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 This blog is no longer being updated, but you can continue to explore these issues on edweek.org by visiting our related topic pages: career advice and job huntjob hunt.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
Stand out with E's (appropriate at Easter time)
Several teacher candidates have asked me, "How can I stand out from the hundreds of other candidates?" "Should I try brightly-colored resumé paper or different-colored clothing?" Of course, these ideas may make you stand out in the wrong way!
Teaching Profession
Opinion
Laid-off teachers and first-timers alike
Question from a reader: With school budgets tight across the country, what are specific things that recently laid-off teachers can do to better their chances of getting one of the few jobs available?
Professional Development
Opinion
Is an advanced degree for me?
Question from a reader: "Is an advanced degree (MA or PhD) a helpful asset or actually a disadvantage when it comes to keeping one's teaching job or getting hired in today's tough market (because administrators and districts have to pay those with advanced degrees more money)? In other words, is it worth the extra time, effort and money to get an advanced degree or will this only hurt teachers in the end?"
Job Hunting Tips & Advice
Opinion
What is a Professional Image?
The education job market is becoming increasingly difficult in these tough economic times. So what can you, as a candidate, do to be remembered? My advice is to start by looking in the mirror and at the way you communicate. These are the first impressions that administrators, parents and students will get of you and how they will remember you.
Job Hunting Tips & Advice
Opinion
How Do I Avoid the Plagiarism Trap?
With so many resources available to assist candidates in preparing their job search application materials, how does one not plagiarize? The internet is a powerful tool to locate information on any topic, but it does not give you the right to plagiarize the author's materials. So how can one be sure they are producing original work in their application materials?
Job Hunting Tips & Advice
Opinion
Staying Sane in a Crazy Job Market!!!
By now pink slips or RIF notices have been handed out and the job market just got worse with a flood of experienced teachers looking for work. You may be asking yourself "Why am staying in this business?" or "How can I compete with the experienced teacher?" Only you can answer the first question of "why" here are some ways to accomplish the "how."
Teacher Preparation
Opinion
Alternatives to Traditional Public School Teaching Employment
During our recent educator job fair, I was amazed at the number of candidates who were discarding phenomenal opportunities because of their lack of research. When asked if they had talked to the charter schools, the most common response I received was "what is a charter school?" Here is my attempt to define public, parochial, charter and magnet schools. Let's start with the easy one first.
Job Hunting Tips & Advice
Opinion
Toolkit for Success
There have been volumes written on how to conduct a successful job search. This is my attempt to boil it down to the essential tools needed to develop your professional brand. First, you need to develop a marketing plan - yes educators this means you. How are you going to sell yourself to potential employers? What is your personal brand i.e. image? What is your competitive edge? What makes you unique? When you leave the room or hang up the phone, what do you want the person to remember about you?
Job Hunting Tips & Advice
Opinion
Networking to Find the Right Teaching Position
In today's economy, however, actually getting a job can be more of a challenge than it was just a few years ago. Many individuals outside of education have taken to the education field to find meaningful employment and new opportunities. With this added competition, how does one successfully gain an edge and obtain the highly acclaimed first teaching position? My advice is to network for the right teaching position. Networking is the key. Gone are the days that you, as a new education graduate, can walk into a college job fair and walk out with the perfect teaching job offer. You will have to network. You will have to know people who can help you. We have all heard the maxim that it is all about who you know. Well, there is truth to that adage.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
Why Teach?
Do you remember your favorite teachers? Did they inspire you to graduate and go to college? Or did your favorite teachers help you find your passion in sports, band, or drama? Did a teacher get you started on the path to a love of reading or math? Do you want to be someone's favorite teacher - helping them learn and grow? Teaching is a wonderfully fulfilling career, and salaries and benefits have improved greatly. Teacher salaries, while considered low, have continued to increase. Salaries generally average $40,000 to $80,000 a year for classroom teachers, kindergarten through high school. New teachers with full certification start at salaries of $35,000 to $50,000 a year, depending on the state where they teach. Salaries go up with years of experience and advanced degrees. And no, high school teachers do not make higher salaries than elementary or middle school teachers.
Education Funding
Opinion
Teaching Our Way to a Stronger Economy
In order to compete and win internationally, our nation needs a highly educated workforce that is second to none. Rising levels of education are critical to creating shared economic growth and mobility for every American. And keeping America's teachers in our classrooms is central to that goal.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
Teaching in Prisons?
Teacher candidates are wise to consider all the teaching options available to them, particularly in non-traditional classroom environments. One option that is often ignored is teaching in corrections systems. Prisons and jails typically have teaching and training programs for adults and youth. Working in corrections is not on a lot of people's radars, so there's not a lot of competition. Even if it isn't the job of your dreams, the experience alone would be valuable... and impressive on your resume.
Job Hunting Tips & Advice
Opinion
Research Beyond the District's Website
When applicants apply for a teaching job, they generally go to the school's website to learn more about the district. While this approach can render some good information, applicants should strive to learn even more about a district.
Teacher Preparation
Opinion
In What Other Careers Can My Education Degree be Used? (Part 1)
I am hesitant to respond to any career changer before determining that there is ample reason for a change, but that is especially true of my interactions with educators who wish to leave the field. First, I know very well that good, experienced teachers are hard to find and for a variety of reasons are all too often harder to keep. I also know how much time and effort goes into the preparation for this profession, regardless of whether it is a four-year degree program in education or an alternative certification program. So, I hate to dissuade anyone from becoming a teacher or continuing in the field.