The International Schools Review Forum

Hi all,
I finally got registered on Search and am starting to apply for Art teacher jobs. I noticed that the way to contact the school is through email directly on Search. I was wondering does anyone have advice on the best type of message to contact these schools on Search? Is it best to keep it straight to the point with 3-4 sentences (Ex. I'm interested...Please review my credentials and let me know if you have any questions etc.etc) or have a cover letter in the body of the email or something flashier?
Basically any advice you can provide in having success on Search would be appreciated!
Thanks

A link to an online professional website which includes philosophy, references, education, experience, PD, and achievements all wrapped up nicely wouldn't do any harm either.

I would contact the school directly through their own website and let them know in the cover letter you saw the advert on Search.

If youre applying through the application portal on SA you want to have a plain text based version of your cover letter to include. Its advisable to apply both through the web portal and to the email address for the IS directly with your application packet. If you must choose between the two apply to email directly.

i personally like to apply to schools directly unless requested specifically by the school. some have no issue paying search their fees, and i've found others who would rather not if it can be helped.

my associate told me that, apparently, they can see if you've looked at a school on their site and if a school has looked at your profile. who knows. but all things being equal if i see a vacancy on search, i'll google the school and check their website to see what info is there. if they've got a way to apply directly - and i know a bit about the school such that i know the salary would be decent regardless if i checked it on search - i always do.

good luck!

v.

@vandsmith

Yes, SA can see if you looked at an IS an if a recruiter looked at a candidate profile, but thats a far distance from concluding a candidate was hired.

@usaartteacher - in the introductory email my associate sent me, there was an attached document that offered suggestions on how to apply and what to include. Did you receive something like that? I'm asking because I actually missed it and was instructed to go back and read it

@McTeacher

Associates give varying amounts and types of assistance, not all associates provide guidelines for making an application or what to write.

Barry in HK has been good to me. I had misconceptions on what exactly the school received/saw when I sent them an email and he gave me some pointers.
I also had no idea that your associate is able to read every message that you send or receive. That kinda freaked me out.

I try to make the message as personal/relevant as possible. Go on the school's website and find out the name(s) of the department heads and use their names. I find two or three things on the site that connect to my teaching philosophy or that I admire and I comment on them.

Hope that helps :)

@McTeacher

Why would you think SA cant/couldnt read text (mail) managed on THEIR server, its not encrypted and they control THEIR server?