As much as I am enjoying my senior year as a college student, I can’t help but worry about the next school year… the one I will spend being a teacher. My semester thus far has been preoccupied with the search for the job of my dreams, and I’ve learned some hard lessons I wish I had known before my search began.
The first is to start early. When I say early, I mean early. I began looking for jobs for the next school year around October to November last semester. Of course, early is subjective. Several school districts did not post until February, and others still have yet to post their open positions. However, if you’re looking for a specific district, keep an eye on its openings. One school district I was seriously considering posted jobs last October, and by the time I went to check in December, when I felt ready to begin my application, the postings were already gone. I would recommend feeling prepared to interview in January of your student teaching semester… I unexpectedly applied and interviewed in late January, and had a job by early February. While it’s relieving to be done with the search so soon and exciting to have a position, those few weeks felt like a whirlwind of emotions as I struggled to navigate the career process, as I was just beginning to navigate student teaching.
This brings me to my next suggestion: know how to interview. As a college student, I have only ever had one interview for my college job, so I had no clue what I was getting into when it came time to interview for a career. Prep yourself with potential questions in advance, and practice, practice, practice. Ask your CT what some of the buzzwords for interviews may be, and freshen up your knowledge of the school by researching the district’s website like your life depends on it. Any opportunity you get, complete a mock interview. It can be with a friend, a teacher, or whoever, but conducting one was probably the number one thing to help calm my nerves and boost my confidence about interviewing. Put time into thinking about how you want to respond to the questions, and always be prepared for “Tell me about yourself.” Know your strengths, weaknesses, and how you can overcome your weaknesses. Think of three to five questions to ask the school after your interview that cannot be answered with a quick search on the website. Listen carefully during the interview to be sure your questions were not answered earlier. Some of my favorites are “What do you respect the most about your school’s teachers?” or “Who is your ideal candidate for this position?” This should tell you whether the school values its staff and whether you match their values as an educator.
Lastly, once you land the job, you need to know how to read a contract and budget accordingly. The contract contains information about the school’s rules (be sure to check if the school has a hard cap on class sizes), your expectations in your role (you may be required to teach an extra class or have a semester duty), and the benefits (insurance and the big bucks that come with a teaching position). In all seriousness, it’s vital to consider the contract AND the cost of living when it comes to budgeting. If you’re looking to go closer to a city, they may pay higher, but the cost of housing in the area is through the roof compared to smaller, more rural areas. Break down the cost of living (rent, utilities, insurance, gas, groceries, etc.) and compare it to your salary. If you don’t have much left over for emergencies per month, it may be time to consider another position. Be prepared to do the math quickly, too, because most districts only give you a couple of days to a week to accept the job.
Best of luck as you maneuver the career search as a first-year teacher, and don’t forget to take some time to enjoy your final months as a student, too.