While tech tools abound to help school districts find top teachers, recruiters say word of mouth remains their most valuable hiring tool.
In two national surveys conducted last fall, the EdWeek Research Center asked public and private school staff responsible for recruiting teachers how they filled open positions, and separately asked teachers what they look for when considering a new job.
Both recruiters and job hunters alike said they depend on current teachers to identify top teacher recruits—and in some cases pitch them on the benefits of the district.
Sixty-five percent of recruiters considered staff referrals the most effective way to find top teachers—more than any other recruiting channel.
“Word of mouth from teachers” can make or break the interview process, one educator said. “They’re honest.”
Job hunters said they ask current teachers about a district’s culture and support for teachers, and they may decide not to work for a district if other staff suggest the administration is controlling and micromanaging, or if they don’t support teachers in managing student discipline.
There’s a faster hiring process for teachers than for the typical public-sector employee. Nearly 70% of the 270 recruiters surveyed said they fill open teaching positions within two months of posting the job—compared to the three to four months on average the U.S. Department of Labor estimates for typical public-sector hiring.
A majority of job hunters also reported they would be more likely to teach in a district that offered clear future opportunities for professional development and leadership in the classroom, not just the possibility of a future in administration.
Curtis Valentine, the founder of the Male Educator Network and Policy Institute (MEN), a national research and advocacy group dedicated to bringing more men into teaching, said even without a formal grow-your-own-teacher program, administrators should leverage their existing staff to identify potential educators.
“School districts need to notice who’s already in the district—paraprofessionals, substitute teachers, bus drivers—who are already demonstrating they want to support kids, but who just need a little push,” Valentine said.
