Now that you have effectively prepared for the teacher fair (research schools and districts, prepare your resume, and dress for success), and developed essential networking strategies to implement while at the fair (prepare your approach & introduction and asking questions), what do you do next?
Once you make a great first impression, keep the ball rolling with effective follow-up! You can do this through email, phone, or the mail and should be done within a few weeks of the event. Your message should include another thank you, state your interest in pursuing a teaching position with their school/district (now or in the future), and request an opportunity to meet again to discuss your qualifications in greater detail.
Here is where having a recruiter contact really pays off.
Apply online AND send the recruiter an email letting them know that you completed the application while attaching a copy of your resume to the email. This allows the recruiter to potentially pull your application and/or send a message to a school/principal encouraging them to look at your application.
Additionally, as you gain new skills, obtain internship experience, perform undergraduate research, expand leadership skills, etc. you have a reason to reach out to keep that contact excited about you as a potential Teacher for their school.
Be sure to look at next week鈥檚 blog for tips on how to accept a teaching position and visit your career coach at your university鈥檚 Career Services center for any additional questions and advice.
Derek Jack
Associate Director, Career Advancement, Brigham Young University
President, American Association for Employment in Education