How to Land Your Dream Teaching Job

Most prospective teachers want to begin teaching immediately after graduating. Most college graduates have large quantities of student loan debt and are eager to begin their careers as quickly as they can. Although teachers are needed throughout the United States, state and local budget cuts have stifled demand for teachers. To add to the difficulties of finding teaching jobs after graduating, many school districts are filling open teaching positions with experienced educators. If you’re still looking for a teaching job, the following tips will assist you during the interview process:

Beef Up Your Resume
Improve and enhance your resume prior to your job search. Even if you lack applicable work experience, you can emphasize extra-curricular activities you participated in during college, volunteer work, or experience acquired during an internship. A good resume can help you obtain interviews. It’s essential you develop an effective resume since it can familiarize a potential employer with you. To present your resume professionally, print it on high-grade paper and check it multi-times for spelling and grammatical errors. Mistakes on your resume can reflect poorly on you.

Begin Your Search
There are a variety of strategies you can utilize to locate available teaching jobs. A great place to find information about open jobs is at the human resource departments of school districts. Another way to locate teaching opportunities is to attend job fairs, whether they be online fairs or fairs where you can interact one-one-one with recruiters. Since many states have laws requiring local school districts to post open positions in newspapers, it’s recommended to frequently review the classified ad sections of major newspapers. Likewise, take time to frequently review online sites featuring job listings, and visit the local office of your state’s employment assistance service. Prospective teachers willing to work in another state or region can expand the number of available teaching opportunities.

Ace Your Interview
After finding jobs you would like to pursue, it’s advisable to prepare yourself for the interviewing process. Even if a school district you are interested working for does not schedule an interview with you immediately, do not get discouraged since it takes districts a long time to review the resumes of all applicants. Likewise, many school districts have positions become available just prior to the beginning of new school years. It’s also a good idea to indicate on your resume if you’re interested in working as a substitute teacher. Be prepared with answers to the following interview questions:

• What is your teaching philosophy?
• What will you do in a classroom to motivate students?
• How will you manage your classroom?
• Describe how you will communicate and provide feedback for parents?
• How will you discipline students with behavioral problems?

It’s also not uncommon to be asked just prior to the conclusion of an interview whether you have questions for the interviewer. Many candidates make the mistake of not asking the interviewer any questions. The interviewer may get the impression that you have little interest in the job when you are not prepared with questions. If you do not have any specific questions, it’s good to inquire about common classroom sizes, availability of technology teaching resources and anything else you would like more information about. It’s also advisable to ask for a tour of the school to demonstrate your interest in the position.

Dress professionally for a job interview and do everything possible to exude confidence. Maintain appropriate eye contact and demonstrate enthusiasm for the position. The way in which you present yourself can demonstrate how you’ll handle yourself in a classroom and provide the interviewer with a preview of your teaching style.