Job hunting can be quite difficult, and most times, stressful. But all of you educators know how hard it is for teacher retention. It’s unfortunate, but ironically a good thing for some. Luckily with the teacher shortage, it may be a littler easier to find a position as a SPED teacher. The biggest obstacle would be finding the perfect placement for you. Regardless of availability in teaching jobs, anxiety can still hit during your applications, so we threw together our best tips on how to find the best special education teacher jobs just for you!
Knowing what you want is the first step to finding it. Do your research into the different roles and types of SPED positions and see what calls out to you. Different SPED classrooms can have vastly different expectations and responsibilities, so you don’t want to take a position without looking more deeply into those. You also want to make sure you seem knowledgeable about any position that you apply for.
This is the perfect time to research all the positions currently available and possibly narrow down some options when it comes to applications. What exactly are you wanting out of this role and what exactly do these positions offer? Weigh all your options and see what benefits they provide for you as an employee.
Take a moment to look into not only your current district, but those nearby with openings. This is a great time to narrow down all the positions that are within your desired commute time and are in a district you would be happy to work for. Location is great, but you need to know whether or not the school at your district is worth it. You can use Niche to look up schools in your area. A great feature they have is that you can see reviews and ratings of those schools.
The worst way to list someone as a reference is to do it without them knowing. Give your references a heads up so they can be expecting the call, not caught off guard! This is a great way to make sure your work is given the proper rundown, not hastily described in the middle of their Monday meeting. You also want to make sure your references think positively about you and know whether or not they will put in a good word for you. Don’t make the mistake of choosing just anyone.
The internet has given us many great tools, one of the best tools being the ability to do a job search from anywhere, even in the comfort of your own home! Here are a few of our favorite ways to scout out your next position.
Let job boards be your new best friend. Services like LinkedIn, Indeed, and Career Builder are created to help you find your next position and widen your professional circle. Creating and building your connections is the best way to make your way into a desired role. And who knows? Maybe the perfect school will find you.
Social media isn’t just for selfies. Hop on platforms that allow you to connect with others and see what happens! Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and even LinkedIn allow you to make posts and see what others are saying! It’s okay to fall into the rabbit hole of digging through profiles if it’s for a job, right? Looking through a school’s social media can give you an idea of the environment at their school. It gives you a chance for a simple vibe check.
Skip the battlefield and dive directly into the belly of the beast. Search the Careers section on your local districts website and see what they have available! If you know exactly what school you want to apply for, this is a very sure way of seeing exactly what positions are out there without all the searching. But even if you don’t and all you have is a list of schools near you, their websites will probably have a more accurate description of jobs and positions available.
Don’t be stuck on one available position. You may miss out on a better opportunity. The point is to look for the position best fit for you and you won’t do that if you just take the first available option.
What’s that salary wage looking like? Sure, it’s pretty decent at that one school that’s quick to accept you, but you don’t want just decent. A teacher’s workload is no joke, so make sure you’re confident in what they’re offering you. Don’t disregard your worth.
When you’re comparing positions, you may want a deeper look into the environment. You can probably get a hold of at least one staff member from all the schools you’re looking at. Get talking, and figure out how staff members feel working at their schools. You don’t want to be stuck in a hostile environment where they don’t support their teachers like they should. It’s better to talk directly to the source.
Nothing beats seeing it all for yourself. Take the tours at all the schools you apply to. See how the interactions are between the students and teachers from the front row. You can meet a good chunk of the staff this way. This is going to ensure that you get a taste of the experience and figure out whether or not the environment is a perfect fit for you!
Finding the best job for you is truly a matter of personal choice, but there are many ways to find the best fit for you! From job boards to social media, don’t settle for less than the perfect position. We all know that teaching isn’t easy, so at the very least, find the right environment for your skillset. Don’t be discouraged to look for other schools even when you think you found the right one. You may just miss out on a better opportunity. Good luck and happy job hunting.
Because when teachers come first, students win...and teachers stay.