Jobs for 2016/17 school year?

[b12r]

Just curious where schools will be looking to fill vacancies for the upcoming school year. I know recruiting season is basically over... Basically if schools are looking they are trying to fill a void quickly.

My gut says they will comb through Search/ISS to fill these. Curious if they would be as receptive for personal solicitation. Don't give me the "well you can try" spill... I know anything is possible.

I have read on here that some good jobs pop up late in recruiting season (to almost finished with recruiting season) so I was just wondering what the process IS go through to fill these voids since it is a lot different then traditional recruitment.

[Thames Pirate]

I know you said not to give you the "well, you can try" spiel, but the honest answer is that it varies. While it is late in the season and the bulk of the vacancies have been filled, recruiting is in fact a year round process. The big flow has passed, but we aren't quite down to the very slow trickle as people continue to decide for the upcoming year. For that reason the answer is the same as it is any other time: It depends.

Some schools only use agencies. Some never do. Some do both. It's a matter of what works for YOU, and you can't go wrong with a multi-pronged approach. Being registered with a database and then contacting schools directly might be the best way to go.

[fine dude]

China and the middle east, esp. Qatar and UAE, always have vacancies, if you don't mind heading that way. Established schools do have one or two due to teachers suddenly leaving for family or health reasons or they just found their dream job in the last minute like you might just do. It all depends on what kind of job you want and what your career goals are.

[sid]

Monitor every source you can access, and be ready to apply quickly. At this point in the year, schools are filling unexpected vacancies, so you just never know what will pop up on a given Tuesday. Schools will want to fill quickly, and since they're working with only one or two openings, they can and will have the time to devote to moving fast. You snooze, you lose.
This is definitely bird in the hand season. You just can't know if anything more will pop up that matches your skills and interests.

[PsyGuy]

I generally concur with the previous contributors. At this point there are six events happening:

1) The biggest fear a HOS has with a new hire is that the IT (and family) wont get on the plane. Once they get on the plane they can breath a sigh of relief.
New ITs are starting to get overwhelmed, as the end of the year approaches and they start to look at all the things that will change: selling their homes, taking the kids out of DS and their lives (this ones big), their current DSs offer them better opportunities, more pay, etc. Changes in the world, etc. They feel they didnt get their dream job, they can do better. It starts to look over whelming and new ITs cancel. There isnt much recourse for them as they arent staying in IE.

2) WE ISs still have about a month before they have firm vacancies, and many of the smaller ISs (local DSs with an international academy) wont know what their firm vacancies are. Due to local labor laws and union regulations ITs are not bound to give early notice.

3) The foreign domestic market much like the WE operate on more the traditional calendar. There will be 1000s of vacancies on TES for DSs in the UK. Further, many DS systems operate on non-western acadmic calendars. Japan just started its academic calendar, and the Thai school year doesnt start until May. There are a LOT of third tier ISs that are essentially private/independent DSs, with different recruiting cycles.

4) As the recession shrinks, enrollments are growing, which necessitates additional hiring. A primary year may expand another class, the secondary division may decide to reduce class sizes requiring another IT. An IS may restructure course offerings, such a pairing subjects). They may implement new initiatives such as technology or peer mentoring programs that require restructuring a class. There are ISs that dont actually have classes scheduled but they hire an IT who could fill a variety of roles in an IS. Predictions have to be made far in advance since many ISS dont know their enrollment until summer.

5) There are hardship locations that recruit year round, but there is also a strong motivation for leadership to start the school year fully staffed. Those hardship locations REALLY want to complete their staffing needs before the end of their contract year so they can have a summer holiday as well.

6) Uni graduation is arriving and many graduates if they dont have an appointment will take a gap year in a destination they want to visit and explore, and as DTs will search for LH vacancies. Lower tier ISs depend on a verbose local pool of ITs to fill very late vacancies.

STRATEGIES:

1) Most ISs will start with their own HR department posting a vacancy, their hope is that someone local or mobile and suitable will present themselves. LHs often already have the correct visa to be hired, and they have savings with relocation costs.

2) They then post on local job boards specific to their region. Most often the issue is immigration/visas and they need someone who has a right to work in the region or someone thats going to be very easy getting a visa for.

3) Job service agencies such as TIE and TES, etc. that have low costs, and reach a larger audience. They can solicit a lot of applications over a short period of time.

4) Lastly, an IS will look at ISS or SA, while an elite tier IS will go right to this step. Most SA/ISS candidates are contracted by this point. Either they have signed with an IS or they have renewed their DS contract. What recruiters find left are
A) ITs that are extremely expensive (the Lit. IT with a dependent spouse and three children) or
B) The ITs that had a very specific goal, and for them it was either that goal or bust (the IT that wants JP, and doesnt want to go to China or anywhere else. The couple that want WE and nowhere else).
C) ITs with unrealistic expectations or are high maintenance (the IT that has $X salary expectation or wants an elite tier IS package from a third tier IS).
The reality is that there are very few ITs in the premium databases by late spring time that dont have some issue/problem, a recruiter has to work with.

5) For a single IT that is highly mobile this is actually the start of the summer shuffle, and can be a very good opportunity for ITs that are motivated by coin or are 'backpackers'.
Most ITs especially those with families want security and stability, theyre long term hires, even if they only sign a two year standard contract the hope of leadership is that they will stay longer, sometimes much longer. They see such hires as investments. As long as the work environment is tolerable and the compensation is acceptable family ITs tend to stay longer rather than shorter periods. What causes those family ITs to often leave is quality of the education program their children have access too (want to see what is normally a stable IS fall apart, reduce or eliminate tuition/fee waivers).
An IT who has no such long term motivations and will fill a schedule and can arrive quickly can often negotiate compensation that they wouldnt otherwise be able to. Leadership generally does HR poorly, and to them granting a step or two on the salary scale is worth securing an IT now. Benefits and terms can often be negotiated; an IS may agree to a 1 year contract with renewal so that an IT can get yearly airfare instead of the standard 2 year contract where airfare is granted at the start and end of the contract. A single IT can often negotiate the various relocation allowances (shipping, arrival, temporary accommodations, etc.) into a cash allowance. An IT may be able to negotiate housing options, such as an allowance as opposed to provided housing. They may be able to negotiate a choice of provided accommodations. You may be able to negotiate the terms of air travel (either they book and pay, or you do). Essentially an IT has more power the more desperate leadership is.

6) Shorter application process. One thing I have always hated about BSs is they all have some byzantine old school 6-20 page application that has to be printed or completed in word. Late spring, middle summer the standard email resume will be fine.

7) ISs want to move fast. Have everything ready to go, this means apostles of your degree and teaching credential, and a current CRB if your looking at EU. Some hires every year get done at the very last minute, days before the start of classes or the start of orientation. You literally want to be packed already so that you can leave with a few days notice. Some ISs are still recruiting the week before classes start, they will interview you, make an offer, and if accepted want to know on Monday want you to be there Thursday, meaning you have one day to do everything before leaving. If you cant be comfortable with that time frame, leadership will move on to someone else. Dont be surprised if before the interview they ask you when your available or how soon you can start. This is why family ITs are generally avoided. They know that you cant close up the house/cars, arrange for bills to be paid, and have the kids ready in 24 hours to go somewhere.

[expatscot]

What subject / stage are you looking for?

[b12r]

Single guy here, 26, with a Special Education Teaching license for K-12. 3rd year of teaching as well as 3rd year of being Department Chair/Head. Looking at the WE/SE Asia area... Maybe South Korea/Japan.

I know I am flexible and (maybe I am being a little too positive) but marketable with experience/the willingness to up and go last minute.

[chilagringa]

There's an opening in Special Ed at my school. I don't want to post my email address as I don't want to reveal where I am. No PM function, eh?

[chilagringa]

Wait, never mind... I'm not in WE or Asia.

Is it not a bit last minute to be holding out for the high-desirability locations?

[b12r]

Not so much "Holding our for the most desirable locations" but more so hoping to snag a decent job last minute do to the reasons mentioned above.

[PsyGuy]

Not really, were still not to prime recruiting in the WE DE market.

[pinkstar]

My old school in E.Asia advertised "last minute" positions every year in the Primary/Early years stages (summer term advertisement for August start, whereas they actually start recruiting in October/November). This was because enrollment was growing and they suddenly needed an extra class or two across year groups. Or sometimes a new leadership role or specialist role was created and a class teacher would get promoted, so a new teacher was needed to take over in the classroom. A couple of other times pregnant teachers decided to leave rather than take only the limited 2-3 months maternity leave (compared to what they would get in the UK- it was a British school). Just to illustrate that positions do come up for genuine reasons- of course it can't be guaranteed. Good luck, I hope you find a great position.

[pinkstar]

Forgot to add that my old school always advertised on TES for these late jobs. You could check there if you're still looking.

[b12r]

Thank you! I am still looking hoping to find something!

[Dredge]

Try TES, or find someone with a Search account that will let you look at the openings. There are lots.