Teaching is one of the most exciting careers that you can opt for in 2020. Not only this, but teachers are in constant demand and have opportunities for progression. If you want to find out how to land your first teaching job or to get a Texas Teacher Certification, here are some of the key steps that you need to take to ensure that every application you make is successful.
Get the Right Qualifications
When you are thinking of becoming a teacher, it is vital that you obtain the right qualifications to enable you to apply for as many available positions as possible. You should also consider taking specialist courses or Master’s degrees in order to increase your aptitude for certain vacancies. At Merrimack College, their online Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction is an excellent alternative qualification that can help you kickstart your teaching career by giving you the tools that you need to apply for state licensure.
Network with Professionals
Although you might associate networking with business-related careers, teacher learning networks can help to facilitate career advancement and allow you to harness the right skills in order to land your first job. Within these networks, professionals can share their teaching methods, curriculum ideas, and experience to enable others to grow, and you can participate in these communities by attending teacher conferences and joining online networks and forums.
Find a Mentor
When you are considering applying for a teaching position or placement, you should consider asking about the mentorship opportunities available to you. If your school does not offer a teacher mentorship scheme, you should try to build a connection with other professionals. Mentors can be extremely valuable as they can allow you to see different teaching techniques, receive guidance and feedback on your own methods, and help you to solve problems, such as behavioral issues with students.
Apply for Professional Organizations
Joining a professional organization can allow you to access unique training and improvement opportunities, as well as support and advice in reference to your career. They may also be able to keep you up-to-date on the latest job opportunities and allow you to interact with other professionals. Some of the best professional organizations for teachers in the USA include the Association of American Educators and the National Education Association.
Look at Teaching Job Boards
In addition to traditional job-seeking websites, you should also maximize your probability of finding a position by searching teaching-specific job boards. These will allow you to find jobs that match your skills and which are specifically tailored towards the teaching sector, rather than having to search through an abundance of jobs unrelated to education.
Boost Your Resume
Your resume is also vital when applying for positions, as this is the first impression that recruiters will get of your suitability for the role. To boost your teaching resume, you should personalize each CV to the job that you are applying for, use keywords that recruiters will be looking for, explore your own education and place any experience relevant to teaching at the top of the resume.