When we are making decisions that really matter – buying a car or a house for example – the desire to get it right can be paralysing. It feels like a big deal, so we do everything we can to ensure all bases are covered. No one wants buyer’s remorse!
It can be the same when it comes to job hunting. Few of us intend to leap from job to job unless on a very particular path of experience, so we want to get it as right as possible. After all, this is a role that will demand hours of each day for the foreseeable future. We do not want our efforts to short-lived if at all possible!
With this in mind, it pays to adopt a multi-channel approach to job searching (as employers do with job advertising). This is a great way of covering many bases when it comes to seeking out the best role for you. These ideas may help:
Online job boards
This is an obvious place to start your job hunt. Eteach can help get you started and enable you to cover all the bases you need to cover. A comprehensive job search engine helps you to get ahead and if you see something that interests you, you can apply directly through Eteach.
Most online job boards will allow you to sign up for alerts so it is worth doing this. Take advantage of the additional content that a site like Eteach has, too. There is plenty of guidance on job hunting and support for working abroad or as a supply teacher as well. And if you have any specific questions about your job hunt, Eteach can also help.
State-funded schools and Trusts may also advertise on Gov.UK.
School, Academy Trust and local authority websites
Most schools will advertise their vacancies on their websites, so bookmark the ones that interest you and keep an eye on what is posted. This can also be a great way of spotting vacancies you didn’t know you would be interested in. Be open to the possibilities! If you know you want to work in a particular school, you may need to adapt to the vacancies on offer, rather than wait for the perfect role to arise. You can always try moving within a school once you have a foot in the door!
If you are set on a particular type of school, you may want to consider the possibility of expanding your preference. As well as the state sector, there are independent schools, international schools, the SEN sector and more. Try not to be too fixed on one idea. There could be great opportunities for you elsewhere.
Professional networks
Keep on developing your professional network. You can do this by staying in touch with fellow students from your training, former colleagues, people you have connected with on social media, people you have met at teaching events such as CPD sessions or conferences, and so on. Curate your network so you know where you met each person and what their particular skills are. There is no harm in asking around for any suitable vacancies.
Job fairs
Job fairs can be fabulously effective ways of making introductions and finding out more about the vacancies on offer. Dress for the occasion and put on your best smile! Having copies of your CV, or at least contact details, handy might be useful.
Social Media
Social media may not be enjoying its finest hour at the moment, but it can still be a useful source of information about job vacancies. You can use platforms such as Facebook, X, Mastodon, Threads, Bluesky, and LinkedIn among others. Keep your profiles up to date and focus your time spent on such platforms on job searching. It can be easy to be distracted by the detritus that inevitably lurks, but a carefully focused and curated timeline can be professionally advantageous. Look out for search groups, job boards and the accounts of schools and chains you know you’d like to work in.
Recruitment agencies
Registering with appropriate recruitment agencies may be helpful. This could lead to information about vacancies that are coming onto the market that you may need to know about.
It goes without saying that you should make sure your CV is up to date and that you can lay your hands on all the necessary documentation you need for applying for a teaching job. Having all this to hand will make the application process much easier.
You can really maximise your reach by using a combination of channels in your job search. Covering every base helps to ensure you see the full picture of what is out there for you. While there may not be a perfect fit, there is bound to be a great fit for your next steps in the teaching profession. Good luck!
About the author
Elizabeth Holmes
After graduating with a degree in Politics and International Relations from the University of Reading, Elizabeth Holmes completed her PGCE at the Institute of Education, University of London. She then taught humanities and social sciences in schools in London, Oxfordshire and West Sussex, where she ran the history department in a challenging comprehensive. Elizabeth specialises in education but also writes on many other issues and themes. As well as her regular blogs for Eteach and FEjobs, her books have been published by a variety of publishers and translated around the world. Elizabeth has also taught on education courses in HE and presented at national and international conferences.
