Tips for finding a Teaching Job

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Schools operate on a seasonal hiring schedule. Most K-12 public schools operate on a nine to ten month school year, and administrators often do not become aware of likely teacher vacancies until late spring or early summer. This seasonal cycle often causes a burst of vacancy announcements in late summer, sometimes immediately prior to the beginning of the fall semester. In fact, most applicants are hired in late summer due to districts’ certification concerns. For this reason, applicants may be best served if they keep applications on file with the districts in which they hope to teach. Obviously, personal contact with the principals of desired schools is also recommended.

Due to provisions in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, school districts are now extremely concerned about hiring only “highly qualified” teachers to staff their classrooms. There are very specific requirements for a person to be considered “highly qualified.”

Uncertified individuals will have fewer opportunities to be hired on emergency permits, which used to be very common. Instead, uncertified persons will be encouraged to participate in certification programs, which will train them, test them in their content area and professional practices, and mentor them through their first year in the classroom. You will be most hirable if you are either certified or involved in a certification program to meet the “highly qualified” requirements.

When seeking a position:

• Submit applications to every district for which you wish to work.
• If available, register with regional or state educator job banks, post resumes or applications on-line. Check websites frequently for vacancies, especially during the summer hiring season.
• Ask district personnel offices for advice about faxing or mailing resumes to individual principals.
• Follow up on applications periodically to let them know you are still available

Possible vacancies might be found on the list of state recommended sites, or on a list of other job-search resources.
Other aids in obtaining employment may be found at the following links:

• Teacher Salary Information
• American Federation of Teachers

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