Job Search Resources

It's a very competitive job market. The economy has forced schools public and private on every level to cut their teaching staffs. As a result, when you begin to look for a job as a teacher or administrator in a private school, you will face serious competition from other private school teachers, public teachers, business people and even graduate students who cannot find a college teaching job. Observe these Do's and Don'ts to keep yourself ahead of the competition and land the private school job of your dreams.

DO: Use your network.
Arguably the best way to find a job in a private school is by using your network. These are friends and colleagues who know you, indeed have known you for years, and can talk enthusiatically about you and your skills as a teacher or administrator. Networking is all about meeting people and staying in touch with them. How do you do that? Use all the social and professional networking tools out there. They cost little but reap huge rewards. Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and blogs allow you to exchange ideas and comments as well as see what's going on. Professional sites give you an opportunity to become known in the private school community.

DON'T: Use weak references.
When you submit your job application, you will be asked to include 3-5 references. These people will be called if you make the short list. You must make sure that your references include former employers and supervisors who will speak

So, let's assume that somehow, we could rank private schools. After all, asking how a particular school is ranked is something most parents want to know. We are accustomed to comparing just about everything these days. We comparison shop constantly. We rank our favorite teams. We know which pop artist is on top of the charts. And so on. Comparing and ranking anything and everything is just the way we do things. Doing so lets us know that we are getting the best value possible.

That comparison shopping approach works fine for most things in our daily lives. Unfortunately, it does not work when it comes to ranking private schools. Why? Because each private school is unique. How it is run, where it is located, the courses it offers, the sports programs, the extracurricular activities, its philosophy, and the results it gets are all unique. That doesn't mean we can't compare the various features of private schools. That is doable, but it is a lot of work. As we have pointed out in Do Ranks Matter? it is extremely difficult and time-consuming for ordinary people to find the data and information we need to arrive at a ranking system for private schools. But if we did rank private schools, here is how we would do it.

Alexis offers some useful tips for the school selection process in the following video.

Visit the schools.

"Wait a

It's tough enough getting an interview in the first place. So, why destroy your chances by turning up in the wrong attire? Because you are applying for a teaching position in a private school, you must be particularly aware of how you dress. Why is how you look important? The first impression an interviewer has of you is a lasting one. This snapshot of you must convey a positive image of who you are as well as the value which you bring to the situation. Indeed, many hiring decisions are made subconsciously as soon as the interviewer looks at you.

Because the job market is highly competitive, your primary goal is to have the first interview go so well that you make the shortlist for second interviews. The way in which you dress is one part of the picture your future employer will have. Make sure that you create the very best impression possible.

Dress to the level of the job environment.

Teachers are exemplars to the young people they teach. The way you dress sets an example, just as your speech patterns do. It is always sensible to dress conservatively when you interview for a teaching position. Nor does it matter what that position is. Whether you are applying for the Spanish teacher position or the Robotics teacher position, you must present yourself as a professional brimming with ideas and values who will make employers immediately think "Ah! She will fit right in." What may not be

What is a lab school? It is a K-12 school or school with some variation of those grades which typically is operated by a university or college. Sometimes it is called a demonstration school. A few lab schools are not affiliated with any institution of higher learning.

The school is a lab or laboratory school because teachers in training and the faculty of the college's education department usually have a hand in teaching and running the school. Like scientists experimenting in their labs, these educators use the lab school as their place to try out theories and methods. They also provide student teachers a controlled situation where they can learn the art of teaching.

Most lab schools are progressive schools as well. What are the differences between traditional and progressive schools? This chart from the Wingras School in Madison, Wisconsin illustrates the main differences. Lab schools adopt the progressive philosophy as part of their child-centric approach to education. The flexibility inherent in the progressive approach works well with student teachers who are just coming to grips with how children learn.

The list of schools which follows includes only private lab schools. Many state and public universities operate their lab schools in conjunction with the local school district. As such they do not charge tuition or charge very little tuition. The private lab schools do charge tuition.

A.E. Phillips Laboratory School, Ruston, LA
Grades: K-8
Program: "The school's purpose is to educate students in a wholesome, challenging