The International Schools Review Forum

I am seeking an international math teaching position for the 2016-17 school year, and I am trying to decide whether I should join ISS or Search Associates or whether I should apply directly to schools when they post their openings online.

In most ways, I am a strong candidate: 13 years overseas, 6 of which at an IASAS school. I worked for the International Baccalaureate writing SL Math exams for five years. I have 21 years of experience teaching math from grade 7 through IB Higher and AP Calculus. I have National Board Certification in the U.S. I have strong student/parent/colleague/administrator recommendations. I have contacts at quite a few schools due to my previous international experience.

I'm worried that my profile might be ignored on a recruiting site, though, because I have 4 dependents: three children and my wife finishing graduate school in nursing (although she would consider some employment at a school if available). I've spent the past eight years teaching in the U.S.- will I still be viewed as an experienced international teacher?

I got jobs at my previous three international schools by applying directly, and I am leaning towards just doing the search myself. As far as the next school, my wife and I are wide open. We have a list, but I imagine a recruiter might help us find a position at a school we would never have considered... Would they?

Thoughts?

My close friend is about the same profile as you and certainly got fewer offers than when he had fewer kids, but he did secure a position in a top school. Good schools won't be so concerned with the number of dependents if you can live on the salary. He's never been near a fair. Of course, going to one is another layer of possibility but I wouldn't say it's necessary. Start applying early (before the fairs) and if no joy, you can always register later. Schools are advertising ever-earlier so you may have a position before the fairs even begin.

First a few observations:

1) Lots of IB ITs are examiners, it doesnt mean much.

2) NTSB certification doesnt mean anything, its just the US way of nationalizing a teaching qualification, and it doesnt mean anything absent a state certification.

You will find it very difficult to be hired with 4 dependents, an agency may let you in, but likely they wont, and if they do, they arent going to be much help to you since recruiters/associates arent like executive recruitment and hiring agencies in other fields. All an associate does is give you access to the database, and answer a few online questions. They arent going to pitch you to ISs, and given the amount of frustration your bound to experience, they arent going to be keen to listening to your complaints.

Ozu,

I would apply directly to the schools. Get them interested in you as a candidate, then they can see if they find a way to afford you. A number of schools will not, but many will particularly those that are not full or places where housing is not outrageously expensive.

Search and ISS should be viewed as agencies that provide a database of applicants and arrange job fairs. They do not operate as head hunters actively pitching candidates to schools.

The only time I have seen them do this is when they know the candidate very well, perhaps worked with them in the past. But, they have so many candidates these days, they do not have in-depth knowledge of all of them.

My concern with Nomads advice is that it sounds overly optimistic, sure there are ITs with sizable families that get hired, but the vast majority do not, and they get frustrated, that an IS wont pay for 6 tickets, or supply them a 5 bedroom residence, and all the other perks, for what amounts to filling one classroom. The accounting just doesnt work out that way.

While a desperate IS may be willing to to talk with you provided you are willing to absorb the costs most of them dont need to bother. they are either in regions where that have high desirability or there is a significant labor pool. The realisty I have seen in my experience is that at a certain point a qualified IT is a qualified IT and a longer resume doesnt equal improved classroom performance, and on the other end, many low tier ISs just want a white body with a pulse, and a degree they can get passed immigration.

Never say never...Look up Tanai Benard and read her blog. She's an African American teacher and single mother with THREE elementary aged children who is currently teaching in Abu Dhabi at a great school.
She's doing a Q&A on Periscope today Aug. 30th at 11am CST. Her handle is 4DeepAroundTheWorld.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tenille-l ... 90560.html

I think it is also practical to compare the number of families, who have a lot of dependents, who don't get jobs compared to those who do.

Its very important, there are always exceptions, and you hear about the teacher who gets hired with a trailing spouse and 4 kids to teach primary. Those are the rare exception outside of QSI.

Thank you for all of your thoughtful responses. In the end, I registered with ISS. The previous year, I had watched openings on TIEonline, and this was a similar experience, but I appreciated the additional information about each school's salary package available with ISS.

I was contacted directly through ISS by a "Tier 1" Asian school and went through several interviews. In the end, I decided that this probably wasn't the right school for my family at this moment in time, but financially, it seemed viable, and the school wasn't scared off by my dependents.

I was contacted directly by several other schools as well. I believe that responsible administrators are looking carefully at the materials placed online, and if you match a need for their school, they don't hesitate to reach out, even if you have 4 dependents.

I decided to wait for an opening at my top choice European school (which used Schrole). I applied directly, had the interviews, and got the job.

I'm excited to be teaching at a high quality school, and I'm even more excited that my three children will be attending that school.

So, I would argue that if you focus on being the best classroom teacher you can be, that the best schools will recognize this and you will be sought after. I know it also doesn't hurt to teach a sought-after subject. Once you are in, my past experience tells me that networking is key.

Great advice and congratulations on the job!

Congrats and good luck! Are there any tax implications?

Congrats! I would have advocated the "both" approach, and it sounds like that's what you did--and it worked for you both ways.

Well done, and best wishes in Europe!

There is little value in joining both SA and ISS they repp nearly the same ISs, you will find the upper tier ISs in both IS databases.

I meant both as in use an agency and apply directly, not in overlapping agencies as that was what the OP asked and ultimately did.

@Thames Pirate

I meant "There is little value in joining both SA and ISS".