Applying and Interviewing

It's kind of scary to realize that most openings for teaching positions regularly draw dozens of applications. Sometimes hundreds of applications. It never used to be like that. But these are tough times. Thousands of public school teachers lost their jobs in the downturn which began back in 2008. Thousands more new teachers are looking for their first job. In the meantime school budgets have been reduced, some drastically, by changing community demographics and changes in the local and regional economies. These are major factors which have changed the dynamics for teachers all over the nation. The realignments which follow these major changes take time to fall into place. For example, when a major employer shuts down a call center, an office or a plant, it will be years in most cases before that void is filled.

While many teachers might well prefer to remain in the public K-12 system or possibly teach at the tertiary level, the realities of the job market mean that those same teachers will also be competing for private school positions. In most cases the best a K-12 teacher can hope for as far as teaching college is concerned is some sort of adjunct instructor position. The reality is that those teachers will probably be applying for the same positions private school teachers are applying for as well.

Tips to Cope with the Job Search Process

Here are some tips to help you cope with the job search process in these tough

If you about to graduate from college or have graduated recently, and are thinking about going into teaching, you will find it worthwhile to consider one of the intern programs which many private schools offer. The reason why private schools offer teaching internships is that they want to shape their future teachers to teach in the way they want them to teach. Each private school is a free-standing, independent school with its own approach to teaching and its own curriculum. While it is always beneficial to hire an experienced teacher, the school still has to adapt that teacher to the school's way of doing things.

Teaching in a private school also is not simply about teaching in the classroom. Teaching in a private school requires you to be involved in extracurricular activities and athletics as well. Teaching in a private school means that you are teaching the whole child. These intern teacher programs which you will explore offer the opportunity to do all that and to learn how teaching in a private school really works. An internship typically has a light teaching load and is mentored constantly. The possibilities for some serious learning about and understanding of teaching abound. This short video shows Exeter's choir and orchestra getting ready for a concert. Just think! If you are a musician, you could be involved with this kind of extracurricular activity.

Yes, many private schools have teacher

Depending on the instructions you read on a private school's employment page, you may be directed to send a letter of interest or a cover letter.

• While most businesses use online application forms with automated responses, most private schools still use analog cover letters as part of their employment application processes.
• Successful private schools want to identify exceptional candidates through a comprehensive, hands-on evaluation of their academic credentials and their teaching abilities.
• They also expect a strong commitment to extracurricular leadership, ensuring a new teacher brings both classroom excellence and enrichment expertise.

The ideal teacher demonstrates not only subject mastery and pedagogical skills but also shows enthusiasm for coaching sports or leading an extracurricular activity.

• Some people think a letter of interest is the same as a cover letter.
• However, they are not the same.
• What, then, exactly, is the difference between these two letters, and how do you compose them?

What is a letter of interest?

Strictly speaking, you compose and send a letter of interest when a prospective employer requests you do so.

• In the sense that a letter of interest is a letter written to accompany your resume and other required documentation, it functions almost the same as a cover letter.
• But there is a major difference.
• The letter of interest gives a snapshot of what makes you worth interviewing.

Observe the mechanics involved here.

• A staff member will actually read all the applications submitted for the advertised position.
• Depending on

Are You the Right Person for Our Job?

In this article, I will assume the role of the school that is advertising a position.

• I want you to see and understand what goes on behind the scenes as applications come in online, via email or snail mail.
• With that knowledge, I know that you will take the extra time and care necessary to submit the kind of application that will make the first cut.
• After all, you need to make it to the interview stage.
• Otherwise, all bets are off.
• I will present the school and its thinking. I will follow that with my editorial comments and advice.

The School: When we advertise a position, we expect to receive hundreds of applications and resumes.

• Some of these are from people whom we know; however, most of the applications are from people we do not know.
• Tell me now, why should I look at your resume?
• Here are some reasons why your application will go onto the "Review" pile.

1. You presented your application in the format that we specified.

School: Following instructions is a trait most employers value. As a result, a simple thing like following the instructions on how to apply for the job opening at our school speaks well of you. We use a standardized application form at our school in order to comply with all sorts of legal requirements. So, if you use something other than the form that we specify,

Let's think about the employment process from the employer's point of view. The person who will interview you has a list of reasons why she might want to hire you. Your task is to convince her that she can safely check all the boxes and report to her superior that you are ideal for the opening. To make that happen, here are some points to ponder.

The premise

First of all, assume that I am the head of school at a private school in the suburbs of a major American city. Our school serves students in grades Prekindergarten through Post Graduate year. There are essentially three schools within our community: a lower, a middle and an upper school. We offer a fairly traditional college preparatory program in our high school. We currently have 16 Advanced Placement courses. While the academic programs have their own distinctive components, we share facilities and staff across the curriculum as needed. We offer an extensive range of clubs and extracurricular activities which are guided by our faculty. Our sports program is professionally directed; however, we expect our faculty to assist with sports which they have played or to coach a team where we do not have a professional coach.

Note: You should be able to discover all of this information from the school's website. It is relatively easy to discern the main features of the various programs at that source. Do this as part of your preparation for the interview. You will