5 Things to Keep in Mind During Hiring Season
Hiring season probably brings emotions of both excitement and anxiety. You want to build a fantastic team of educators who will inspire and grow your students. But how do you find the right fit for your school and students? Below are 5 things to keep in mind as you are looking for people to join your team!
Know your Goals
Staff and Students: Consider the people who are on the team the new hire will be joining or the type of students they will be serving. What personality traits will mesh well or offer a new, unique viewpoint?
School: What are your biggest school initiatives and goals? Do you need someone who can build solid relationships with families? Do you need someone who can help improve the culture of your building? Bring unique math strategies to help improve test scores? Consider your goals and how the new hire fits with them!
2. Cast a Wide Net
Multiple Platforms: Don't just rely on traditional job boards. Advertise on education-specific platforms, attend job fairs, and partner with colleges of education. Consider social media outreach to target recent graduates.
Referral Power: Your current teachers are your greatest asset. Offer incentives for recommending high-quality candidates from their networks and circles. Word of mouth about how great your school is could lead to more teachers who are willing and want to transfer to be a part of the awesome culture you’ve worked to build!
Grow Your Own: Explore internship or paraprofessional programs to identify potential future teachers and cultivate their skills within your school environment. These people know your staff, school, and students and may already have a desire to grow within your building!
3. Go Beyond the Resume
Compelling Questions: Craft interview questions that go beyond the resume. Design questions that assess a candidate's teaching philosophy, classroom management strategies, and their ability to connect with students from diverse backgrounds.
Sample Situations: Consider asking about how a potential teacher would handle a certain situation that could come up at your school. For example, “If you were teaching a ELA class that had a clear split in ability levels, how would you design your instruction so that you could reach both sets of learners?”Reference Check Savvy: Don't settle for generic references. Develop a list of targeted questions that delve deeper into the candidate's strengths, weaknesses, and overall fit for your school culture.
4. Qualities of a Stellar Teacher
Passion for Learning: A great teacher has an infectious love of learning and a genuine desire to ignite that same spark in their students. This type of passion often shows through and can be a great asset to your school.
Adaptability and Creativity: The ability to adjust instruction to different learning styles and unexpected situations is crucial. Look for candidates who embrace creative problem-solving and are okay with unexpected changes.
Collaboration is Key: Strong teachers collaborate effectively with colleagues, parents, and administrators to create a holistic support system for students. Ask potential hires how they have worked with and collaborated with people in the past.
Communication Counts: Clear, concise communication is essential for student engagement and classroom management. Look for candidates with excellent written and verbal communication skills. Listen closely to how quickly, thoroughly, and concisely they answer you’re interview questions. How quickly do they return your call or respond to your email?
Lifelong Learner: The best teachers are always looking for ways to improve their craft. Seek out candidates who are eager to participate in professional development opportunities and implement new ideas into their classroom.
5. Build Your Dream Team
Hiring season isn't just about filling open positions. It's about strategically building a well-rounded team with complementary strengths. Look for candidates who bring diverse teaching styles and expertise to your school community. Think about how your staff already functions and their strengths and weaknesses, then consider which candidates can support that. The teacher shortage is an issue for many schools. When you are trying to fill positions with a limited number of applicants, consider who has the potential to grow, learn, and work well with your team. You must also reflect on what your school can provide and use that to make a decision as well. For example, if the person you are hiring is willing to learn and great with kids, do you have a strong teacher or instructional coach who can support them in developing their skills in instructional delivery? If you find someone who knows biology well but has never managed a classroom before, is there someone who can help set their classroom management plan up for success? When hiring inexperienced personnel, you must have a plan for how you can help support and grow them so that they can still have a meaningful impact!
Remember, hiring the right teachers is an investment in the future of your school. If you have a large application pool, make sure to dig deep to find the perfect match, and if your pool is limited, look for who can learn, grow, and adapt the most!
