Towards the end of the last school year, The International Edducator (TIE) wanted to learn more about how recruiting is changing for our profession. Along with our work on the Newsletter, TIE also has services for schools to find great teachers and for job seekers to find their next step in a virtual recruiting environment. Given our recent work and the new tools we've developed, we wanted to examine whether our perceptions about changes in recruitment are accurate. Specifically, we suspected that social media is increasingly used for recruitment, fewer people are attending recruiting fairs, and more people are finding jobs online.
Here is what we heard and learned based on our survey of almost 300 respondents:
(ChatGPT was used to support some data analysis)
How Have You Looked for a Teaching Job in the Past?
The most frequent methods for finding international teaching jobs throughout respondents' careers historically included:
Recruiting Services and Fairs: The combination of using a recruiting service and attending a fair has been the most popular method.
Direct Applications via Recruiting Services: Many educators found jobs by applying directly through recruiting services.
Referrals: Being referred by a friend at the school was another common method.
School Websites: A significant number of educators found jobs by applying directly through school websites.
Social Media: Platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram were also used, though less frequently.
Do You Think the Recruiting and Job Seeking Process is Changing?
A large majority of respondents (201 out of 272) agree that the recruiting process is changing, indicating a perceived shift in how international teaching positions are secured.
A smaller group (57 respondents) are unsure about these changes, while only 14 disagree, suggesting that the change is widely recognized but not universally understood or accepted.
How Are Your Job Seeking Practices Changing?
Shift Towards Digital Methods: Although traditional methods like recruiting fairs and referrals remain strong, there is a noticeable, though smaller, reliance on social media and direct applications online. This could indicate a growing trend towards digital and direct recruitment strategies.
Persistent Importance of Networking: Referrals continue to play a crucial role, emphasizing the importance of personal and professional networks.
How is TIE Innovating Support in the Recruitment and Job Seeking Process?
Over the past few years, TIE has been innovating in the virtual recruitment space. TIE services for recruitment and job seeking are aligned to the International Standards of Practice. This allows teachers the opportunity to provide evidence of their skills and showcase their impact on student learning, and offers schools the tools for a much richer and more comprehensive view of candidates’ abilities. It’s our responsibility to give students the best teachers possible and Standards-Based Evidence is the next shift in our developing recruitment practices.
