicing interview questions are a ...

If you are facing the prospect of not being employed as a full-time teacher this fall, you should consider what alternatives you have to stay involved in education throughout the 2009-2010 academic year to improve your chances of landing a teaching job in the future. Substitute teaching is probably the most obvious alternative. School administrators often regard subbing as a job audition. If you are able to prove to administrators that you can handle the tough job of being a substitute teacher, you are showing them your talents rather than just providing a resume and an application. Some teacher candidates ...

While a resume and cover letter are non-negotiable documents in the application process, a portfolio is an optional piece. Rarely will an employer request a portfolio, either in the initial screening or at the interview. So, if employers don’t request portfolios, why prepare one? Based on feedback from recent graduates and employers, here are some reasons to consider: • The portfolio demonstrates organization and attention to detail. • Bringing a portfolio to an interview implies motivation and passion for teaching. • Creating and formatting a portfolio (either hard copy or electronic) demonstrates expertise with technical applications. • The portfolio provides a concrete visual ...