The hiring season will be upon us before you know it and it’s never to early to get started. Often we hear that applicants miss opportunities because they weren’t prepared. It is to your benefit to make sure you have all of our information and documents together BEFORE the hiring season begins.
What should you gather?
- Transcripts–for most districts you will not need Official transcripts for your application but you will need copies of your Unofficial transcripts. Order them now. You can update them later as needed. (Note: you will need ALL transcripts)
- Letters of Reference–most districts request 3 letters of reference for teaching applicants. Give your letter writers plenty of time. They’ll thank you later.
- Resume–you don’t necessarily need a professional resume for all of your applications but it is a good to at the very least have all the information gathered. That way when the time comes to complete your online application you have everything at your fingertips.
- EdZapp Application–UPDATE IT NOW!!! Now is the time to look over what you have previously entered and make edits. If you can’t remember your login click on “Having Trouble Logging In” to retrieve your information. BE COMPLETE!!
The more you have done prior to the hiring season the better. Won’t it be nice to just have to search and apply to jobs rather than rush around trying to meet a deadline?
I am enrolled in the MAT program at Willamette University in Salem, Ore.. When do you suggest I get all my information together?
Lori many districts begin their hiring in the spring. Whatever you can do now will help you when the jobs start being posted. You can register with EdZapp and start getting your information entered by filling out the Build Resume sections. I would also recommend going to websites of districts you are interested in to see an explanation of their hiring process. This will let you know what you should be getting together. Good luck.
Of course, the sooner the better. Most postings are open for just a couple of weeks, so unless you are checking the site daily, you might have to act fast. Statistically speaking, the bulk of the jobs start going up in late February/early March, with the number of job postings “peaking” in May. Last year was a bit different, though, as some districts waited until hearing what their final budget allocation was going to be before posting jobs; this didn’t happen until June for many.
Even more importantly than when you put your own information together, make sure that you have made requests to anyone who will be writing a letter of recommendation on your behalf. Immediate supervisors (principal, department head, manager) are usually preferred, but professors and co-workers are fine too. No matter who it is, you don’t want to have to ask them for a “last minute” emergency letter: it will reflect poorly on you and put unnecessary pressure on them.
Finally, ALWAYS make sure you have your “stuff” together before going to a job fair. This is your opportunity to make an impression face-to-face, and if the interviewer is impressed enough to look you up online, don’t disappoint them by having a less-than-stellar application there.
I have not been a classroom teacher since 2000. I have kept my teaching license current by taking online courses that fulfill the coursework requirement for license renewal. This past fall I took a Special ed assistant job just to get back into the classroom…What else can I do to spark up my resume? I really feel that I’m in a perfect time of life to be a terrific teacher. I have letters of recommendation from my past principals…they are glowing. Having raised my children I feel I also have a good handle on being both a teacher and student/parent advocate. Where is the best place to look for a teaching job? At this point I’m willing to move anywhere. I have been applying to any job on EdZapp the remotely falls in my teaching relm. I really want to get back into the classroom but at 52…I’m feeling a little discouraged.
Looking for a job is all about rejection after rejection—or lack of interest from everywhere—until that ONE “yes”! So, do not be discouraged, merely persistent.
As for “sparking up” your resume, I would suggest a few things:
o Actually make certain your resume, cover letter, supporting documentation are actually “sparkling.” Make the style contemporary, brief, and electronically compatible. With the internet and electronic submission of applications and resumes, employers are exposed to so many resumes that yours needs to be efficient and effective. Make the font easy to read, the white space balanced, emphasis on the four or five truly key elements. View your resume through different layouts to make sure the important information is clear and obvious. For example, the full-screen reading view often chops sections of a page into awkward portions. Then carefully edit your cover letter/e-mail . Use the power of technology to easily personalize each and every inquiry, using just a couple of sentences to succinctly highlight your strengths for this particular job. And ALWAYS proofread!
o As a more “mature” job candidate, you need to be vibrant and modern BUT you have the advantage of knowing how to use the mail and telephone, too! Follow-up with prospective employers with a phone call; send thank-you notes via snail mail. You’ll be more memorable and, let’s face it, a lot of the hiring folks at central office administration are middle aged, too!. Your maturity will create comfort and trust while your modern, crisp application materials will engender excitement.
o You have plenty of experience—obviously—and your special education focus this year should really generate some interest from employers. Have you looked into state certification in Special Education? It could be very simple and inexpensive to add this credential and immediately make your application more relevant. You might also look into other simple endorsements available, such as gifted and talented or reading. Often these are just a matter of several hours of continuing education, depending on your earlier certifications. Plus, recent continuing education attendance will add to that “really engaged” qualification administrators want and need.
o And what about offering some in-service or continuing education sessions yourself? Start small, perhaps, by providing some content area specialization to the Special Education department where you are working or some Special Education information to the content area specialists at the school.
Remember to stay positive and keep applying. You’ve got the maturity and wisdom to know that nothing stays the same for very long (especially in education)!
Like Lori, I am also currently enrolled in a MAT program and have been gathering and uploading information to my account. When is it appropriate to make my account visible to districts regardless of whether or not my information is complete?
It’s up to you, but here’s the trade-off:
On the one hand, if your application is incomplete and they look you up, they might be disappointed not to have all the information, or (worse) actually THINK that you don’t have experience or training or whatever has been left out…even though you do.
On the other hand, if you keep your application invisible, they won’t be able to find you AT ALL, and might assume you’re not interested and forget about you.
Remember: hiring managers and recruiters can only find you based on what you input to the system, so try to be as complete as possible and make your application visible to as many districts as you like. Like the title of this post, “It’s never too early.”