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Career Marketing

There are several steps you should take when considering a career change. The first of these concerns marketing yourself to a prospective employer. Find out what the top educational priorities are in the state or school district where you intend to apply. What are the current special initiatives? Are there any additional certification(s) required for you to apply for a specific position? What must you do to meet the minimum requirements for employment?

You should recognize that every profession has its own distinctive terminology. You need to familiarize yourself with “education-ese” and, by the same token, avoid using military jargon and acronyms when you are communicating with school officials. Carefully consider the position description for the job you want and, in your resume and application letter, highlight the experiences in your previous career that are the most relevant. As a teacher, the majority of your time will be spent with school-aged children, so focus your application materials on your experiences with children in this age bracket, such as coaching, tutoring, teaching Sunday school, or serving as a substitute teacher or a classroom volunteer.

If you are searching for a suitable position in Florida, visit TeachinFlorida.com. From there, you will be able to link to the Web sites of individual districts and schools. These sites contain valuable information that will enable you to make informed decisions about your future.

The demand for teachers varies from one geographic location to another and from one subject area to the next. If you are in a position to be flexible, it might be to your advantage to search for opportunities in districts with the greatest need for teachers and to earn certification in those subjects in which the demand for teachers is higher.

Marketing your talents, past experiences, and passion to work with children is the key to obtaining employment in your new profession.

Florida Department of Education