Finding jobs for teachers

Posted: 02/09/2007--25/11/2008 || Rate this Article: 3 || Views|| Sign In || Register ||Hello Guest

There is an abundance of teaching positions available. There is currently a teacher shortage, particularly in the areas of special education, bilingual education, math and science. There are many positions to be found in the public schools, however, public schools are certainly not the only places that teaching jobs can be found. Since they offer the most positions, though, lets begin by looking at how to go about applying for a job with one of the school districts.

First of all, find out which public schools serve the area in which you live. In many metropolitan areas, there are many different districts. Look up each districts web page. Under Human Resources, you should find job listings, the procedure for applying and perhaps even the districts pay scale.

You need to do is fill out the district application and submit all of the required materials. Your application will not become active until you have completed every step of the procedure they have outlined on their site or application. After submitting the required information, dont sit back and rest on your laurels. Even though the district may have required you to fill out an application, submit a resume, transcripts, and your certification, this does not guarantee you a job. Take a look at the specific job postings and decide which ones you are interested in. Then call the individual school and ask to speak to the person responsible for filling the position. Talk to them directly if you can. If you have to leave a voice message, or are discouraged from speaking to the person in charge, at least get their name and title, so that you can include it in your cover letter. You want to personalize your job search as much as possible.

If you dont get responses on some of the jobs you have applied for, dont feel discouraged. Often, districts are required to publicly post positions that they have every intention of filling internally. Keep trying to contact the decision-maker at the school you want to work at. Often, they can tell you about positions that are expected to open up that havent been posted yet. Also, dont forget to attend the districts job fair, if they offer one. This is a great way to meet the principals of the different schools in a large district, and you may get a job offer fairly quickly.

Another way to find out about public school job opportunities is to sign up with your regional education service center. Often, you can fill out an application with them, which will be stored in their database for the surrounded area that you have specified. Many rural schools utilize this resource to fill positions.

Whatever you do, dont give up. Although many principals are aware of open positions by April, teachers frequently resign their positions right before the school year is to begin, leaving principals scrambling to fill positions. So even if you dont have the job you want in hand by the end of May, you might very well find yourself with a job in August. Also, many principals reserve the month of June for hiring, so there are many different times you should check in with the schools. Dont be afraid to be persistent. School administrators today have many responsibilities, and you dont want your resume to slip through the cracks of the principals memory.

Besides the public school system, there are many private schools in operation, both religious and secular. These schools often do not have yearly contracts, so you may be able to find a position that has become available in the middle of the school year. You will want to take a personalized approach when dealing with private schools, and you will probably need to stop by the school to pick up an application in person. Be certain to peruse the schools website so that you know what their educational goals are, and whether or not you will be a good match. If you are, be sure to match the schools goals to your cover letter and resume. In this case, sending out a generic resume is a certain way to ensure that it ends up in the trash.

Other educational opportunities exist in juvenile correctional facilities, day treatment programs for behavior or substance abuse, programs for expelled youth, and mental hospitals. Treat the application process at any of these institutions the same as you would if you were applying for a private school position. Customize your resume. If the job is with a correctional institution, give yourself plenty of time to fill out and submit the state or county job application, as these are notoriously slow to be processed. Dont be surprised if you do not hear back from a state or county facility for two months. Other facilities, such as those run by private non-profits, may hire within the week.

The most important thing when searching for a teaching position is to identify what it is that you want, and then go after it. If you want to teach, there are plenty of opportunities out there, regardless of your academic discipline.