Teacher Hiring Season

Like many industries, the education world has seasons. For people looking to become a teacher, there is no season more important than hiring season. If you’re planning to transition to a teaching career, it’s important to know the timeline for, and how to navigate teacher hiring season.

When to Apply for Teaching Jobs

Schools begin preparing for the next school year as early as March and April. That means, you could secure your teaching job nearly 6 months ahead of your start date. If you are planning to teach during the 2021-2022 school year, you should be looking for open positions right now. In fact, spring is considered the very best time to secure a teaching job.

Click here for a month-to-month look at the teacher hiring season.

In schools that still have open positions as a new school year starts, administrators will host a second round of interviews in late summer. This makes August and September the second best time to look for a teaching position, behind April and May.

Get a Head Start on Hiring Season

Once you decide to transition to a teaching career, you’ll want to let your local school administration know. These days, most schools are constantly in need of teachers. So informing the administration that you’ll be available to step in can be a helpful first step.

Additionally, career changers working on teacher certification are encouraged to look into substitute teaching and paraprofessional roles. When schools are looking to hire, they want teachers they know they can trust. Schools want to hire people who have a track record of reaching through to students, showing up on time, and being knowledgeable about the craft. For those just stepping into the profession, experience as a substitute or paraprofessional can be helpful during the hiring process.

Other Helpful Resources

According to Education Week, COVID-19 is pushing teacher hiring online. You can read more about that here.

Additionally, American Board’s Blog has covered the hiring process often and can serve as an excellent resource as you move to a career in education. To read a blog post about the job hunt experience, click here, and click here to learn more about the interview process for teachers.

Lastly, if you’ve long considered becoming a teacher but have yet to make your move, you should know there is no better time than now. COVID-19 exacerbated the teacher shortage meaning schools are more short staffed than ever before. It is very likely that your local school is hiring. Learn more about teacher certification and get started on your next career today!