Your first job is important. Still, starting teachers often go into business with the first school that offers them a place. Not wise, according to career advisers, because a job that does not suit you can turn you off terribly. Nine tips to help you find a job that will make you happy.
Do not randomly choose a school, but research a school. Beginning teachers have it hard enough. At a school that does not suit you, the chance that you will drop out is even greater. Then you might give up on the whole education, when in fact you are not cut off on education, but on that one poorly chosen school.
As a newly graduated teacher you naturally want to get to work quickly. And although the shortage of teachers will remain great in the coming years, it may well be that just when you start looking for a job, the vacancies are not there for the taking. Then be patient, that vacancy-free period can never last long. As a young, inexperienced teacher you are certainly no worse in the market than old hands in the profession. Young, fresh forces are certainly in demand.
Okay, those were two tips on what not to do. But now what is wise. First of all, think about yourself. That's the tip with which just about every career advisor starts off. "Who am I? What can I? What do I want? Where do I fit? ” Those are the four questions to ask yourself. But how do you find out?
Check what you have achieved so far and think about what qualities you needed to do so. Discuss with close friends and family what they see as your specific traits and skills. And: what did you hear during your training, from fellow students, teachers and internship supervisors? Then also think back to the beginning of your studies: why did you ever choose that? Assume what makes you enthusiastic.
If you are looking for a school that is right for you, talk to people. The more the better. Many schools in the region will have been internships for your fellow students; find those students and talk about their experiences. If you live in a village, you may know people who have children at a particular school; talk to them too. This will give you a good view of the school where you might want to work.
Or find a school where you might want to work and have a chat with a teacher. Not so much to get a job, but to sharpen your image of the school. Applying for a job is only the next step. And that does not necessarily have to be done at the school where you had that networking conversation, it can also be done at a similar school elsewhere. You may have to cross a threshold to 'just' approach a teacher, but most teachers really enjoy talking about their subject.
If you have properly oriented yourself and you find a vacancy that suits you, then of course an application letter must be written. Enter 'application tips' on a search engine like Google and you will find tips to die for.
That your letter should be no longer than one side and your resume no longer than two. And that it is best to leave your letter one day when it is ready, then you can take a critical look at it the next day. It is also important that you show yourself. The neatest letters are often not the most convincing. They only become convincing when you write what you enjoy or are good at.
If you have networked well, an interview may not be easy, but you do have a lot of pros. You know for sure that you would like to work at that school and you also know whether you can handle the job. This will make you a lot more convincing in the conversation. In the interview, also refer to the network interview that you had, then you immediately have a good entrant.
If you are turned down for the job you would like to have, please call politely to find out why. That's in every application guide, and you really should. This way you can find out what impression you have made, and you can also ask whether there might be places available soon.
It often happens that a novice teacher immediately gets a number of things down their throat. More hours than desired, or extra tasks. Do not hesitate to say 'no', because that kind of thing can just destroy you in those tough first days.
If all goes well, you have made it clear in the interview under which conditions you want the job, for example that you want good coaching. So stick to that. Many recent graduates feel they should be grateful for a job. It really isn't. It's about you, about whether you will enjoy that new job.
If you've ignored all this good advice or are stuck with a job you're not happy with for other reasons, don't hang around, but get out quickly. Think of it as something you can learn from and make the next career move quickly.