New year, new job? How to land an exciting teaching role

Deciding whether to stay in your current role or move to a new school is a hard choice to make. After all, it’s likely that you will have forged some great relationships with your colleagues and pupils. However, if you are no longer being challenged in your role, it could be time for a change.

Changing jobs can be uncomfortable, but a new start in a different school could bring you a new lease of life, and a fresh challenge. Below, we’ll outline how to land an exciting teaching role in 2018.

Perfect your CV

Selling yourself on two sides of A4 is not an easy task. However, a good CV is crucial for bagging yourself a fantastic new job. Not sure where to begin? Start with your contact details and a personal statement, before following this up with your experience, education and any key achievements.

You should state the role, school and dates that you have worked at previously, and give a brief summary of specific responsibilities you had in each teaching position. Once you are done, make sure you proofread this a few times, or even ask a friend to look over it for you.

Write an effective cover letter

The competitive nature of the teaching profession means first impressions are extremely important. Alongside your CV, your cover letter provides you with a platform to outline why you are applying for the job and why you’re right for the role.

You will need to tailor this specifically to the job you are applying for, so make sure you do your research into any core values that resonate well with you. You should explain more about who you are and your professional achievements, while also linking these back to the school itself.

Use the right platforms to search for jobs

Job boards like CV-Library are essential online platforms to use when looking for a new job. These sites host job adverts on behalf of employers and recruitment agencies, and you can search through these to find your ideal position. Alongside this, you can upload your CV, which means (if you have your profile as visible), you can be approached about new positions directly. 

Many job boards will have advanced searching tools. These enable you to easily find the roles that you are after, and you can filter these by keywords, job title, salary, location and industry.

Practice common interview questions

While generic questions around strengths and weaknesses are important, you should also consider practising industry specific interview questions to ensure you’re well prepared for what the interviewer may ask you! This could be around issues in the classroom, for example, how you handle bad behaviour in lessons, or how you would deal with bullying.

Alternatively, they may be keen to know how you would teach a certain topic, how you would work cooperatively with your colleagues and parents, and even how you would develop yourself. There is a range of topics covered in an interview, but the main point is that the employer wants to know why you are the right person for the job, and what you can bring to the school.

Don’t be afraid of leaving mid-term

If you’re already feeling de-motivated or drained by your current role, don’t be afraid to leave before the end of term if it feels right. Leaving in the middle of term can be difficult, but there isn’t too much you do can about the timing if you are unhappy.

Remain professional and assist in the transition where you can. This will ensure that there aren’t any negative consequences for your future career. You should always seek to maintain positive relationships with existing and past employers, as you never know when you may need their support and assistance in the future.

In summary

The New Year is always a great time to make a fresh start in your career. So don’t hold back – if you think it’s time to look for a new teaching job, why not start your search today?