Getting a Teaching Job

Tips for getting your dream teaching job!

by Nadia Distel

I remember when I finished University, the education department implemented a form of scare tactic that if you did not tick the box that said you would work in remote locations, then you would be lucky to find a job. I did not want to leave family and friends in my home town, so I refused to go. It was my experience that I was easily able to find a job, even without leaving my home town. Infact, I ended up getting back to back contracts in one of Brisbane's most affluent schools, while my poor uni friends were struggling in remote locations, wishing they had not said they'd leave.

Some hints and tips I found out when starting out included:

• Get yourself a snappy resume together. Schools like to see that you have a positive can-do attitude and will go the extra mile - my advice to you is to have a resume that indicates your active involvement in your community, including any involvement in voluntary work, sports, artistic pursuits etc. If principals are looking for a teacher, and they also need someone to help with Extra Curricular activities, then you will be picked if you can show you are an 'extra-curricular' sort of teacher.
• If you are looking to work in a non-government, religious school, make sure your resume highlights your involvement in your religion of choice.
• Once you have some supply teaching regularly at a school that you like, approach the principal and tell him or her you are interested in any contract opportunities that come up, and that you are ultimately looking for permanency.

Interview Tips

When you finally get an interview for the job you want, you might benefit from a few tips that helped me secure the employment I wanted:

• Dress Professionally - and by that I mean a suit. Even though you probably won't wear a suit when you are teaching, wearing one speaks volumes about your attitude towards the job and your profession and professionalism
• Smile - people want to work with people who are happy. Smiling will increase your confidence level and put your interviewer at ease that you really are someone who would fit with the school's culture
• Ask Questions - asking questions in the interview shows that you have really thought about the position you have applied for. Some good questions may include 'How can I get involved in the Extra Curricular Program at the school?' or 'Are there any literacy/maths/(your area of interest) committees that I could be involved in'? etc.
• Be prepared for their questions. In my experience, I have been asked these questions in teaching interviews:
  • How will you integrate technology in your classroom
  • What strategies will you use as a new teacher to help you implement a solid program?
  • What type of behaviour management strategy do you use?
  • What is your biggest strength in teaching?
  • What is your biggest weakness in teaching?
  • What does an integrated curriculum mean to you?
  • How will you manage communication with parents?
  • Have you ever had a conflict with a colleague? How did you handle it?

About the Author

Nadia Distel is the author of the New Teachers Kit, which can be found at http://www.newteacherskit.com. The New Teachers Kit is a downloadable, printable, editable kit of all the resources a student teacher or new graduate could ever need. It has helped thousands of graduates get that extra edge when student teaching.

 

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