How to Get the Teaching Job You Want : The Complete Guide for College Graduates, Returning Teachers, and Career Changers

Contents......Page 8 About the Authors ......Page 10 Acknowledgments ......Page 12 1. Why You Need This Book ......Page 14 2. Know Yourself ......Page 22 3. Finding Job Openings ......Page 34 4. Doing Your Homework ......Page 54 5. Your Cover Letter ......Page 66 6. Your Resume ......Page 86 7. Portfolios with Punch ......Page 102 8. Getting Ready for the Interview ......Page 112 9. The All-Important Interview ......Page 122 10. After the Interview ......Page 144 Epilogue ......Page 156 Glossary: A Quick Guide to Educationese ......Page 158 Further Reading ......Page 168 References ......Page 170 Appendix: Teacher Salaries ......Page 172 Index ......Page 174 Competition for the best teaching jobs is intense. For every vacancy they advertise, the most desirable schools are deluged with applications. This is the most up-to-date book available on job hunting for teachers, and the only one written by school administrators. Offering the insights and experience of two authors who do the hiring, it details a step-by-step program for taking charge of your teaching career. How to Get the Teaching Job You want will teach you to: -Avoid the most common mistakes of a job candidate -Match your unique talents to the needs of a particular school -Craft effective cover letters and resumes, using models that address the specific needs of college graduates, returning teachers, and career changers -Read between the lines of newspaper advertisements -Leverage student teaching, substitute teaching or volunteer work into a job offer -Surf the Internet to locate jobs and discover valuable information about schools, including test results, educational philosophy and names of key administrators -Design a portfolio in book or electronic format to showcase your abilities -Practice interview skills using 100 questions taken from real job interviews -Apply proven strategies for a variety of interview formats, including high-stress interviews and performance interviews -Address controversial questions during interviews This book covers procedures for applying to elementary, middle, and high schools; public, independent, and parochial schools; as well as international and boarding schools. Anecdotes recounting the experiences of real candidates looking for jobs illustrate key points. Access to the authors' web site ensures that you will stay current in a changing job market. This is a vital book for aspiring teachers who want to achieve their career goals. It will also be invaluable for guidance counselors, psychologists, librarians, and other school professionals. This book shows aspiring teachers how to target their skills and experiences to the needs of a particular school, explaining that the hiring process is flawed, operating in a manner that seldom produces the candidate best suited to the particular needs of the school or district. The book suggests that candidates for teaching jobs, even those with experience, rarely possess the skills required to make the best impression on administrators who read their cover letters and resumes and conduct their interviews. The book describes a step-by-step process for job seekers which includes: finding and identifying openings; conducting research about schools and districts; using the Internet to find the best matches; conducting a campaign targeted to the needs of specific schools; preparing effective resumes and cover letters; creating effective portfolios; getting ready for the interview; having a successful interview; following up on the interview; special considerations for applying to private, public, and parochial schools; and advice for those returning to teaching or changing careers. (SM)