If you’re interested in becoming a teacher, there are a number of things you can do to make sure your application to a teaching post stands out. Everyone going for jobs in secondary teaching will have a good degree, and teaching qualifications. Once you’ve got these under your belt, how can you stand out from the crowd?
Many applications arrive with employers with typos and mistakes. Make sure yours is grammatically correct and has been thoroughly proof read. Back up any claims with evidence, show your skills and experience, and make sure it’s in an easily readable format that gets your key points across.
To demonstrate your interest in teaching, get some good work experience on your CV. Teaching assistants work in the classroom, with small groups or individual children and these roles are often filled by people who plan to be teachers in the long term. They offer invaluable exposure to what actually happens in the classroom, and can be used to demonstrate your credentials to staff at the school.
If you’re working full time or studying, a teaching assistant role isn’t going to be practical. Consider getting involved with other groups, that’ll be excellent experience for your CV and a fun too. For example Scouts and the Girl Guides run activities across the country and regularly need volunteers for after-school activities and trips.
Contact a local charity umbrella organisation. These provide support and networking opportunities to the charities in your local area. They’ll often advertise volunteer positions or know of organisations that need help. The Volunteer Centre Westminster has a whole web page devoted to charities that need volunteers.
These are very “hands on” roles, and will be great to get you used to working with children. Also consider getting involved at a strategic level. This means being on the charity board, fundraising or leading the organisation of events. Not only will this look impressive and demonstrate a real commitment to the lives of young people on your CV, it’ll be rewarding and enjoyable.
Whether you’re getting into education jobs as a recent graduate, looking for a career change or wanting to embark on a career in teaching, getting experience working with children is vital. If it’s a paid job or volunteering, it all counts and will set you apart from the competition. With clear and concise representation of this on your application, you’ve got a great chance of getting a fantastic job!