1. Ensure that You Have the Qualifications for the Area
One of the most important things that you need to do if you are going to get special education jobs or higher education jobs is ensure that you have the qualifications that are needed in the area that you want to teach. Believe it or not, the qualifications for high school teachers can vary quite a bit depending on the area you are planning to teach in. It's important that you take the time to ensure that you have the qualifications needed in the area where you plan on applying. Not sure what the qualifications are? Usually you can check with the department of education in your state to find out the exact qualifications needed.
2. Work on Getting Experience
If you are just out of school and trying to get an education job at a high school level, getting some experience while you are going through the job search is an excellent idea. Sure, there are high schools that hire fresh, young teachers just out of school. However, some experience is going to set you apart and raise the chances of you getting the job that you want.
3. Start Your Job Search on the Web
When you're looking for higher education jobs, one of the best places to look is on the web. You'll find that it is extremely easy to find great teaching jobs on the Internet. This will help you save the time of going out searching, and allows you to easily and quickly search for great jobs in education from home.
4. Add a Name to Your Resume
If you really want to land that job, add the name of the principal or the name of the school to your cover letter. This will definitely get the attention of the person looking at the cover letter. It also shows that you're really interested in the job and that you've taken the time to personalize the cover letter for that particular job.
5. Consider a Hint of Color
Add a hint of color to your cover letter and resume in order to get the attention of the reader. No, you shouldn't go overboard here, but a touch of a dark color, such as blue or green, can really give your resume a professional look, especially if used on the header. It shows that you care about the resume's appearance, and helps to grab attention as well.
6. Make Sure Buzzwords are Included
When applying for jobs in education on a high school level, you want to make sure that your resume really gets noticed. You need to remember that school administrators are probably scanning through quite a few resumes. As they do this, they look for important buzzwords that catch their attention, so make sure that you include important buzzwords in both your resume and your cover letter. Use these words to show off your skills and abilities to the person reading the resume.
7. Dress to Impress on Your Interview
If you land an interview for special education jobs or other high school teaching jobs, your interview is going to be very important. Now that you have the interview, you need to make the most out of it, so make sure that you dress to impress. Dress as a professional teacher would, and remember that first impressions are extremely important.
8. Be Ready to Answer Interview Questions
Even before the interview you can prepare by thinking up answers to possible interview questions. When you arrive for the interview, you should already be ready to answer the questions that may be asked of you. Take the time to look up common interview questions and think about your answers. Your answers to these questions will be extremely important.
9. Take Time to Follow Up on the Interview
Even when the interview is over you are not totally done. Make sure you take the time to follow up on the interview. Call back and ask about the status of your application or send a post card thanking the administrator for the interview. Showing that you really care about the job is going to make a great impression.
10. Keep Trying
Even if you don't get the first education job that you apply for, you'll want to keep trying until you land the right job for you. If you are not offered the first job, don't give up. Keep trying and using these tips to help you get a great high school teaching job.
