So you want me to interview you?

After reviewing a mountain of applications, here are my tips to help you stand out from the crowd.

For what it's worth...

Tip #1:
About that cover letter. Tell me about yourself, your strengths, experiences, goals. Tell me what you will bring to my school. This, of course, means you better know things about my school. Demographics, mascot, handbook, school improvement plan. It's all out there, found easily with a little Google research.

Tip #2:
Don't start any correspondence with "To Whom It May Concern". If you want me to give you an interview, you better know my name. It's meant to be a conversation between you to me, isn't it? Also, keep in mind there is a big difference between wanting A job, and wanting THIS job. Guess which person I'll be interviewing in the future?

Tip #3: 
Make sure your application materials are complete. Our District has requirements for applicants to follow in order to ensure the hiring process is fair and equitable. Follow these requirements to the letter. Answer every question as completely as possible, upload every document, include every bit of information needed. I am not going to try to decipher partially completed applications, especially if I have a lot of them to screen.

Tip #4:
Resumes still matter. What I'm most interested in are your experiences and expertise as an educator. Make this the first thing I see. Remember, I'm looking through a bunch of information, so the easier you can make it for me to get to know you, the better your chances of talking to me later.

Tip #5:
The more you can do in addition to teaching, the better, especially if you are just getting started. There are a lot of things going on in my school. I need coaches, activity sponsors, time keepers, dance chaperones, and more. My building also has a wide variety of academic and behavioral supports in place that need manpower. Having the ability to be a part of teams such as MTSS, PBIS, PLCs, EdTech, etc. will help your app stand out.

Tip #6:
You need to have the proper certification. If you don't have the proper certification, you need to be in the process of obtaining this certification. At very least, you should be aware of the process it will take to become certified to teach the position I'm needing filled. Make sure you speak to this somewhere in your cover letter or resume. I'm probably not going to interview you if I think I'm going to have to jump through a bunch of hoops to get you licenced to teach the class.

Tip #7:
If you feel limited by a District application process, include links or QR codes that lead me to to other things that illustrate your abilities as an educator. Do you have a video of your instruction, an example of an amazing unit, testimonials from students, or the like? You should make this available to me. 

Tip #8:
Don't be afraid to make contact. Give me a call or email. I also don't mind if you schedule a meeting to talk face to face. Give me plenty of lead time, because Spring is super busy. Your goal should not be to try to sell yourself, but rather to help me connect the person with the application, as well as let you get a sense of what I'm about. It needs to be a fit both ways, after all.

Finding a job in education can be difficult. I hope these tips can help. If anyone else has suggestions, please add them in the comments section below. To my fellow admin...happy hunting!

See you in the interview room.

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