Application preparation for graduate teaching roles. Amber Roberts Careers Adviser Career Development Service

Transcription

1 Application preparation for graduate teaching roles Amber Roberts Careers Adviser Career Development Service 1

2 What is a resume? A summary of your education, employment experience and skills and relevant aspects of your extra-curricular life A marketing document selling yourself for a role Showcases your skills and attributes as a graduate Purpose = to get you to an interview! Employers are likely to spend no more than 90 seconds reviewing your resume

3 How to write your resume Start by researching the role Find out as much as possible about the school from their website & from talking to other people who work there Identify your skills, strengths and achievements Also tailor your resume to suit the requirements of a particular teaching position. Make it school specific. Your Resume is a 60 second commercial to convince others of your abilities to solve their problems. Paul Stevens. The Australian Resume Guide

4 Review the Professional Teaching Standards Victorian Institute of Teaching The Standards within each key stage are intended to describe the nature of teachers work in three domains: Professional Knowledge Professional Practice Professional Engagement

5 Formatting Maintain consistent style same style with bullet points, font or spacing Font size 11 or 12 with headings in slightly larger or bold font Avoid mixed fonts (Arial, Times New Roman) Use subheadings & bullet points Make each section distinct Include a footnote (name and page numbers) Justify information to the left Use colour sparingly Do not put clip-art, cartoons, or other illustrations Avoid tables and go easy on underlining Should be no more than 2-3 pages (*as per their guidelines) Neatly typed on white A4 paper and if sending stapled top left (do not bind!) At all times you MUST follow employer instructions!

6 Content Guidelines Be concise and systematic Reverse chronological order Achievement focused Use action verbs Achievements are quantified Use plain English Avoid jargon, slang or acronyms Put less important information at the back Provide evidence of real life examples Use an English spell checker set to English Don t ever send your first draft proof read and edit thoroughly No photo is necessary (unless asked for) Get it checked by someone in the know

7 Tailor your resume! Don t use the same resume for each application Identify key words from the job ad & position description make sure you use them in your resume Tailor your key competencies/skills section in your resume 7

8 Possible Headings Teaching Philosophy Education/Qualifications Key competencies Teaching Practicum Employment History Voluntary Experience/Community Engagement Professional Development / Additional Training Professional Memberships Awards and Achievements Extracurricular involvement Interests Referees

9 Contact Details Make your name stand out Address Phone Numbers Only put the one with an answering machine Most contactable first make sure it is professional Do not include: marital status, DOB, gender, ethnicity Consider including Permanent Residency Status Tina Teacher 23 Yellow Street Cronwell VIC 3210 Ph: m

10 Teaching Philosophy an example A dynamic and motivated graduate teacher who has a strong interest in being involved in, and promoting, inclusive education, environmental conservation and the performing arts. An ability to design balanced, innovative programs that encourage students to make a positive impact on their local and global communities within the scope of current curriculum frameworks and educational models. Ideally seeking a full time Graduate Teacher position as a English and Drama Teacher. 10

11 Education Include dates (start and end date) Title of the degree in full Name of Institution (Australian Catholic University, not just ACU) When you expect to complete the course Achievements (e.g. HD average, enter score) Don t write lists of subjects you have undertaken at school or Uni Examples Current Bachelor of Teaching/Bachelor of Arts Australian Catholic University 2010 Victorian Certificate of Education Doncaster Secondary College 11

12 Skills Summary Can be called Skills Summary/ Professional Skills/ Key Strengths/ Key Competencies Must be aligned with the key selection criteria Highlight your key strengths relevant to the employer s requirements Substantiate your claims provide examples Examples: Natural ability to establish a good rapport with students, strengthened through establishing supportive relationships with student both within and outside the classroom environment Effective communication skills with individuals from all different levels, including the ability to liaise with parents, staff members and students 12

13 Teaching Practicum Date School ( Weeks) Years/Classrooms Sentence about what you did - not what was expected of you on practicum but what you developed, implemented, school activities you were apart of, etc. Examples: May 2013 Year 7 and 8 (4 weeks) Carmall Secondary School Developed lesson plan, worked with students to explore the inquiry unit on multiculturalism and developed an assessment task, which contributed to their semester grade

14 Employment History Can be separated into sections; Relevant Work Experience and Other Employment Include Date of starting & completing the job Hours of work (e.g. 15 hours per week) Title of the position Name of the organisation Key roles and responsibilities Achievements Use this format for detailing volunteer work, vacation work, industry experience etc. 14

15 Employment History Example Mar Current Integration Aide (Year 6) Hillside Primary School Supervise and assist students with additional needs within the classroom environment Management of individual student s progress, assisting with learning, behaviour management and providing support to the classroom teacher Liaise with classroom teacher, principal and parents about the students progress Support other students with a range of additional needs, including Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Down Syndrome and Narcolepsy

16 Extra-curricular Activities/Community Engagement / Volunteer work List all other relevant roles you have taken that are relevant i.e. Volunteer work, sports related roles, the arts, community or church activities Example: 2012 current Homework Club Volunteer Atherton Gardens Provide support with homework to students in Year 7 and 8 Gained experience with cross cultural communication and the issues faced by young people who are migrants

17 Professional Development/Additional Certifications Remember to only put in what is relevant to the position you are applying for! Examples: 2013 Creating and maintaining Individual Learning Plans The Centre for Professional Learning 2012 Senior First Aid Certificate: Level 2 Australian First Aid, Updated CPR February Education Support (Training Program) Australian Education Industry Centre

18 Accreditation/Registration/Professional Memberships Include any student memberships of organisations within your industry (Include: Year you joined, Name of the Association, Level of membership) Example: 2013Working with Children Check 2013 National Criminal History Record Check (Ref no ) 2013 Provisional Victorian Institute of Teaching (Reg no )

19 Interests This lets the employer know a little bit about your personality Include: 3-5 interests, be specific. If you like reading state what you like. Be interesting but mindful that your interests reflect you! Example: Enjoy keeping fit through playing weekly competition netball and training for cycling. 19

20 Referees A Position Description usually specifies the number and perhaps the type of referees/references required. Three referees are often required. A guide to help you choose your referees is: A School Principal [who knows you and can speak highly of your professional expertise.] A classroom teacher [who knows you well and can speak highly of your professional expertise.] A lecturer from the ACU National Education Faculty [who knows you well and can speak highly of your academic/educational expertise.] Your current Manager from your paid employment or a volunteer role you undertake regularly 20

21 Referees Some schools require a Minister of Religion as a referee. Choose one who knows you/your family well. Choose and ask your referees early. [Listen to their responses very carefully. ] It is not appropriate to name relatives as referees. Written references are now less common. Include one only if it is required, or if you are sure it will really enhance your application. Always follow the employer s directive. Remember to get permission!!!!!! 21

22 Some things to avoid Missing dates Vague language Typos Controversial hobbies Misrepresentation Irrelevant information(dob, Primary School) Graphics or clip art Putting Resume at top Using different font and coloured fonts throughout resume stick with black Photo of yourself do not include unless specifically requested 22

23 Resume Checklist Presentation Can you improve the layout? Tailored to the position- Is your resume organised to highlight most relevant achievements/experiences? Up to date information Is it current? Proof read Did you check, double check, get someone else to check! Would you interview yourself based on the content, formatting and layout of your resume? Does it look like a professional document? 23

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25 Cover letter A cover letter (application letter) is just as important as your resume. Purpose of it is to make the reader want to read more about you. Research shows that employers make a recruitment decision in seconds based on the quality of the letter. Never send a standard letter. A letter must be job and company specific. You have only one chance of enticing the Manager/Recruiter to read more.

26 Cover letter All left-aligned Keep the tone positive Clear, concise, to the point, ideally one side of A4 Proof read to avoid spelling or grammatical errors Send the covering letter as an attachment and write a brief explanatory If you mail a hard copy you should include your address, the employer s address and the date to the top of your letter

27 Cover letter an easy formula to remember Talk about you Education and Experience Talk about the role/the job and the School Summarise the skills and qualities you bring to the role (important if there is criteria for the role but you don t need to submit a response to key selection criteria )

28 Cover letter format Dear Ms Smith (try to find out their name but if you can t address it to: Dear Sir/Madam) Re: Application for (write job t title and reference number, if applicable) Paragraph 1: The Opening - Introduce yourself briefly; refer to where you saw the advert, or if it is a speculative letter say why you are writing, including what kind of job/placement you are enquiring about. Paragraph 2: Why this career and why them? Give reasons for your interest in this role and the career sector for which you are applying, show that you have done your research and choose elements of the role that genuinely excite you. Give the reasons you are applying to this particular company/organisation. This is your chance to target your application and demonstrate that you have done your background research. Avoid vague generalisations about their excellent reputation or first class training. Paragraphs 3: Why You? It is vital to show what you can do for them. Give reasons why they should consider you. Write about the highlights in terms of your experience, skills and knowledge, which match the employer s criteria in the advert. Don t just repeat what is already in your CV, but emphasise your key selling points for the job.

29 Cover Letter Template Final Paragraph: The Ending Conclude positively, thank the employer for considering you and say that you look forward to hearing from them. Yours sincerely (If you wrote to a named individual but Yours faithfully if you used Dear Sir or Madam ). Sign it here

30 Points to remember with selection critieria No matter how the job selection criteria appear, follow these six Steps to ensure your application covers all the required information: read and reread the advertisement and position description highlight key words and think about what the employer is looking for list examples of how you meet the key selection criteria- describe relevant skills, experience, incidents, training, personal qualities and expertise review your list and summarise, in words, how you have demonstrated you meet the KSC repeat these steps for the remaining KSC. *print or save the job details and position description, so you can easily refer to them later

31 More tips Address every aspect of each criteria. Avoid unsupported statements such as I have great initiative. Show, don t tell. Support your claims with relevant concrete examples from study, teaching rounds, work experience, voluntary work and community experience. e.g. I demonstrated my initiative when My initiative was evident when.. Start a new document and use the exact wording of the selection criteria as headings. Don t be tempted to combine criteria which sound similar. Keep in mind that selection criteria are not always well written but you need to work with what is given.

32 Responding to different types of criteria Skills or ability criteria: often referred to be recruiters as competencies. Give examples of when you have demonstrated the skill or ability. A typical response might consist of 2 or 3 examples Use examples from a range of experiences and contexts throughout your responses- your work, study or extra-curricular activities A useful framework for responses for skills criteria is the STAR model: S situation: set up the context where, when, who? T task : what specifically was the task/challenge? A action: what did you do to get the task done? R result: what was the outcome? There is no strict guide to length but consider a 1/3 to 1/2 a page.

33 If describing a scenario, use the STAR acronym S Situation T Task A Action/Activity R Result

34 Finding Positions Teaching rounds matter! Sometimes students are informed of upcoming positions at schools where they are known. Look at the Catholic Education Commission Victoria Website. There are four Catholic Dioceses in Victoria and many more Australia wide. Go to www. cecv.vic.catholic.edu.au Search your diocese or several dioceses. There are also Lutheran Schools, Uniting Church Schools, Anglican Schools, Islamic Schools, Greek Orthodox, other Christian, Indigenous, Steiner etc. Many, if not all, employ graduates. They advertise in various ways.

35 Finding Positions The biggest employer of Secondary Teaching Graduates Victoria wide is the State Education system. For State Education go to There are sections on job vacancies, graduate recruitment and teaching scholarships etc. Application is online. Read newspapers, especially The Melbourne Age, on Tuesdays [Education Age] Wednesdays and Saturdays. Jobs in Victoria, overseas and most non government schools are advertised in The Melbourne Age. Additionally jobs are advertised in the local rural press on Saturdays or Wednesdays. Don t rely on only one source of information for job vacancies. Keep your mind open in regard to job possibilities. Be imaginative, patient and proactive. Job vacancies seem to peak in November and early December, but start looking many months earlier

36 Review Jobs Carefully Make sure you understand all aspects of an advertisement. E.g. 48/52. 52/52. 40/52. FTE1. What do these mean? Can you meet or address the selection criteria? Do you want this specific job? [Research information about the school and the town if you wish.] Weigh up your options. [Consider that graduates often get better leadership and curriculum opportunities in smaller country schools. Jobs in Ballarat, Geelong and Melbourne s Eastern suburbs usually have many more applicants.] Apply or choose not to apply. N.B. Only apply for a job if you are sure you will accept it.

37 Employment Info Employment Status Definition Benefits Pay Casual Teaching day-to-day basis replacing permanent teachers Temporary Teaching full-time for four weeks to a year or part-time for two terms or more. Permanent Teaching Full time continuing -flexible hours -travel throughout NSW -experience teaching in other aspects of the curriculum - shorter termination notice -locality and climate allowances in some areas -extra leave options and vacation pay. -generous leave entitlements (summer vacation and school holidays) Approx $300 per day incl leave loading pro rata of entitlements applicable to a permanent teacher four-year trained teachers start on a salary of $59,706 (2013) *reference only, subject to change

38 Be Social Media savvy Employers will look at Facebook and they may view you in an unfavourable way. Content that is on forums, blogs or video-sharing sites may be damaging to you as a jobseeker. Keep your photos and videos private. Remove tags from photos that you do not want employers to see. Google your name to check online content

39 Best wishes for your teaching career!

40 Contact a Career Adviser Amber Roberts amber.roberts@acu.edu.au Ph: Room 1.22B (Monday -Friday) Jo Messer jo.messer@acu.edu.au Ph: Room 1.22A (Available: Tuesday & Thursday) Make an appointment: or acu.careerhub.com.au For answers to general careers questions, simply Ask a Careers Adviser via ACU CareerHub Online Resume Review Simply upload your resume on ACU Careerhub and it will be reviewed by a Careers Adviser Register by using your ACU Log In username and password. New users must first register at