Teacher Job Fairs occur every Spring as school districts scramble to pull in experienced candidates wanting to change districts. This is also an excellent opportunity for non-qualified individuals to meet administrators who are otherwise unavailable.
Instructions
Step 1
• Plan ahead. February is not too early to start your job hunt. Have a resume already prepared. Other documentation you will need: college transcripts, proof of teacher certification, cover letter or letter of intent.
Step 2
Plan on attending at least three job fairs to maximize coverage. This is a great opportunity for brushing up your interviewing skills, so use each job fair as a learning experience.
Step 3
Find job fairs listed on the internet. In Texas, geographical areas are divided into regions, and job fairs are listed on web sites for each region. In the DFW area, there are at least ten job fairs listed for individual districts.
Step 4
After finding job fairs in your area, carefully read requirements for attending. Some school districts may require preregistration, complete with resume, application, and certification documentation. Others are open to everyone but may not be interviewing until interdistrict transfers are complete.
Step 5
Before the day of the job fair, photocopy resumes and cover letters, look up the location on mapsquest, and have clothes chosen. Plan on being early rather than late.
Step 6
Dress nicely, but not overly so. Many people wear black and white; this can get tiresome to the eye. It’s better to choose a few pieces that are in neutral colors but that display some personality. Elementary teachers need to plan on wearing brighter colors. Comfortable shoes are a must. Remember, many of the interviewers will be women; they’ll be smart enough to wear flats. If you are above-average in height and wear heels, you will need to stoop to be heard over the din of so many voices. Skip the heels and wear the loafers. Remember, no principal ever hired a second grade teacher because she was wearing stilettos!
Step 7
Come with a good attitude and a smile. Despite what you may hear in the news, school districts are not all that desperate. There are lots of qualified teachers in all areas except bilingual and higher math. So unless you’re a calculus major or fluent in Spanish, districts will not be falling over each other to get you to sign. A bad attitude at a job fair does nothing but ruin the experience for you.
Step 8
Read the interviewer. Chances are, the process will be very impersonal. You may, just may, get to sit down with a team, but don’t count on it. It’s more likely you will stand in a long line in a gym or cafeteria at a local high school; when your turn comes, someone will read your resume and either ask you questions or explain their school currently has no openings but they may after transfers. You may or may not get a chance to sell yourself.
Step 9
Those few minutes of selling yourself are critical. What you want to see is the interviewer making notes on your resume. This means your piece of paper will actually be looked at a second time as opposed to tossed. At this point you must know what you want. If it’s kindergarten, say so. Don’t wobble. On the other hand, being flexible is always a good thing in education. Saying, “I’m interested in Kindergarten or First, ESL or Special Ed,” is better than saying something wimpy like, “Whatever you want. I’m desperate. I’ll take anything.”
Step 10
Don’t hurt yourself with unreasonable expectations. Your chances of walking away with a job are as unlikely as winning the lottery. It’s more likely you will hear nothing. Sitting in the parking lot at a recent job fair, I saw people (mostly women) on their cell phones, talking quite animated, most likely about their chances (or lack there of) of getting an offering.
Tips & Warnings
• Thank you notes are a great gesture…if you get a face-to-face interview. But no one will remember you from a job fair. Send a thank you only if you have the money to blow on postage, as well as the time.
• Interviews are tricky things for several reasons. Most districts require at least five individuals to be interviewed for each position. Even if you get called, it may only be to fill out the dance card. Therefore, don’t assume you have a job just because you’re called for a follow-up.
• Be flexible. You may think that ESL or Special Ed is beyond your capabilities, but if you have a grade level position, you will most likely have ESL and Special Ed in the regular classroom. Don’t discount these special programs. There is wonderful training available, especially for the alternate certified individual.
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