What Techniques Can Make You More Marketable For Your Teaching Job?

By: Todd H. Grodin

"I am the best candidate for this. I mean, just think about it. I've slaved in my education classes, worked through tons of papers extolling the virtues of data based questions (DBQ's), I know Bloom's Taxonomy of higher level thinking inside and out, I so much want (and deserve) to get this teaching job."

For many of us this is not a fabricated script. We work hard and then when we graduate and embark on the career in teaching, we all want to get hired.

Think about what it is that you want.

You want to make the administrator want you for your talents to teach. When you do seek to get your teaching job, you need to think of the process like the different courses in a fine restaurant's dinner menu.

There are some "golden rules" that you need to follow in order to ensure that you acquire that teaching job.

Rule #1 - K.I.S.S.

Yes, this is the military's way of saying "Keep It Simple Stupid" (K.I.S.S.). You need to be concise and to the point when you are creating your resume.

However, you need to realize that there is one encompassing trick to creating the best academic enticement for your potential administrator.

Tease them. Give the administrator, who is pouring over at least 300 other resumes like yours, something unique within your resume that catches her attention and makes her say "Hmmm, this one looks like he'd be perfect for the job, let me invite him for the first round of interviews."

Look at the resume as the appetizer to the main course. The resume whets the administrator's appetite. When you are in the interview is when you have the presentation of the main "course."

Great Places To Visit To Learn More About Resumes:

1. Resume Materials Generators- https://www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/pro_port/

2. Academic Resumes- http://www.provenresumes.com/reswkshps/restips/teachg.html

Rule #2- The Interview

Now is when you get your shot to show them what it is that you know.

Just like the fine dinner, you do not overeat. Similarly, you do not try to tell the administrator everything that you know. You do, however, want to answer his or her questions while adding pertinent information as you see fit.

Again, like in the main course, relax, enjoy the process and do not under any circumstances rush the process. You need to give the administrator time to "digest" what it is that you are saying.

You know he or she has some idea of what it is that you've done. You crafted a very well planned resume that sums up (in one page because no one has the time to read more) what highlights you want the interviewer to know.

Now allow him or her to process what it is that is on your resume and how you match up with the expectations of this encounter.

(Remember when you've eaten out at a restaurant and you got the dinner you were looking forward to eating? The same applies here.)

If your talents closely align with what it is that he or she is looking for, then you've just multiplied your chances ten fold.

Rule #3- The Administrator

Here is the last part of this "banquet" of your presentation.

The dessert portion within the interviewing process of how to best get your teaching job lies within the rapport between you and the administrator.

Give him or her the confidence when you "close" this deal that you have what it takes to discipline "your" class. Raise his or her comfort level by telling him or her what you'll do when you get the job. Semantics come into play here.

Speak as if they are in fact offering you the job, not "if you hire me." Nothing speaks more than a candidate that is confident, not egomaniacal, in the interview. You have to exude that relaxed control that he or she would then want to leave you with your own class.

Reinforce the ideas that the administrator asked questions about. Review with him or her just as you do when bringing a lesson to close.

The Bottom Line

And lastly, remember the magic and the pride you felt when you were student teaching and you actually "connected" with your students and saw some real learning happening. Harness that smile and make sure that you deliver that same genuineness that makes you the teacher he or she would want to teach the class.

About the Author

Todd H. Grodin currently teaches in New York State. He is one of twelve teachers in his family and uses that to draw on over 150 years of experience. Todd has his Bachelors in Arts from the University at Albany in Psychology which he thinks is invaluable when consulting with potential teachers on how to "sell themselves" in the interview. He also has his Bachelors of Science in Teaching from the College at New Paltz. Todd later wrote the book of veteran teachers' secrets on how to become a teacher entitled The Perfect Career�. His latest degree is his Masters in Instructional Technology-Emphasis on Distance Learning using the Internet. Todd also owns and operates http://www.k-12teachingjobs.com. Questions to the author should be directed to [email protected]*