Are you a teacher looking for a fresh challenge at a new school? Whether you are re-locating, looking for progression or just want a change in the new year – i-teachers are here to help! Not only are we fantastic at finding the perfect role for you, we are pretty great at giving you some advice along the way!
Finding a new job is daunting. Whether you have been in the same teaching role for a while now, or you are an Early Careers Teacher (ECT) looking for your first permanent role, a change can feel both welcome and overwhelming. There are lots of teaching jobs out there – and lots of teachers looking for them! So how do you make sure you get the right role for you? We have put together some of our top tips on how to get your next teaching job.
Choosing the right role
The first step is going to be making sure you are choosing the right role for you. It is easy to get into the habit of applying for anything and everything when you are desperate to find a new role. However this can see you ending up at an interview, or even in a role, that you don’t enjoy and isn’t the right fit for you! This can be avoided by following the right steps to choose your role.
Plan ahead
Planning ahead is key when thinking about your next teaching job. Really think about where you want to go in your career and try not to just get swept up in the process of applying for roles. Think about the role that you are looking for and make sure that you are searching for roles that offer you the opportunity to develop the skills and experience you will need to further your career in the long term. Consider the career progression available within the school you are applying to. Does it seem likely that you will get a promotion, or do you see yourself needing a change again within a few years? It’s important to consider this in your job search.
Consider culture!
Culture is becoming an increasingly important factor to consider when looking for a teaching role at a new school. It’s not just about the subject you teach, you need to think about the type of school you are applying to. You can be passionate about your subject, but if the school isn’t the right fit, you won’t enjoy teaching! Think about some of these different factors:
- Is the school known for being creative or more academic?
- What are the class sizes/school size like?
- Are there any religious factors that may influence your decision?
- Is the school’s ethos something you can resonate with?
- Does the school have a strong mission statement that you could see yourself working towards?
All these things will have an impact on what your day-to-day life is like, so it’s important to base some of your decisions around this.
Gather as much knowledge as possible
It is so important to DO YOUR RESEARCH! A great place to start is to read their Ofsted reports to get some impartial advice on the school. For more statistical evidence, The Department for Education makes comparisons of schools of a similar profile and can give you numbers on absence trends, performance trends, demographic etc. Have a look on google to see if there are any news articles on the school or if their PTA has a group or newsletter that you can access. These can be routes to useful information that will help you build a picture of the school and its environment.
Getting the right school to choose YOU!
Just as important as choosing the right school, is getting the right school to choose you! You need to prepare yourself in order to have the best chance at securing your perfect role. Here are some great ways to do so:
Read and understand the job description
It may sound obvious to read the job description, but it is surprisingly where many applicants fall down! You need to ensure that you have specifically addressed everything that they are asking for in the job description with clear and real world experience from your teaching career to date. Make it your priority to make it easy for them to choose you!
Make an impact with your interview answers
It’s very easy during a teaching interview to just tell the interviewers what you have done. Yes, it is relevant. However, what is more relevant is the impact that the actions had on your students and the school. Try to really showcase the end outcome of a particular action or way of teaching, and how that has influenced the student experience and end results. This is what will really get your interviewers attention!
How can i-teachers help you get your next teaching job?
Is one of your intentions for this year to find a new teaching job? Here at i-teachers, we are an education recruitment consultancy focusing on providing long term and permanent jobs in Primary, Secondary and SEN schools across the UK.
So, how can i-teachers help you to find a teaching job?:
- Our friendly and experienced education consultants are dedicated to perfectly matching our candidates to schools suited to their skills set and personal goals.
- We work with NQTs and experienced teachers across the UK, as well as graduates looking for teaching assistant roles prior to teacher training.
- For our job seekers we provide an approachable, responsible and easy to work with team of professionals, all driving towards finding the perfect role and ideal solution for the future.
What makes us unique:
- Caring and experienced team of education consultants (check out our 5* TrustPilot reviews to see for yourself!).
- We won’t rest until we have found you the perfect role in the ideal school.
- We are education experts, and offer industry leading, specialist advice.
- We work nationally, so we are ideal if you want to relocate.
- Our consultants are with you every step of the way, helping you to make the best decisions for your career before, during and after your placement.
Get in touch with one of our dedicated consultants to find out more on how to find teaching jobs, or have a look through some of our current vacancies!