People who do not work within the school system often think all aspects of a school and the school district shut down when the students leave for the summer. This could not be further from the truth. The school board and district offices remain open around the year. Even the individual schools are staffed all year. Principals, assistant principals, coaches, some teachers, counselors, and office staff are all on duty getting ready for the following year. In fact, it is during the first few weeks of the students’ summer vacation that schools begin to aggressively search for new employees.
Employers
It makes sense that the employers would begin looking for their replacement nurses, therapists, and counselors as soon as possible. After all, it may take them a while to find someone that fits in well with their established staff and has the qualifications they are looking for. Many school employers believe that the best employees are available only at the beginning of the summer, and if they wait too long, all of the “good ones” will be snapped up by other schools. Because of this, some schools will actually start advertising during the last month of school, even though they typically cannot start interviewing until the summer.
Employees
Potential employees should begin submitting their resume one to two months before the end of school. You do not want to do it too early and end up pushed to the bottom of a large pile of applications. On the other hand, if you wait too long, you may miss the slim window of opportunity that peaks at the beginning of summer. If you know you want to work at a particular school or school district early enough in advance, consider substituting or volunteering there in order to get to know the staff. Making a connection early on can help your chances of landing a job later on. One of the advantages for employees hired at the beginning of the summer is that they have several months to move, if necessary, and to prepare for their new duties.
Summer has just begun for students across the nation. Take this time to browse openings at schools in your area and to look for positions in areas of the country where you would like to live. Put your applications in everywhere, not just the places you want the most. Even if you do not find your ideal location right away, there is always next summer.
Do you work at a school now? When did you apply for your current job, and when were you hired? Are you an administrator for a school? When do you start interviewing candidates?