As we enter peak job application season in our secondary schools (I’m aware the application window for primary colleagues is different), I am reminded of the huge amount of time beginning teachers spend on applying for jobs. They often find the process of writing the application, and the lack of uniformity in application forms and process, strange and overwhelming. As a consequence the letter or personal statement often finds itself a rushed job, completed in the small hours between lesson planning, marking and assignment writing. And of course this additional workload demand also happens at the exact point in the year when they really need to be focusing on their classroom practice.
Over my career I have supported more than three hundred teachers to apply for ECT (early career teacher) and later promotion posts. This means I read and comment on A LOT of application letters or personal statements and have learnt a few things over that time about successfully applying for a teaching post. Here are my top tips.
- Understand the purpose of the application
Remember the goal of the application is to get an interview, NOT retell your life story! This means the priority for your personal statement is to convince school leaders that you have the potential to fulfil the job description so they want to meet you and find out if you’re as brilliant in person as on paper.
- Follow the instructions given precisely
When application letters fail to secure an interview for an applicant, it is often because they have not followed basic instructions. For example, the school may request you address specific aspects of practice in your personal statement. If you don’t address these foci, you won’t get shortlisted. Similarly, application deadlines really do matter. Get the application in by 5pm instead of the 3pm deadline specified in the advert, and your application probably won’t be considered.
- Apply to the specific school and job
Personalise your application to show genuine interest in that particular school and community. Undertake some basic research about the school – via the website, Ofsted reports, candidate pack – and use it to show you want this job at this school, working with this community, rather than any job at any school, anywhere.
- Address all the key points in the person specification and job description
Demonstrate how you meet the essential and desired criteria in the person specification. Use the job description to provide concrete examples of your experience and potential to carry out the role – but make sure you can elaborate on all examples at interview, over exaggeration and invention will leave you embarrassed and exposed and may even get you into a pickle with Part 2 of the Teacher Standards. Ensure you highlight your teaching abilities, student progress, and commitment to the wider school community (pastoral care, extracurricular activities). Use keywords from the job description and consider using subheadings to clearly signpost how you meet each criterion.
- Thoroughly Review Your Application
Have someone else proofread your application for errors and omissions, paying close attention to spelling, punctuation, and grammar (SPAG). In competitive situations, a polished application can make the difference between an interview and rejection.
Get your foot in the door
The application’s purpose is to earn you an interview, where you can showcase your potential as an excellent teacher and an asset to the school. While these tips may seem obvious, overlooking them is surprisingly common and can derail an otherwise strong application. These five simple steps can make the difference and help you get your foot in the door, increasing your chances of landing an interview and securing your desired teaching position.
Good luck with securing that teaching post and making a difference to our children and young people!
Becoming a History Teacher 