1. Be Professional
More and more employers are turning to online recruitment because it is a fast, easy and cost effective (in our case free!) way to advertise job vacancies. As a method of communication, the internet can have a certain “casual” attitude associated with it, we have grown used to typing quick e-mails that are dotted with “text speech” and lack correct grammar .
Job applications are anything but casual, so our very first piece of advice to everyone is to remember to be professional.
2. Follow the Instructions
Teachers are fond of the acronym RTFB (which stands for Read the Fecking Book) but everyday applications for positions are disregarded because applicants did not read and follow the instructions. Different employers have different procedures for processing job applications. If a vacancy has received a large number of applicants it’s usually the incomplete ones that get ignored. We recommend you read the vacancy details carefully and adhere to any special requirements for the application. Consider the following questions:
How are you asked to send your application?
Some schools post vacancies online but they do NOT accept e-mail or fax applications. This is often due to requirements of hard copies to be kept on file. VEC’s are a good example. Some VEC’s have their own websites with online application procedures and downloadable application forms.
Does the school need to send materials back to you?
Primary schools have a preference for hard copy postal applications and often request an SAE to return materials to you after they process your application.
Are you required to send specific materials?
Schools and colleges often request copies of your CV, qualifications and Teaching Council Registration details. Failure to supply the requested information often results in applications being rejected especially in cases where there has been a large volume of responses.
Don’t be fooled
No employer will ever ask you for bank or credit card details before interviewing you and giving you a job. Never include this information with any application. At EducationCareers.ie we have security procedures in place that verify the details of employers before they can advertise a vacancy. It’s part of our endeavours to ensure everybody’s privacy.
3. Introduce Yourself with a Cover Letter
Always write a cover letter, it is your opportunity to give the employer an insight into your personality and interests. Here is a quick example that you can use as a starting point:
Dear Sir/Miss,I wish to apply for the position of Geography Teacher as advertised on EducationCareers.iePlease find attached a copy of my CV which includes details of my qualifications and experience along with two references.You will see that I am an experienced teacher who is committed to high standards of education…My CV lists the extra-curricular activities I was involved in during my time at….One of my greatest skills is…. which has helped my teaching practice to….
Thank you for taking the time to consider my application,
Michelle O’Leary
4. Make Sure Your Employer Can Open Your CV
If you are sending an e-mail application make sure the file you send can be opened. People who are using the latest version of Microsoft Word 2007 need to be aware that files saved are in the .docx format.
Most schools haven’t updated to the new version of Word and cannot open files saved as .docx – they need files saved as .doc
PDF’s are a good idea as they are a universal file format and will open on any PC or MAC that has Adobe Reader, which is a free and now standard program.
5. Review Your Application
Always review you application before you send it off. The first step is very simple but extremely important. Spellcheck.
The second step is to re-read your application. Spellcheck is great but it doesn’t spot errors like the difference between principal and principle. Only human eyes will spot a mistake like that. (FYI – a Principal is the manager of a school).
Finally have someone else read it, sometimes we are too close to a problem to see it and a fresh set of eyes will spot mistakes you might have overlooked.
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1 comment
Logan McLain
February 4, 2011 at 12:22 am (UTC 0)
Useful article, I’ve seen so many people use the wrong spelling of the word principal while working in education. Easy mistake to make but an embarrassing one too.