Jobs

How to find a teaching job

So you would like to be a teacher and want to find a teaching job. This could even be a career change for you. It is a noble choice of yours in wanting to teach children. Because it is such a big responsibility it is wise to gather all of the advice you can when you begin to find a teaching job. Remember that you will influence the futures of many young people.

A very important point to consider is to know what age group you are comfortable teaching. All age groups of children are not the same. Some people do well with small children but have no ability or patience when it comes to teenagers. You might want to explore the possibility of doing some volunteer work with different age groups of children to see where you are comfortable.

You might do well with kids on a friendly basis but there are going to be many times when you have to be the enforcer and the kids may not like you during that time. Can you handle that? In these situations you can start a day being the kids' hero and end the day with them despising you. Again, ask yourself if you can handle that. Doing some volunteer work with children will help you determine these answers also.

Experience

Of course, a teaching job is like any other in that you need to prepare documentation of all of your credentials and make sure that your credentials are up to date. You have to either have some sort of prior experience in an environment dealing with children or professional qualifications i.e. teacher traing courses. You also need to follow the usual guidelines for dressing professionally on your interview and brushing up on your interview skills as well. Carefully prepare your resume and cover letter. Remember that it is not the resume and cover letter that will get you the job but how well you can convince a hiring board that you will contribute to their school's philosophy and mission.

Consider being a substitute teacher to see if you like the challenge before getting a fulltime teaching position. Be aware however that the pay for substitute teachers is very typically very low and that you may not work on a regular basis.

Teaching abroad

If you are adventurous and enjoy new things and different cultures, look into opportunities to teach overseas. The pay is lower but usually the cost of living is lower too. Especially in demand is the need for teachers to teach English in places like Southeast Asia. Most people overseas want to speak English in order to do business with international investors and tourists. Therefore the demand for English teachers is very high. In some places, they may even waive work permit or special visa requirements.

Teaching in America is seasonal with students taking summers off. This means that the teachers are taking summers off as well (with no pay). Evaluate if you have the means to do this and are willing to do this.

For more information and tips on finding a teaching job, please visit the following the sites:

http://www.joyjobs.com/center/index.html