04/23/2020 by Carney Sandoe Staff |
Landing the Job
Your Job Seeker Questions Answered
As a job seeker in today's COVID-19 affected world, you understandably have a lot of questions. With a lot of uncertainty surrounding when schools will reopen and whether closures will affect the upcoming academic year, searching for a job in education has become more complicated.
Over the past few weeks, we've been in close contact with the schools we work with in order to stay on top of their changing hiring needs and so we can work proactively and efficiently with our candidates who are still looking for positions for the 2020-21 school year. We know which schools are still hiring and which ones aren't, and we're using that information to inform our candidates' job searches.
While a lot is still unknown, we remain committed to being transparent and open with our valued candidates as we navigate these waters together. Below we answer some of the more frequent questions our candidates have been asking about their searches and the state of hiring.
We're also offering a series of webinars for current Carney Sandoe candidates. Grouped by subject area (STEM, arts, humanities, etc.), the webinars will be hosted by members of our Placement Group and will cover topics specific to job seeking in this new normal, such as communicating with schools, highlighting your skills and capabilities, and preparing your Carney Sandoe dossier for virtual hiring.
Are schools still hiring?
Over the past few weeks, we've surveyed the schools we work with, made email and phone outreach, and we continue to work more closely than ever with our schools to understand their hiring timelines and needs. For the most part, schools are continuing to hire for the 2020-21 school year but we have seen some changes to things such as the number of positions schools are filling and the hiring timeline (see below). Full disclosure, there are some schools who have paused hiring, and some who are waiting until the summer to restart their hiring process. Despite this, we are continuing to work to fill open positions, even though – in normal times – it might seem late in the hiring season.
What does the timeline for hiring look like?
This varies by school. Some schools are forging ahead and hope to fill their positions in the next month or two, while some are pausing hiring (but not eliminating it completely) until they have a better handle on how things will look in the fall. Very few schools have frozen hiring entirely. Your Placement Associate can offer you insight into schools' hiring timelines for positions you have been referred to.
While schools are working to adjust their hiring to fit a virtual space (not to mention the added time they're dedicating to supporting online learning), you might experience some delays in the process. It's important to remain flexible and patient – we're all doing our best to figure out our new way of life. Check in with a school if you haven't heard from them in a while, or ask your Placement Associate for any updates. Communication continues to be important during the interview process.
Will my offer be rescinded because of school closures and COVID-19?
It's still very early to tell. As of now, we haven't seen an uptick in previous offers being rescinded. While more uncommon than not, we have seen a few schools offer candidates contracts that are contingent on enrollment numbers for next year. Schools who have offered these types of contracts have been giving candidates a date for when they expect to make a final decision.
Do you know if schools will reopen in the fall?
Unfortunately, it's also too early to say with certainty how the fall will look. But if we can deduce anything from seeing schools continue to hire, it's that schools have every intention of opening their campuses after summer break. As we head into the summer months, we will continue to track the latest closure updates from the schools we work with to keep candidates informed.
What jobs are on hold?
Your Placement Associate can give you specific details about the jobs they are working on and which positions have been paused. We have been working to stay well-informed of our client schools' hiring plans so we can offer candidates the most up-to-date information.
What will happen now that candidates aren't able to visit school campuses?
Schools are adjusting their hiring practices knowing they need to deliver a virtual campus and community experience. While you aren't able to set foot on a school's campus right now, schools are becoming more creative in capturing and conveying their essence and feel. They are sympathetic to the fact that candidates won't be able to observe school assemblies, eat lunch in the dining hall, explore the dorms, or interact in person with students. Schools are being more intentional about trying to project who they are as fully as they can. They are talking about their values more and sharing clear anecdotes to illustrate who they are. Some are offering candidates the chance to talk to students or other recently-hired faculty members. Admission departments are also getting involved, helping to facilitate virtual tours and visit days.
Remember, candidates who live abroad and schools that hire internationally have been successfully job seeking and hiring virtually for years. It might be uncomfortable, but it's not impossible.
I'm a teacher. What are schools doing to replace in-person demo lessons?
Schools are taking a variety of approaches to the demo lesson, and they vary widely – from recreating a demo lesson using video conferencing, to removing it entirely from the hiring process and replacing it with a different tactic. Some schools have asked candidates if they have any pre-recorded videos of them teaching in a classroom setting. Since many candidates are currently teaching from home, we have heard some schools are asking candidates to record their online lessons with their classes (with the proper permissions, of course). Other schools are using their own students for virtual demo lessons, having candidates join by Zoom or another video conference platform. Some are adjusting the format, having candidates present two mini-lessons that are no more than 15 minutes in length, while others have eliminated a live demo altogether and are asking candidates to create and walk through a lesson plan. Long story short, there is not one single method that is being used across the board, so we encourage you to ask your interviewers their plan for the demo lesson.
What other questions do you have about job seeking during this pandemic? Ask them in the comments below!
Deborah Davis Hurwitz 6/10/2020 at 6:40pm
Hello –
While I’ve been actively consulting these past few months, I am still looking for full time positions. My specialities include: Communications, Marketing, Development and Alumni Relations.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Deborah D. Hurwitz