The International Schools Review Forum

Hi all,

I'm considering signing up with Search Associates this summer to help me in my job search for next year. I've read through all the instructions on their webpage but have a couple of questions:

Can anyone who's used Search tell me what type of references they ask for- all it seems to say is "Search Associates requires a minimum of four online confidential references". Do they all have to be former Principals/Directors? Because I only have one from my last school that I'm still in contact with. Can I use Heads of Departments? Are colleagues frowned up? (even though they, in my opinion, know me better as a teacher compared with a Director)

And secondly, has anyone had luck finding a job through Search only by using their database? I only have one teaching area and the last fair I went to was a big disappointment as, by the time the fair arrived, there were less than 5 openings in my subject area. So I'm hoping I can have luck with Search by only using the database.

Lastly, I'm wondering if I would even be considered a 'strong' candidate (I emailed a Search Associate for advice and he said 'yes', but I took that with a grain of salt). I taught previously overseas for six years and have IB training. I have since returned to my home country where I have been stuck substitute teaching for the past three years in the vain hope of getting a full-time job. Will this substitute teaching look bad on my application? I really to go back to international teaching.

Thanks very much in advance.

what is your area in?

Of the 4 references:
1 must be from a former supervisor, preferably your last most recent supervisor.
2 Professional references which CAN also be previous Supervisors (recommended), coworkers, HODs, Chairs, Coordinators, Professors, etc. Anyone who has experience with your work as a professional. In this case friends dont count.
1 Parent reference. If you dont have a parent reference this can be another type of reference, and can be a 'character/personal' reference. Though you should talk to your associate before hand, to clarify this.

MANY more positions are found using the database alnoe and doing video/skype/telephone interviews then at the fairs.

Substituting doesnt count. Though at least youve been in the classroom. IB teaching experience usually makes a teacher very valuable. Whats your teaching area, whats the rest of your resume, whats your family size?

Not to offend you but what arent you telling us? why did you leave the IS for the states?

Thanks for the references info- that helps alot and seems straighforward enough.

I left international teaching simply because I felt the need to 'settle' down in my home country- is that allowed? Sorry, no secrets, Psyguy. But it's been next to impossible to get back into the public teaching system here as jobs are so scarce (my teaching area is Art) and I've also found my overseas experience isn't really recognized/valued. But I did enjoy international teaching, so look forward to hopefully getting back into it.

Sorry, as I said didnt mean to offend you, and it is allowed, but heres the thing. Most teachers either stay in IT or they leave and dont re-enter. They would ask the same things i did, especially with a recession going on. Why would someone leave a good job at a good school to enter a public school back in a place where jobs are hard to come by? the answer they come up with in their heads and they assume, is that your running from something or had a bad experience. Thats what id be thinking.

IS experience is relevant and valued if you go into a private/independent school, especially one that has a strong student body of the country you taught in. The public school system doesnt value IS school experience, and really why should they. The students are different, the laws and regulations are more numerous and important. The curriculum and testing is much more rigid.
being honest, i couldnt go back to a public school in the states, id be lost, and would practically be a newbie. I havent kept up with anything, and my current certification isnt even in a state ive ever taught in.

We recently signed up for SA and they asked for references from supervisors and they were quite flexible on who is considered a supervisor. They also asked for two parent references which took a bit more thought.

We also left the IS world for four years for another round of teaching in North America and while some schools were curious nobody really asked us about it and the absence hasn't played any role in us not getting positions.

Personally, I just think people don't want to hear about your exotic and fabulous travels, and how wonderful and better the schools and students were. It always sounds like your bragging.

I was contacted by my current school thru them using the Search database. We did a Skype interview and I was given a job offer at a fair. I was anxious because I had attended two other fairs (not Search) without success. However, once I arrived at the Search fair, I found there were many other schools that were interested in me but hadn't reached out prior to the fair. I even met a recruiter during the social who mentioned that they had been trying to contact me and hadn't received a response. Maybe their message got lost in my email somewhere. The point is that without attending the fair I wouldn't have known that these other opportunities existed.