AppId is over the quota
OK...so we know being unemployed and looking for that right teaching job can be stressful at the very least. As one of my students once told me, he had the "anxiety blues" from constantly sending out resumes and hearing nothing! It had gotten so bad that he had already applied to be a car salesman at a local dealership.....a car salesman!! Really? Five years of college, praxis exams, student teaching...the lot! And now we're just trying to be a car salesman? I wish I could say this was an odd story and an exception. Unfortunately, it is not. In fact you might be going through a similar set of emotions. So many young prospective teachers are faced with the daunting task of just getting onto the interview list in a good school district. With over 200,000 new teacher graduates each year, and a growing number of career changing alternate route candidates, the process of getting quality interviews has become extraordinarily competitive. But read on!
Good news is at hand. There is a reason your applications might not be getting a solid response. In fact, there are probably a number of reasons! Understand, depending on just which position for which you are applying, there can be upwards of one or two hundred applications. In one local school district, the superintendent told me he had over 1000 applications for a third grade elementary school position! Wow! That kind of competition means your cover letter and resume better be something special if they are going to stand out from all the others. Usually only 10 - 15 applications survive that initial screening, so what does it take to make yours the one chosen for that coveted interview spot? That is the real focus of this article.
Let's begin by understanding that there is a reason one application is selected over another. The simple reason is not hard to understand. The chosen applications seemed a better match to what the school had identified as its priority criteria. On paper, which candidate looked like they held the best promise to be a highly competitive candidate for the listed position? The closer the match between a candidates application documents and the district's priorities, the higher the probability he or she has for an interview. It is just that simple. Now let's look at just how you can make your application one that meets those expectations.
There is an art to making the connection between you and your target school. The first and most important step is to try and identify just what it is the district sees as important and seeks in the teacher they hire. You can find much of this information on the school website, school report card, or other available print information from the school. From these resources, you can see just what initiatives are underway, any staff development that has taken place, and what the school trumpets as their accomplishments. As you build your resume, select skill sets and background information that is a close match to the direction and priorities of the school where you are applying. The stronger that match, the higher the probability is that you will be selected for an interview. You need to clearly show how you meet their needs.
But we are not quite done. When there are dozens, even hundreds, of cover letters and resumes to review, candidates are often eliminated within 30 seconds of the initial reading. The number one reason someone's application is discarded that quickly is that the cover letter did not clearly identify how the candidate was a match to the position's identified requirements. To avoid this fatal flaw, be certain to carefully read the teacher advertisement and identify every requirement it lists. For example, if the posted vacancy indicates that applicants should have a full understanding of state standards, then you need to identify on your cover letter that you have that knowledge. Whatever the school lists as their requirements, your cover letter needs to identify that you meet each one. By insuring that the reader sees where you meet those listed requirements, you dramatically increase the probability he or she will also look more carefully at your resume. When the reader now sees how your resume sparkles with match after match to other district priorities, you have maximized your chance for an interview. It is just that simple!
So, with this knowledge in hand, get rid of those anxiety blues! Make your cover letter and resume shine by using these ideas. For even more information on how to make your cover letter and resume a blockbuster, read Chapters 2 and 3 in my book, "Teacher Interviews: How to Get Them &How to Get Hired!". Dozens of high power suggestions, sample documents, and great ideas are there for the taking. Get yourself to the TOP of that interview list and go interview like a champion!!
My name is Robert W. Pollock. I am an educator, with over 34 years experience, a speaker, consultant, and author of 'Teacher Interviews. How to Get Them & How to Get Hired!. I have spoken to 1,000's of prospective teachers on how to interview and get the job. I have consulted with schools around the country. Currently I am a professor of Education at Tusculum College, Knoxville, TN, where I also serve as the president of their alumni board.
Order my book "Teacher Interviews: How to Get Them & How to Get Hired!" at: Amazon.com
For more information or questions, email me at: Advantapress1@aol.com
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