Although the school year has ended for many districts around the country, administrators are planning ahead for the next academic year. For many, that will begin in August, and it is time to start hiring teachers for open positions that need to be filled within the next couple of months. Here are some of the most effective ways to fill those slots by hiring teachers with the right credentials and possible prior teaching experience.
School Publicity and Social Media
Post the job opening on the school’s website or social media accounts. A school newsletter sent home to families can also carry the job posting in case a family knows of a teacher who is looking for a job. LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram may also be able to post the job position and reach a wider audience of prospective applicants. A school administrator who is a member of the local chamber of commerce or area business groups may be able to publish a job ad in publications associated with those organizations.
Encourage Word of Mouth
Teachers often make connections in community groups and academic programs for area teachers. They also get acquainted at conferences and in-services. Your teachers that are still on staff or those that are preparing to leave may know of someone who is looking for a teaching position.
They can spread the word by encouraging suitable candidates to apply for the open teaching positions. Employed teachers can also use their social media platforms to let others know about the job openings. Even if most of their connections are not teachers, those linked individuals might know of friends or family members who may be interested.
Publish a Local Job Ad
Print or digital community newspapers often include a job section where you can pay to list your job ad. The advantages of this type of listing is that you can attract local teaching candidates who live in the area and won’t have to relocate to work for your school if hired. Some may be new college graduates.
Others might have lost teaching positions recently due to school closings, downsizing, or budget issues. Interviews can usually be scheduled quickly and conveniently for everyone involved at minimal cost. The search committee or school will not need to pay hefty travel costs or overnight lodging.
Post a Job Opening in Academic Publications
Many academic news newsletters and journals welcome job ads for teaching positions. The Chronicle of Higher Education is an example, and there are many others. Teachers who are looking for jobs often check these resources first. Publish your ad as soon as you know there will be a need for teaching during the coming school year.
Teachers often need a few months to complete their current assignment, especially if they are substitute teaching, and to go through the interview process. If hired, they will need time to relocate if they are living elsewhere by finding a place to live and getting settled. Competition is often keen, so you will likely have a qualified pool of candidates to choose from.
Utilize a General Job Seekers’ Service
Headhunter employment agencies can successfully match candidates with open job positions. They coordinate applicants’ credentials with specific teaching jobs that seem to suggest a good fit. The interviewing process and background check will confirm the eligibility of candidates that apply for an open position. Sometimes a fee is involved in finding jobs for candidates.
This might be paid by the teachers who are seeking jobs or the schools looking for credentialed teachers to hire. The latter is especially true if the agency performs a background check on the candidates or provides other testing or evaluation services. This level of support can save the school time when screening several candidates for teaching jobs.
Contact a State or National Teachers Database
Some states have a teacher database that lists those who are actively seeking new positions. Check with your state board of education to see if they maintain this type of hiring pool. You can also check with national teacher databases like Teach for America to find applicants with the degrees, skills, and experience needed for the positions you have available.
Other teacher pools of qualified candidates may also be maintained by local boards of education or various school districts. Browse the Internet or make a few phone calls to see if these databases exist in your area.
Consult Universities’ Placement Services
Most colleges and universities include a placement office that helps graduates find jobs in their respective disciplines. These offices sometimes work with the city’s unemployment bureau to connect new graduates with available teaching positions by providing application links or guidelines. You can contact the institution of higher learning directly and ask for the placement office or job services department to inquire about new teacher graduates.
Check with Other Schools
Sometimes a school will be preparing a staffing change that may result in a teacher becoming available for a new position. A department may need to reduce staff, for example, or the program might be discontinued. School administrators also may know of teachers who semi-retired to have a baby or care for a sick relative, and those teachers may be thinking about returning to the classroom. Often, other schools sometimes have leads to available teachers.
Get in Touch with Local Tutors
Some academic tutors have teaching certifications but for various reasons are now tutoring instead. Contact professional tutoring agencies in the area to see if they have a tutor who is thinking of going back to teaching. Other tutors might be close to earning a teaching degree or a state teaching certificate, and you may be able to interview them on a contingency basis.
This would mean that if hired, they agree to complete their degree or certification to continue teaching full time. There are many ways to advertise a teaching position. Use the ones that are most relevant for the candidates you hope to attract. Provide contact information and a deadline.
