J OB S EARCHING FOR T EACHERS

Presented by: Kim Meredith, LPC, NCC Assistant Director, Career Counselor (678) 547-6584 [email protected]

Teacher Recruitment Fair

Provided by the Mercer Career Services Office

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2014

MERCER MACON CAMPUS UNIVERSITY CENTER 9:30 A.M.

SIGN-UP NOT REQUIRED PROFESSIONAL ATTIRE AND RÉSUMÉ REQUIRED

www.GISA-schools.org

SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014

MERCER ATLANTA CAMPUS AACC BUILDING 1:00 – 4:30 P.M. SIGN-UP IS NOT REQUIRED

*This event is open to the public. Mercer participants are given a chance to talk to recruiters first, from 1:00-1:30, before the event opens to the public at 1:30 p.m.

Resumes

A Marketing & Sales Tool.

Your Résumé Must Be:

Crisp Concise Compelling High Impact

Resumes

Should showcase your achievements or contributions, not just list your past jobs Should tell the results or impact of your work Should consider the needs of the employer (from researching) and tailor what you have to offer around their needs Should use educational jargon

What is a High-Q / HQ Teacher?

Teachers are considered to be highly qualified if they have: 1) a bachelor’s degree 2) full State certification 3) demonstrated competence in 

subject knowledge



teaching skills

From the Georgia Professional Standards

Resumes Should Stress That You Are High-Q!

High-Q Definition

a Bachelor’s Degree

TOP of your resume: List Your Bachelor’s Degree

 Name of Degree  “Expected Month/Year”   Name of Granting Institution: Mercer University GPA (if above 3.0)  Honors / Societies Full State Certification

Not Certified Yet, But List these:

 “Passed GACE Content Exam, Month/Year”   T4 Early Childhood T4 Middle Grades: “Math & Science” demonstrated competence in…  subject knowledge  And teaching skills

Sell Your Competence!



Consider these sections:

 “Qualifications”   “Strengths” “Profile”

Sample

Top ½

of a Resume Shows Critical Selling Points! Mercer A. Student

1001 Atlanta Drive ♦ Atlanta, GA 30341 ♦ [email protected]

♦ 404-222-0000 www.mercerstudent.com

SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER

Passion and proven track record for teaching SWD to excel!

QUALIFICATIONS

 Experience in teaching collaborative classes during my student teaching which included students with EBD, SLD, ADHD, and OHI  Focused teaching strategies to meet the needs of SWD - resulted in a 30% increase in mastery of GP standards in writing during student teaching  Researched effective strategies to teach writing and reading comprehension to SWD for my Adolescent Development and Learning, Teaching Exceptional Learners, and Research classes at Mercer University  Awarded

Teacher of the Month

during student teaching for my commitment to helping students achieve mastery of GP standards for reading comprehension and writing  Received the following praise for my Analysis of Student Learning:

“This is one of the best Analysis of Student Learning that I have ever received. You were very thorough with supporting details and you actually learned from the experience. Fantastic job

.” Somebody Here, University Supervisor

Georgia T4 Teaching Certificate - Expected May 2011 Early Childhood and Special Education General Curriculum Consultative (P-12) EDUCATION Bachelor of Science in Education (BSED)

Mercer University, Atlanta, GA Expected May 2011 GPA: 3.71

Classic Clichés to Avoid on Your Resume

“Planned, created, and instructed lessons” “Assisted in the classroom instruction” “Took attendance roll” “Met with parents in conferences”

Two Ways to Customize Your Teacher Résumé!

(and avoid those clichés!)

1. Use the PSRV exercise to help you write your contributions and achievements 2. Deconstruct the job description and use language from it to capture the reader

How to… Get to Your Contributions/Achievements

PSRV Exercise: (just an exercise to get your thoughts rolling) 

P

roblem/Issue/Challenge/Situation 

S

olution 

R

esult 

V

alue

How to… Consider the Needs of the Employer

Deconstruct the

Job Description (JD)

  This means analyze the JD thoroughly.

Highlight key words and phrases.

 Make a list of the top three things that the employer is looking for.

Some JD’s are short and not very informative

Dig deeper.

You Must Study the Employer’s Web Site!

Learn enough that you could deliver a thoughtful, fact-filled presentation to the employer, about themselves.

It’s just not optional… If you want to compete.

Here’s a great web site to help you create powerful phrases using educational jargon:

http://www.sciencegeek.net/lingo.html

C ONSERVATIVE Which Style Resume?

C REATIVE

Resumes Tips for C AREER C HANGERS

Use the “Rule of Relevance” to decide whether to include the experience in your resume First, determine if your experience is in the Education field or outside the field (non-education) Ask yourself if the experience in your past is relevant to your new teaching career.

EDUCATION

Experience • Relevant Yes! Sell this in your resume!

NON EDUCATION

Experience • Relevant • Not Relevant Yes! Sell this in your resume!

List in the employment history, but de-emphasize it by shortening the content.

#1 Turn-off for recruiters…

Poor writing skills.

•

Poorly written email to the recruiter

•

Mistakes in grammar or typos in any of your communication

•

Unprofessional looking in format

•

Being informal – use of lowercase, jargon, chat/text talk, etc.

You will be disqualified!

Your Job Search

A positive outlook!

Job Outlook for Teachers

Source: O Net web site

Elementary Teachers Middle School Teachers

TeachGeorgia.org currently has 270 openings posted.

100 Best Jobs of 2013

(U.S. News & World Report) School Pyschologist - #13 Speech-Language Pathologist - #28 High School Teacher - #38 Elementary School Teacher - #45 Middle School Teacher - #52 Pre-School Teacher - #55 School Counselor - #59

Leverage Your Job Search by Becoming Involved in a

Professional Organization

!

GAE – • Georgia Association of Educators

www.gae2.org

PAGE – Educators • Professional Association of Georgia

www.pageinc.org

References

Select your people wisely.

Ask their permission and keep them abreast of your search at all times!

A reference that’s not strong can hurt you. (Despite having superior quality resume, cover letter and appearance.)

References List

•

Should match font and overall look of Résumé

•

3 people is enough

•

Only those who can attest to your strengths as a Teacher!

•

Separate document from Résumé

•

Usually not needed at a fair

References FORM

•

Required by School System

Georgia’s Official Recruitment Clearinghouse WWW .T

EACH G EORGIA .

ORG

A web-based resource tool for educators in Georgia Apply for teaching jobs in Georgia school systems in one place Announces job fairs, information sessions and upcoming events Set up a profile today!

Be attentive to the fact that some counties prefer their own application system rather than the TeachGA application.

What the Recruiters Say For ECSP graduates: they are very interested in your dual certification! For MIGR graduates: Math and Science are highly sought!

For all: Special Education Teachers are needed!

Principals have access to search through the applicants

 They can see your resume, references, cover letters…everything!

Human Resources professionals are usually not knowledgeable about LiveText

 But, principals might be.

You MUST Build Relationships with People! Network!

Student teaching in the county is seen as a plus

Job Search Resources

Check out the articles below: 50 Great Questions for Teacher Interviews

The questions principals ask during interviews are key to drawing out the personalities of applicants and selecting the right people. Prepare for your next interview by learning the questions principals might ask!

The Interview: Principals Share 30 Favorite Questions for Future Teachers

Education World's "Principal Files" principals share 30 of their favorite questions to ask applicants.

Character(istics) Count! -- What Principals Look for When Hiring New Teachers

A recent article on Teaching for Excellence discusses what school principals look for in the new teachers they hire. Which of 15 "can-do" characteristics is most important? Education World asks the Principal Files principals.

From the Principal Files: Principals Offer Advice to Job Seekers

Have a plan, a portfolio, and a good attitude! That's just some of the advice Education World's Principal Files principals have for soon-to-be college grads looking for their first teaching positions.

Are You Ready for That Job Interview?

It's that time of year -- school districts are recruiting for fall teaching vacancies. If you dread the interview process, here are some tips that can help you prepare and boost your self-assurance.

What Qualities Do Principals Look for in a New Teacher?

What do school principals look for in the new teachers they hire? Principals' responses to that question might help others -- principals ahead.

and teaching candidates -- as they focus their thoughts on the interviews

Consider Relocating!

Consider Other Employment!

Certified Teachers are needed by other employers.

Develop a List of 10-20 “non-School System” Target Employers For a list of ideas, see document entitled “Alternate Employment for Certified Teachers” (provided by Career Counselor)

Job Search Advice

Job search through Google  For example, this site was found: Search professional organizations When using engines, use keywords other than “teacher” • Education • • • • • • • • Adolescent Mentor/tutor Coach Training Continuing Education Curriculum Advisor Instruction or Instructor

Can your attire hurt your teaching career?

Hello Recruiter, My name is…

What do I wear?

Wear an interview suit to recruitment fairs!

(and interviews)

Teachers Are Professionals

Showing up at the Recruitment Fair looking like a polished

professional

will empower you and give you confidence!

Interview Suit

Women

 Matching two-piece suit (pant or skirt suit)  Tailored fit (not too tight)  Color: navy, grey, taupe, dark brown, tan, olive or black  Skirt should be knee-length with no inappropriate slits  Wear hosiery with a skirt!

Interview Suit

These are all great!

NO! These are unsuitable for career wear.

Interview Shoes for Women

Do not wear worn-out shoes

NOT These Shoes!

Heel too high.

Cleavage is Not Appropriate.

No!

Interview Suit

Men

A two piece matched suit Solid or pin-striped Tailored fit, including pants length. Navy, dark grey, dark brown, olive or black Briefcase or portfolio instead of backpack

Crisp

Neat Clean Well Pressed

Sloppy

Lack of Neatness

Interview Shoes for Men

Not:

Details of Grooming

Career Fairs

Yes, they are still effective.

Talking to Recruiters at Fairs

Be prepared with your WOW elevator speech Practice it BEFORE the event Try speaking to a recruiter at a county that’s not one of your top choices, FIRST Listen to people in front of you or at other tables Know your strengths and weaknesses Don’t get chatty, but don’t feel rushed Close your conversation by asking for their business card

Nervous?

Having well-thought-out questions ready to ask can calm you. Puts the “ball back in their court”

When To Use Your Elevator Speech

Career Fairs When responding to “Tell me about yourself” Informational Interviewing Networking Interviewing Happenstance meeting with a new person Any social situation

Invest in a Pad-Folio $10 - $50

• • • • Can Be Used At:

Career Fairs Interviews Meetings Conferences

What to bring to the fair

Mercer name badge & Mercer ID (Bearcard) Several crisp copies of your resume  Enough for employers you want to speak to + 3  Extra copies cannot be made at an event Paper and pen Breath mints Reference sheet  Lists at least three professional references  See more info, include an example by clicking here Sample of your work (just in case, not req’d)   Career portfolio Sample lesson plan

After the Fair

Follow up with recruiters within 48 hours with a thank-you letter/email. See sample.

Stay organized and keep track of who you spoke with, their contact information as well as materials you may have collected.

go to: WWW .M

ERCER P ROFESSIONAL .

ORG Password for establishing a new BEARlink account: toby

Student Login Link

www.MercerProfessional.org

To download this PowerPoint (to access live links) or to access other career related documents pertaining to the teaching profession,

Go To: Click: Then Click: www.MercerProfessional.org

“Your Major” “Education”

To-Do List

Mark your calendar for 2/13/14 -- MERCER TEACHER FAIR!

Identify your teaching strengths…brainstorm and list them!

Research prospective employers Draft your resume Draft your cover letter Get resume and cover letter critiqued Purchase an interview suit Identify your reference people and talk to them Polish your resume & cover letter and tailor to specific employer Complete and submit online employment applications Write your elevator speech Practice your elevator speech and handshake