Searching for the right teaching job can feel overwhelming at the best of times, especially with so many different roles, schools, job advertisers and agencies to navigate.
The best starting point is to eliminate the noise and take some time to focus on the type of role that would fit perfectly with your skills and experience, whilst putting some thought into the professional development opportunities you feel are needed to truly excel in your teaching career. Whether you’re looking for your first teaching job, wish to explore more flexible opportunities in the world of education or require specific support in order to progress your career, we’ve put together our top tips on how you can land the right teaching job.
Define your ideal role
There are so many different types of teaching jobs available, from early years and primary through to secondary and post-16, each with its own unique set of requirements. Before beginning your search, you must take some time to consider the type of role you would be best suited to. This will help you focus your energies on applying for the right jobs and make it easier for you to identify suitable opportunities when they arise.
Does the job role fit with your subject knowledge?
Whilst many primary school teachers are expected to have the skills to teach all subjects in the set curriculum, secondary school teachers often specialise in one particular subject, such as mathematics, science, history or English. Ensure you check each job advert carefully and only apply for roles in line with your specialist subject knowledge.
Permanent, supply or private tutoring?
Whether you’d prefer to settle into a routine with a job in a school where you feel you can spend many years, or love the idea of more flexible teaching roles with less marketing and more control over your diary, you must decide which option would suit your lifestyle and career aspirations. You may also want to consider becoming a private tutor as well as a supply teacher, working with students on a one-to-one basis or in small groups outside of school hours.
We highly recommend seeking supply teaching roles if you’re relatively new to the teaching world. You instantly become more employable, gain a greater variety of experience and have the opportunity to try out different types of school environments to see which ones fit best with your personality, skills and teaching methods.
Consider your geographical location
When job hunting, you must consider the geographical area where you’d like to work. If you can focus on a particular area early in your search, you’ll be more likely to find job roles matching your experience and ambitions from the start. You may even want to narrow down your options by the school because you gain a strong understanding of its ethos and methods – learning about their ambitions and what they look for in their teaching staff.
These were just a few of our tips for getting started, but if you have any questions or want to book an appointment with our team to learn more about the roles we have available or the support we can provide as you progress in the job of your dreams, please send us a message or call us on 01223 654299.
