The Puzzle: Blog

School has started once again, and you feel, on the whole, happy in your current position. You have supportive administration, you’ve mastered the subject you’re teaching, you’ve bonded with your students. But some part of you is itching to try something new.

Sound familiar?

Each year, we work with many candidates in just this position: they’re mostly happy at their current school, but they’re still open to the idea of a new challenge, a new place, and a new job. Perhaps they’ve been in the same school for a decade and want to explore a new community. Perhaps they’ve been teaching the same subject for years and want to expand their reach. Or maybe the current school’s mission or culture doesn’t quite align with their own.

If you’re in a similar position, how do you know when to take the leap and start a job search?

The first thing to consider: you should not wait until it’s time to renew your contract to begin your search. Many schools negotiate contract renewals in the early spring, whereas they may start listing positions in the late fall. If you wait to search until you’ve already decided whether or not you will return to your current role, you may miss out on opportunities.

If you’re relatively happy in your current job, you’re in the enviable position of being a bit more selective in your job search. Have a conversation with your placement associate: tell him or her what you feel is lacking in your current position, and ask only to be sent to the positions that would most excite you.

Concerned about confidentiality? Tell your CS&A associate that you’d prefer that your current school not know about your search yet, and we’ll do everything we can to keep your search private. We never send candidates’ materials to their current schools.

Have a good relationship with your current administration? Consider telling leadership about your search early on in the year to garner their support.

It never hurts to keep your options open. If you’re looking—no matter how seriously—build a candidate file of which you are proud.

Back to Blog

0 Comments

There are no comments on this blog entry.