Career Corner
In this blog, members of the American Association for Employment in Education, a professional organization for college career-center directors and school district recruiters, provided career advice and discuss developments in the education job market. This blog is no longer being updated, but you can continue to explore these issues on edweek.org by visiting our related topic pages: career advice and job huntjob hunt.
Job Hunting Tips & Advice
Opinion
Introvert Teachers: How to Survive and Excel
As I stood in front of the class on my first day as a teacher, my knees were knocking - literally! How would I ever learn the names of the 33 students sitting in front of me? Would I be able to control a rowdy group? Had I prepared enough material? Would I be able to remember everything on my detailed outline for the first class?
Job Hunting Tips & Advice
Opinion
The Job Fairs Are Over...Now What
Our office is settling down to the peace and quiet of spring break, after having staged three job fairs in less than a week. As fair season draws to a close, some job seekers think it's okay to let their job searches wind down, too. Good idea? Of course not!
Job Hunting Tips & Advice
Opinion
ONE-PAGE RESUME? YOU MUST BE KIDDING!
"Keep your resume to one page." This is the message we've been receiving from districts recruiting our teachers. In a market with an oversupply of applicants, administrators need to be able to sort quickly through hundreds of resumes. Wading through padding, repetition, and unnecessary information is frustrating - and a poor use of time.
Job Hunting Tips & Advice
Opinion
Cover Letter Tips
A resume is only one portion of the correspondence you will need to prepare for your job-hunting campaign. A well-written cover letter is necessary for introducing the accompanying resume. Knowing this, you should expect to devote careful attention to organizing and developing a cover letter that is targeted for each employer. Although you need to write cover letters for individual school districts instead of mass-producing them, you may prepare a "generic" letter of introduction and adapt it for specific positions or employers.
Job Hunting Tips & Advice
Opinion
What If I Don't Get a Teaching Job?
A question that I get, especially as it gets late in the hiring season is, "What can I do if I don't get a teaching job? How do I maximize my opportunities for eventually getting a teaching contract?"
Teacher Preparation
Opinion
Education Majors: Changing Careers
Before changing careers it is important that you have done the requisite self-analysis and concluded that a career change is the proper course of action. The next logical question is how can you possibly use your education degree in any other career?
Job Hunting Tips & Advice
Opinion
How Do You Make Your Resume Stand Out?
Put yourself in the shoes of the administrator who has to fill a teaching vacancy. You have 80 resumes and cover letters for one teaching job and after a while they all start to look the same.
Job Hunting Tips & Advice
Opinion
Tips on phone interviews
I work as a Human Resources Director for a large school district in the Denver metro area. Years ago, I re-located to Colorado for career opportunities and the quality of life. It appears that people still are drawn to Colorado and so I deal with a steady number of out-of-state applicants. Sometimes, the short time frame and the long distance challenge our ability to connect with the best and the brightest from out-of-state. On a limited basis, we've used phone interviews and more recently Skype interviews to interview candidates. I've viewed some effective tips on Skyping on You Tube. For this blog, I will concentrate on tips for phone interviews.
Job Hunting Tips & Advice
Opinion
Hiring Tips for Out-of-State Applicants
Many times I am asked by out-of-state applicants how to get a job? Here are some tips that might help.
Professional Development
Opinion
Should I Get my Master's Degree or Not?
I frequently have opportunities to participate in panel discussions where several local Human Resources directors are asked to provide insight into the teacher recruitment process. These are typically sponsored by either career centers or education department s of local colleges and universities. There are frequent questions that are asked over and over.
Job Hunting Tips & Advice
Opinion
For the New Year: Truths about your job search
Yes, it is true that now is a tough time to be looking for a job. But there are other truths about the job search that will help keep your motivation high and improve your likelihood of employment success in 2012:
Job Hunting Tips & Advice
Opinion
E-Interviewing Strategies
Sometime in your job search, you will likely have an interview that doesn't take place in person. School districts have been conducting phone interviews for many years, but more and more districts are turning to Skype as a means of interviewing candidates. And while you should prepare as thoroughly for a virtual interview as you do for one that is face-to-face, there are some additional factors to consider when interviewing virtually.
Job Hunting Tips & Advice
Opinion
The ABC's of Interview Savvy
Interview success depends on mastering not only what you say with your words, but also what you say with your demeanor and actions.
Job Hunting Tips & Advice
Opinion
Build Your Brand For Career Success
Your "personal brand" is your unique promise of value - what those around you expect from you - what you are known for. It includes your credibility, visibility, personality & personal style. It is the MOST effective and innovative strategy you can use to achieve professional success and career satisfaction. It allows you to distinguish yourself from others and demonstrate your value to employers. Your success will depend on the personal brand you create and your ability to nurture and manage that brand.