I’m sure that you’ve heard it before. Family, friends and acquaintances discussing the immense teacher shortage: the increased government funding for teacher positions and the plethora of new teaching positions available. It’s almost insulting that there appears to be so many ‘teaching positions’ yet it is so difficult to get a permanent teaching position. Unless you’re a targeted graduate (lets be honest, it’s not going to happen to most graduates), or you’re willing to teach out in rural NSW the chances of you walking into a permanent teaching appointment are pretty low.
Getting temporary teaching appointments for maternity leave, staff sickness and so forth is a different process.
Just getting to interview is difficult. There is the merciless culling process, the internal appointments and the thorough selection criteria, which are all important factors, which will determine your success in getting to interview. There are a number of things that you can do to help improve your chances of getting from writing your resume to sitting in front of the interview panel.
1.Let your referees know that you’re applying
Make sure you read through a copy of the job application and find out which referees are required. Ensure that your principal and your other referees know that you are applying. Their account of your suitability for the role and your professionalism are vital.
2.Proof read your resume for errors.
There are few things that will get your resume thrown out immediately, careless grammar and spelling mistakes are one of them.. If grammar and spelling isn’t your strength ask someone else to read your application.
3.Use the correct school name
It sounds obvious, but this is crucial. When you write lots of resumes many teachers create a template and then personalise the application for each school. The problem with this is that it is very easy to send the wrong application to the wrong school. I once spelt the school name wrong, lets just say it was an embarrassing conversation when I asked the principal what I could do to improve my application.
4.Ask a supervisor, school executive or your principal to have a read through your resume.
A trusted colleague, or experienced teacher familiar with the application process, can offer invaluable advice. When I asked one of my first supervisors to take a look at my very first permanent teaching application, it came back covered in red pen, with multitude of errors highlighted and changes galore. It was a little awkward. Just remember, it’s far better for someone to pick up the mistakes on this end than failing to make interview because of oversights.
5.Read the school’s annual school report
Whenever I apply to a school I always take some time to read through their most recent Annual School Report. The Annual School Report is usually available on the school’s website. It’s a good idea to familiarise yourself with the goals of the school and to show how you can help the school move towards fulfilling those objectives.
6.Explicitly address each selection criteria
This is where most teachers miss the mark in their applications. Each selection criteria is important and it has been included for a reason. Make sure that you thoroughly address each of the components showing your suitability for each. Use specific examples and demonstrate the outcomes of your actions. Use action verbs and ensure that the initiative and action you have personally taken is clearly communicated.
7.Give equal attention to each selection criteria
It is easy to give more attention to the components that you feel most comfortable with. But it is important that your resume is equally weighted and addresses each section independently.
8.Project yourself into the role
As an employee of your prospective school how will you contribute to the school community, how will you interact with parents and stakeholders, and how will you implement quality education program? Projecting yourself into the role not only shows your suitability for the position but also helps to show that you are confident in your abilities.
9.Ask for feedback
If you don’t make it to interview, or even if you do, ask the school principal what you can do to improve your resume. As part of the application process schools are required to give you feedback on your application. Take some time to implement the changes that they suggest. It probably took twenty ‘I regret to inform you…’ letters and countless phone calls to principals for me to get to my first interview. It is important that you continually fine-tune your application taking on board any suggestions that you are given.
Remember that applying for a job is a complex progress. Some of you will get through to an interview on your first attempt. For most of you, like me, it will be a process of learning and refining your approach. Many of you will fine-tune your resume each time you apply for a job. Make sure that you keep tying and ask for constructive criticism from each of the schools that you apply for.