The International Schools Review Forum

Hi everyone

I feel I am at a turning point and the next year or so will be critical for my career.

I started teaching twenty years ago in Asia for 5 years, iGCSE and then the new MYP and some DP, and then went back to my own country for a while, also teaching GCSE. Then I took a break for four years while my children were born. For the last five years I have been teaching MYP in a small school in Europe, for the last 3 years as coordinator and I recently led them through a successful authorisation process. I have one Masters and am completing my Leadership certification next year. Now we are ready for a change and I have sent off many applications for similar level jobs in bigger schools and other regions, mostly coordinator and Deputy Principal jobs. However, I have not had any luck at all - not even one interview.

Obviously I need a change of strategy for next recruiting season. Search membership? A leadership fair? The big difference this time around of course is that I now have a trailing spouse and 2 kids. Is it even possible? Should I maybe apply for more local jobs in Europe? We are very open to area but maybe we are simply too expensive for the far flung places? Any advice would be greatly appreciated...

Thank you

Search membership is a start. As well, start working your contacts. It always pays to keep in touch with colleagues - you never know where they go, what they do, and who they know otherwise. Teaching is definitely about networking.

Search offers a leadership candidate fair in November in KL. That's the fair to target for you - get your brass on board with you moving on and up and offering their support and go for it.

Shad

I would agree that Search membership is a good starting point. You would have access to their database, be visible to potential employers and the application process might help you to reevaluate/repackage your skills and experience.

The fact that you are getting no interview requests could be just one of those unfortunate things (admin generally make poor HR people) or it could mean that your current position/school is not resonating with your target audience. Generally, IB schools claim to highly value the experience that you have and so it is a bit confusing/concerning that you have not even had any nibbles.

Possible suggestions would be to focus more on coordinator positions rather than leadership right now. If schools are not going to consider you for a position where you have qualifications and relevant experience then they are even less likely to consider you for positions where you do not yet have the qualifications and/or relevant experience.

You may also want to really rethink your target schools/jobs. If applying to bigger/better schools, you may need to apply for a teaching position to re-establish yourself and then work your way up to a coordinator/leadership position.

Conversely, you may want to try and make a lateral move to a school that would be somewhat of an upgrade to your current school that would carry more weight with the bigger/better schools.

It is hard to give much more specific advice without knowing more details. That is an area where Search could offer additional input to help you narrow down the range of target jobs/schools where you have the greatest chance for success.

As for your dependents, they will make it a bit more difficult but you should still be able to find a nice range of schools that would give you a fair look.

I disagree with the previous contributors, SA is more AS centered than BS. Youd find many more and almost exclusive vacancies on TIE without the fee. That is of course unless you want to switch sides. Further the SA leadership fair isnt the most productive. Few ISs will travel to fill one or two vacancies in leadership where they want multiple interviews with multiple stake holders. Most leadership recruiting begins over the spring/summer with the leadership fair as a meet and greet for those that have already run the gauntlet for a particular IS. The leadership fair is more for open recruiting of leadership noobs looking fort heir first leadership post, not those already established in leadership.

You are probably a valued candidate for ISS which would be a better experience fore you. Both agencies have the same concentration of ISs in the upper tiers, and you likely dont want to waste your time with just a larger group of third tier ISs (unless you want anything).

Your not really ready for senior administration yet, you have three years as coordinator and went through authorization but your going to need to to put in a year or so as a coordinator before an IS/BS is going to look at you as senior leadership ready. You may find third tier ISs in hardship locations that would give you an AP/VP/DP senior leadership post, but it doesnt sound like thats what you want and your family logistics would make you an unattractive candidate.

Family logistics are generally less an issue for leadership vacancies, essentially by +1 so if 2 dependents is an ISs limit for ITs they will not have much issue with 3 dependents for a leadership vacancy, so your not a logistically challenged hire. What does your spouse do, is there someway you can turn them and thus yourselves into a teaching couple? Many ISs will create a position even if its a para staff vacancy to secure a leadership member.

I concur with @WT123 with your IB experience as IB coordinator and navigating authorization you should have at least gotten some interest. My reflex is that your applying to well established IB ISs that really dont 'NEED' someone with those skills, a smaller newer IS thats just transitioning to IB would appreciate your skill set much more, but again its more "small" ISs.

My recommendation would be at this point to stay local with the goal of actually moving into senior leadership at your current IS or another one in the region, especially the municipal DS system. The hardest part of administration is getting in, and coordinator by and itself isnt senior leadership yet.

I would disagree. I have had many colleagues in junior positions over the years (such as you are in) go to the Admin fair in KL and come back having moved up the ladder. It is not just a coronation of candidates - actual interviewing and hiring does take place there.

Just my two halalas,

Shad

Thank you very much for all this advice - it is very helpful and I will get busy now getting all my ducks in a row for next year.