If you’re a teacher looking for a new path or opportunity then it’s important that you understand how to market yourself to others if you want to get ahead. You want people to instantly be drawn to you and all you have to offer professionally, right from the start.
Branding yourself is one way to go about helping you to stand apart from the crowd and hopefully get noticed by the right people at the right time. You’ll be able to land a better teaching job when you can properly communicate to the outside world your strengths and what you bring to the table. The process of taking your career to the next level is going to involve you putting yourself out there and not being afraid of rejection and taking second and third chances.
Become an Expert
One way to market yourself and land a better teaching job is to prove that you’re the expert in your field and level that you teach. For example, you can earn a masters in education online to become a better-rounded educator and as a way to help you improve your leadership and critical thinking skills. You have to be able to walk in a room full of educators and not only speak their language but have the ability to offer up solutions to difficult and challenging problems facing the industry today. The more knowledge and education you have the more people are going to trust what you have to say and they’ll have the desire to want to hear you out.
Identify Your Target Audience
You can also market yourself better as a teacher and land a job you desire by identifying your target market. For instance, you’re going to want to mix and mingle with the top-level educators and administrators and make sure they know who you are and why you’re a good teacher. To land a better teaching job you’re going to have to figure out who you need to know that will be able to help move your career in a forward direction. Don’t be afraid to insert yourself in difficult situations or conversations as a way of getting your voice heard and making sure your target audience is aware of what talents you have to offer.
Network and Share Your Knowledge
In addition, it’s important to update your social profiles and to put yourself out there in person and visit job fairs as a way to network. Be willing to have discussions with those manning the tables and let them know what types of opportunities you’re looking for. First impressions are important so make sure you look the part and are prepared to have the tough conversations. Open up and share your knowledge about what thoughts you have regarding education and how your ideas can help schools get ahead and produce results that are worth talking about. You may even want to consider creating a teaching blog or guest posting for various blogs in your industry to show others what ideas you have for improving schools and the curriculums.
Put Together a Winning Resume
Not only do you need to be able to market yourself as a teacher in person but on paper as well. Therefore, spend some time putting together a stellar resume that won’t go unnoticed when you’re up against other candidates. Be sure to include all of your past experience, what makes you unique and confirm there aren’t any errors.
In addition, you may want to consider creating a personal portfolio that highlights some of your best work and past projects so those looking to hire can understand more about your talents quickly. Tailor your resume and portfolio for the specific job you’re looking to land so that you have a better chance of getting an initial interview. Be able to talk through it in detail and touch on the most important parts so the potential employer can understand clearly why you’re the perfect choice for the job. Always take time to prepare for any interviews you do land so that you can make sure that you’re able to compose yourself and not let your nerves get the best of you.
Be Authentic in Your Interactions
You can also market yourself by being your authentic self in all interactions instead of making it look like you’re trying too hard. Your chances of securing a better teaching job are higher when you relax and can communicate what your skills and abilities are in a clear and concise manner. Be sincere and learn how to properly articulate your value to others so there is no question as to why you would be a good fit for a new position. Come up with a unique tagline and brand promise that will help you to outshine your competitors and get your foot in the door at the schools and for the open positions that interest you the most.
Gain Experience
You have to also be willing to get out there and gain experience even if you feel like certain jobs are below your level at the time. For example, there are internships to take advantage of and subbing opportunities in districts that you might find appealing. You’ll land a better teaching job by being able to show others exactly what you’ve achieved in the classroom, and how it’s helped your students and the schools you’ve worked for, progress in a forward and positive manner.
Be sure to get recommendations from those you’ve worked with previously so that potential employers can see that you’re someone who’s worth hiring. Add any experience you do have to your resume and be able to talk about what each teaching job has taught you and how you’ve been able to apply the lessons you’ve learnt to future positions in your career. The more classroom time you have working with students and teaching the more likely it is that you’re going to be able to land better jobs that require more responsibility and higher-level thinking and planning.