The International Schools Review Forum

I'm hoping all you experienced international educators can help this newbie with a question. I have emailed a cover letter & my resume to several schools either via the Search Associates website or through direct email. All the schools recruit through Search Associates so I've told them they can access my confidential evaluations from references and all my other application information on the SA website. However I've noticed in the directions for applying on most of the school websites that they say to email them several letters of reference. Is it safe to assume that they will go to the SA website to read my references? Or do I need to email them copies of reference letters too? Seems redundant. And seems like the confidential references on SA would hold more weight then the non-confidential ones I would email them. I did not ask my references for letters because I just had them go to the SA website and do the online evaluations. Should I also be asking them for letters? Even if I don't need actual letters now, will I wish I had them as I'm looking for other jobs down the road in a few years? Or is the requirement to send letters of reference for people who are not signed up with one of the recruiting agencies?

Also a couple schools ask you to fill out an application. Again, do they tend to consider the SA application as sufficient or do I also need to fill out their application? I've considered emailing some of these schools and asking about these things but I don't want to sound like a doofus! Especially if you guys can help me out instead!

Thank you for your input. I am willing to do whatever I need to do. However I don't want to do a bunch of extra work that they don't need me to do. Just not sure how much of my Search Associates application replaces all those other things.

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Thank you Ichiro. You are one of the "experienced international educators" I was hoping to hear from as I am VERY qualified for a job opening in Bangkok! It is my #1 choice. The opening is not at ISB though! :) Depending on what happens I'd love to pick your brain some more about Thailand.

The application is the easiest one. If a school has an application online to fill out, they intend all applicants even if they have an active Search/ISS profile to complete the schools application.

You should request your own copy of any letters of reference. Really its smart to do, you might not be an applicant down the road with search, and as such a potential employer wont be able to access those confidential letters. If your reference moves or becomes unavailable you wont have any way of getting them in the future. If a school asks for a letter of reference in their application materials then send one. The rule here is:

Always do what the instructions for the school say.

Dont assume that they will "look you up", schools get hundreds too thousands of applications, and they arent going to go and look anyone up until they have narrowed down the candidates to the finalists (it takes up too much time, you have to do a search on Search's website for each candidate, and its a lot of data entry and work). Depending on whos job it is to search and sort those applications, they may be instructed to discard any applicants whos application isnt "complete" (meaning no letters and your in the delete/trash pile).

In reality schools dont use the Search function very much, they post a vacancy, and then proceed to identify a candidate through applications. while some schools may or do it in particular limited situations, it is not the preferred or common means of hiring a teacher. It might be a bit bruising to ones ego, but any one individual teachers value to a school isnt as great as they often think it is. The expectation is that teachers look and persue schools, not the other way around.

Thank you Psyguy. You have a very good point about getting those letters of reference for the future.

Hey Psyguy & anyone else with experience in the hiring process, I have another question for you:

From what I've read, when most schools say to send references, they mean from people who have actually supervised you (ie principal). They don't want references from other teachers as you will obviously pick your friends to write them. However the school website for an elite school I am applying at says to email "recent references and testimonials." I intepret testimonials as letters from fellow teachers, parents, maybe even a student. I haven't asked for anything like this from my coworkers since I'm not telling most people that I'm on the job hunt. But I can certainly privately ask a few of them for something if I need to. How do you interpret "recent references and testimonials." Do you think letters from non-supervisory people really are useful?

Thanks again for your input.

When elite schools hire someone they want "best fit" and that means with everyone at the school. Hiring committees at elite schools can include parents, teachers, staff, even students. Its not that uncommon. Parents want to know how you relate to the, same goes for students, staff, and other teachers. Are you a team player or a management suck up is what it really comes down too.

Its more of a trend in International schools really. (You need a parent referral for your Search profile). Do they count, yes, how much thats not a question I can answer, depends on how much influence any certain sub group has in the hiring process.

Thanks again Psyguy. I do have a parent evaluation in my Search application. However you had mentioned that unless I make the "short list" they may never look me up on Search to get more information. So I want to make sure I put my best foot forward from my very first contact to influence them to go ahead and look me up on Search. So, guess I'll be asking for some testimonial letters!

I will be new to international teaching next year (hopefully) and am one of those who does not want to ask their supervisor for a letter. So you're saying that recruiters will accept a recommendation letter from a parent?

No they wont accept solely a recommendation letter from a parent. What I'm saying is that in ADDITION to your usual "supervisory" letters of reference, the higher tier and elite school often would like to see testimonial letters from parents, staff, students, etc.