How to get a teaching job? Landing your dream job can be a challenging task. Whether you’re looking for your first teaching job or want to get a better job that fits your requirements and needs, you have to make some effort.
If we talk about teaching jobs, skilled teachers are in great demand in the United States. There’s a considerable decline in the number of bright college graduates who have a passion for being a good teacher. As a result, both public schools and private schools are always looking for highly talented teachers willing to end the cycle of multigenerational poverty.
So, if you’re passionate about getting a good teaching job and you have the required skills or qualifications, you can easily get your dream job. You need to properly plan your career goals and then find the right job.
In this post, we’ll explain how you can get a teaching job with great ease and speed and what steps you should take to improve the outcome of your job search. How hard is it to get a teaching job? We’ll also talk about how foreign teachers can get a teaching job in the US under the J-1 Teacher Program. Let’s get started!
Explain your ‘why’
First of all, it’s important to decide if teaching is the right profession for you. In other words, why do you want to be a teacher? For example, if you want to become rich, teaching is probably not the right job for you. Why? Because an average teacher earns somewhere around $60K a year.
What are your career and financial goals? Do you know how much an average teacher makes in the US? What is wrong with your current job if you want to find a new position? What are your expectations? Ask yourself these questions to define why you want to get a teaching job.
Requirements for teaching abroad
If you’re looking to find your first job as a teacher, make sure you meet the basic requirements. Here is a quick overview of things you need to obtain:
A bachelor’s degree with a major in the subject you want to teach
Complete a teaching internship in the subject you wish to teach
Get your teacher's license
Language fluency
Be eligible to work in the United States
Certification in TEFL/TESL/TESOL (if teaching English)
Learn more about BridgeUSA Teacher Program.
In addition to these qualifications, you might also need any of the following depending on the job you are applying for:
Master’s Degree
License to teach
Previous teaching experience
If you are not planning to teach English, you should have a degree with a field-specific focus, such as a history degree if you plan to teach social studies
Administrative Certification (if applying for a position as a school administrator).
Are you curious about how to get a teaching job with no experience? If you don’t have the required skills, knowledge, and teaching experience to get a good job, start acquiring them. It’s a good idea to gain teaching experience working with children by finding a job in summer camps, childcare, and community recreation programs. Remember, it’s not hard to get your first teaching job if you do it correctly.
Types of teachers in highest demand by 2030
ESL (English as a Second Language). Educators that specialize in teaching English as a second language will be in high demand
Mathematics Teachers
Science Teaching
Social Studies Teachers
Special Education Teachers.
How to get a good teaching job
Here is what you need to do to find open positions and eventually land your dream teaching job:
Let the world know
It would help if you weren’t shy about finding a job. Your social connections won’t help if they don’t know that you’re looking for a job. Your family, friends, classmates, and teachers can help you find your dream job. So, go out and ask. Online platforms like Facebook and Linkedin are good sources for teaching jobs.
Acquire new skills
While you’re looking for a good teaching job, make sure not to stop the learning process. School districts and the way teachers teach have changed a lot during the pandemic. As an educator, you need to work on your skills and be more flexible and resilient.
School districts prefer to hire those teachers who understand the technology and virtual classrooms. So, be willing to adapt and learn new things. Students returning to in-person schooling need some time to regain their momentum. As a teacher, you must know how to be patient with students and differentiate effectively.
Stand out in the application process
The best thing you can do to improve your chances of getting your favorite job is to cut through the clutter. Schools often receive hundreds of applications against one open position. Therefore, your best bet is to stand out. Give an employer why they shouldn’t toss your application in the trash and consider you for the job. This is where you need to focus on your professional profile.
Optimize resume
You probably understand that teaching is a competitive sector, especially when it comes to popular subjects. Do you think it’s hard to stand out? We don’t think so. The first couple of lines of your resume can set you apart.
For example, you can write down a more descriptive professional profile instead of starting your resume with some generic “job objective.” Highlights your greatest strength upfront and how your students scored above average. Here is what else you can do to boost your resume:
- Show your passion for teaching in the career summary section or your objective section. Share what you think about the education field and how you want to help students achieve success. It’s critical to show that you choose to be a teacher for the right reasons.
- The next thing you can do to improve your resume is credentials. It is what employers should see when they look at your resume for the first time. Tell them that you’re qualified, accomplished, and skilled.
- Don’t forget to optimize your resume for automated candidate screening systems. An increasing number of schools and businesses use software to streamline their hiring process. So, be sure to use important industry keywords such as classroom management and K-12 to pass through the screening process.
- Take a quick look at a sample resume to find out how you can improve yours. However, do not use generic content in your resume.
Build a portfolio
Creating a portfolio showing all of your work during your career can help you land a good teaching job. When creating a portfolio, focus on who you are as a teacher and how good you are at fulfilling the needs of a teaching job. Besides, try to build a custom portfolio for each application to align with the job description.
Not sure what items to include in your portfolio? Think of your achievements. For instance, you can show you collaborated with a co-teacher to create a lesson. Or how you complete an amazing book-report project with your students. It could be anything that highlights your capabilities to take on challenging projects.
Participate in job fairs
Most people think that job fairs are for undergraduates, but they can help you get a perfect teaching job. Do you think districts and schools attend job fairs for no reason? They have active openings, and you should be there to explore opportunities. Job fairs are good platforms to make some connections with employers.
Prepare for the interview process
Job interviews are a decisive part of most recruiting processes. This is your chance to express yourself face-to-face with potential employers. Good teachers are confident and well-organized, and you have to demonstrate these traits in interviews. Show your employer that you can handle yourself in the classroom.
When preparing for a teaching job interview, think beyond those conventional questions such as “tell me something about yourself.” Practice how to stay collected and confident during interview questions. Do a brief research on the type of school you want to teach.
If you are having trouble finding a full-time teaching job during the job hunt, try being a substitute at different school districts. Educating yourself will make you more attractive as a teaching candidate.
Tips on how to get hired as a teacher fast
As a teacher, you must take steps to find the right job for you - not every teaching position is the right opportunity. While you must do everything practical to get hired fast, be sure you’ve done your homework. Here are some valuable tips on you should approach getting a new teaching job:
Be flexible
A good teacher has certain traits. For instance, a teacher has to be patient and humble. Likewise, good teachers are flexible visionaries with a career plan. So, keep your eye on the next step, and feel free to ask about an opportunity.
Move on
Competent teachers know when they should move on. They keenly observe other teachers but have their own plans, and they don’t hesitate to take the steps necessary to achieve their goals.
Understand job markets
It is recommended to spend some time finding your ideal job. Stay focused and be willing to take a risk whenever needed. Most importantly, believe in yourself.
Choose prospective jobs well
Before submitting your application, read job details carefully and critically. Evaluate the implications of taking a job. Talk to your colleagues about new job opportunities.
Make good job application
If you’re serious about getting a specific job, it makes sense to take the time and space to fill the application properly. You can create drafts until you have one you’re happy with.
Teaching jobs for foreign teachers
Now let’s talk about teaching jobs dedicated to foreign teachers. The Teacher Exchange Program allows international teachers to find and get a teaching job in the United States for a specific time period.
If you’re not a resident of the US and you want to get a teaching job here, use the J-1 Teacher Program to achieve this goal. J1teachers.com is the right platform for you to acquire all the information and get yourself registered. When you sign up on J1teachers.com and create your profile, potential employers will be able to see your profile and contact you. You can also browse through potential employers to find the right opportunity.
Before you start finding a teaching position in the US, make sure you meet the requirements. You have to get a teacher visa to join an accredited primary or secondary school in the US. So, if you’re passionate about teaching in the US, do some research to understand the J-1 Teacher Program and how it helps teachers and students expand their cultural awareness.
Final thoughts
Whether you’re a foreign teacher or a US resident, finding your dream teaching job requires your time and strategic efforts. Small factors like a good resume or presenting yourself well in an interview can make your job finding process a lot easier. So, don’t hesitate to invest some time in acquiring valuable skills and improving your portfolio, cover letters, and resume.
To prove that you have to negotiate power, you can reference your research and experience. For example, you might reference the average salary for a teaching job in that country, or mention that you have three years of experience but the position only requires two.
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