Your Job Search Starts Now: 3 Things to Do This Month

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Whether you’re finishing a degree, transitioning into teaching, or ready for a new classroom, if you’re thinking about your next career move, the time to act is now. Job searching can feel overwhelming, but with a clear plan and systems in place, you’ll stay in control of your journey, and be ready when the right role appears.

Here are three practical, empowering steps to take this month:

1. Get Your Resume in Top Shape

Your resume is what gives hiring teams their first impression of you. Make sure yours highlights your strengths and is completely up-to-date with correct contact information and accurate timeframes of your experience. Know that principals generally skim resumes and may look at dozens of them in a day. Having a tight, clean format with clearly delineated sections and an easy-to-read font will help key details like your area of certification and teaching experience stand out. We previously shared tips for writing your resume if you need help knowing what to include. Set aside 30 minutes this week to review your resume with fresh eyes, or ask a trusted colleague to scan it for clarity.

2. Establish Clear Goals for Your Job Search

There is no magic number of applications you need to submit in order to get a job offer. Some candidates receive interviews after a handful of applications; others need many more – especially in competitive subject areas. For new teachers and those in more saturated subject areas – like Elementary or Social Studies – the number needed will likely be much higher than for more seasoned teachers or those in high-need subject areas like Special Education or the sciences. And if you’re mostly applying to schools that you don’t have a network connection with, you’ll likely need to submit more applications than for schools where you have an “in” of some sort.

Setting realistic goals about how you will approach the application process will give you control and peace of mind. For example, if you hope to be hired within three months, you might aim to apply to 5–7 schools per month. Other ways to set goals are to commit to researching 3 schools each week for a month or to dedicate four hours each week to job searching. Whatever is going to motivate you to make progress and hold you accountable to the endeavor, write down some daily, weekly or monthly goals and add them to your calendar.

3. Create a System to Track Your Search

An organized system keeps job hunting from feeling chaotic. It also helps you record your progress and keep on top of necessary tasks, which can provide comfort if it’s taking longer than you want it to.

Create a job search dashboard in a spreadsheet and consider the following column headers:

• School Name: Keep track of each school you’ve looked into – even if you decide not to apply. This will keep you from duplicating your efforts.
• Job Title: You may wind up applying to different jobs within the same school, so avoid confusion by documenting each job separately.
• Location: Include what’s important to you: city, district or street address.
• Salary: This is helpful information as you compare jobs.
• Date Applied: You’ll determine future actions based on this date, and can also determine when it’s time to dismiss if too much time has passed without hearing back.
• Date Follow-Up: One week after you apply, if you haven’t heard anything, send a friendly email asking for an update. Track it here so you know you’ve done it. 
• Invited to Interview: This could be a Yes/No option, or a date field.
• Interview Date: If you are invited to interview, include the date here to inform next steps. 
• Thank-You Sent: After an interview, you want to reach out with gratitude within 48 hours. Mark it here so you know it’s done.
• Notes: Having a “misc.” column allows you to keep track of exceptional information, such as who you might know at that school, or if you have questions about the job.

Adding color-coding – such as green for jobs you’re still a candidate for and gray for those you’ve moved on from – can help you understand your standing at a glance.

As your tracker fills up, you might find it helpful to analyze and compare information. For example, what’s the average number of days between submitting an application and being invited to interview? This can help you set expectations for future applications and determine when it’s time to accept you’re no longer under consideration.

A Marathon, Not a Sprint

Remember that finding a right-fit teaching job can take time. Starting with intention – putting simple systems in place, setting goals and taking small steps forward – can help you stay grounded and prepared while building your momentum. This way, when the right opportunity does come along, you’re ready to step confidently into your next classroom.

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