Christmas Checklist: Have you perfected your teaching application?

By Holly Barry @HJBarry


Congratulations, you have made it, the Christmas holidays are upon us and
doesn’t it come around quickly?! The holiday period is certainly a welcomed
break from the first term whichever year of study you may be in; a spell to
relax, regroup and enjoy some thoroughly deserved ‘me’ time.



However, the Christmas period also gives you a moment to plan, prep and organize
your next steps. Your teaching application can be perfected over this period providing
you allow yourself some uninterrupted sessions to focus on a stand out piece of
work. 



Here are a few pointers to consider when tackling your application:

TIME MANAGEMENT 

Christmas can be a chaotic and manic period, whether you’re rushing
to buy last minute presents or have cleared your whole diary to complete your
application, time management will still be key. Online psychometric
testing will require its own dedicated time, as you practice and familiarize
yourself with the process of which you might be faced with in the following
months to come. By completing a few practice runs you will be reducing your
anxiety and increasing knowledge and understanding of what to expect.



Furthermore, some recruiters close their application window early if they are
overwhelmed with applicants. This factor should give you more ammunition to sit
down and allow yourself plenty of time to get your application in before you
are left with a matter of days to complete it and apply.

Rushing your application can make room for mistakes and will not allow for any
reasonable adjustments to be made, so using the ‘little and often’ method to complete
your application will help you manage your time effectively.

DO THE RESEARCH

It is entirely your responsibility to ensure that your application
stands out amongst the rest. Many schools that you apply for may not want to see your CV, but instead, will want
to see a well-researched, specific and tailored application. Researching and
visiting a school of interest is important as you may not be right for them but
more importantly they may not be right for you. 
Exploring the school website, checking the Ofsted report and
understanding the achievement tables will ensure a rounded understanding of the
school.  Reading the application pack is crucial;
you need to make sure your application displays enough evidence of your
competencies to match those of the schools essential and desirable requirements.
This will make the difference between you and a competing candidate.



Additionally, be selective when applying for positions. You don’t want to apply
for a job that you will not enjoy, just because it is available. Make sure to
do your homework. How far is it to commute? Will you be able to afford the
travel costs? And, Is the position exactly right for you?

EXPERIENCE 

References are essential for teaching applications, at this point you will have
completed work placements at one or two schools that offer their own variety of
experiences, challenges and successes; these will need to be drawn upon here, make
sure your referees are prepared for potential requests.

This part of the application is your chance to shine, here you can really
underpin why you think you will be right for the school. How will you contribute
to their workforce, what will you add, what can you offer to that school that
they cannot receive from the next candidate. Drawing upon real experiences,
real problems and real school based solutions will help construct
a strong application. The skills you have developed and the training that
you were exposed to within your placement(s) can be used to influence the
reader of your application, but also subjectively, prepare you for impending
interview questions.



Being an ‘enlarged’
version of yourself both on paper and during the interview process can be a
very useful tool. By using your experience and gaining confidence from your
encounters inside and outside of the classroom will strengthen your
application.



CONCLUSION

Finding a balance between working on your application and recharging your
batteries over the Christmas period is your first port of call. Understanding
what is expected from an application and managing those expectation stage by
stage will help with the planning process. However, preparation is key;
researching the school, the job role, and the application process itself will
need to be at the forefront prior to a successful submission.  

Good knowledge of the recruitment timetable is essential to grab the
opportunity that suits you best, making sure your application is job specific
is one thing, however how to apply and more importantly when is another. School
vacancies, registration schemes, pool applicants, agencies and speculative
applicants will all have their own timetable of expected applications.
Researching which process suits you best and how they manage their applicants
will allow you to plan and prepare with a solid deadline to work to.