My wife and I were at SAS in the mid-nineties for two years, and want to return overseas. I was a classroom teacher, but am just finishing my PhD in Edu Tech, and want to find a job as a tech coordinator/tech admin.
We did the UNI job fair last time.
Do we stand a better chance at finding position that is more focused (tech director) through Search, ISS, UNI or maybe contacting schools directly?
It would seem that maybe Search would be better at finding a job for a narrow field, rather than the potpourri of job fair like UNI.
Thoughts....?
Thanks!
Finding positions for narrow field
-
In demand
There's good to strong demand for highly-qualified tech directors.
I'd say the kind of recruiter you want to sign up with depends on what you're looking for. UNI is good, but a number of the higher-paying schools don't attend. If you want to look at higher salaries, I'd suggest Search and ISS, with my strong preference being Search.
If you're looking to start in the 06-07 school year, TIE may well be your best bet.
I'd say the kind of recruiter you want to sign up with depends on what you're looking for. UNI is good, but a number of the higher-paying schools don't attend. If you want to look at higher salaries, I'd suggest Search and ISS, with my strong preference being Search.
If you're looking to start in the 06-07 school year, TIE may well be your best bet.
Job fair schools and Search
Thanks for the reply. Your observation that some of the bigger schools don't attend UNI is something I'm now finding. SAS was at UNI in the nineties, but I don't think they go now. I've compiled a list of schools that my wife and I are interested in, and might have the curriculum/budget to support they type of technology that needs a director. I'm now contacting them to see exactly what job fairs they do attend these days.In demand wrote:There's good to strong demand for highly-qualified tech directors.
I'd say the kind of recruiter you want to sign up with depends on what you're looking for. UNI is good, but a number of the higher-paying schools don't attend. If you want to look at higher salaries, I'd suggest Search and ISS, with my strong preference being Search.
If you're looking to start in the 06-07 school year, TIE may well be your best bet.
I'll also check out Search as well. Have heard mixed reviews, both here and through friends.
Here is a partial list of schools that I've found through this forum and ISR reviews, as well as through contacts we've got in the int'l community that seems to be strong bets for a rewarding experience:
American School Dubai
American School Doha
American Int'l School Cape Town
International School Santiago
Osaka International School
Yokahama International School
Singapore American School
International School Kuala Lumpur
Shanghi American School
American Int'l School Guangzhou
American Int'l School of Budapest
International School of Stavanger
Thanks!
-
Murdock
Re: Job fair schools and Search
Thanks for sharing your list with others in the forum ! 
JISAlum wrote:Thanks for the reply. Your observation that some of the bigger schools don't attend UNI is something I'm now finding. SAS was at UNI in the nineties, but I don't think they go now. I've compiled a list of schools that my wife and I are interested in, and might have the curriculum/budget to support they type of technology that needs a director. I'm now contacting them to see exactly what job fairs they do attend these days.In demand wrote:There's good to strong demand for highly-qualified tech directors.
I'd say the kind of recruiter you want to sign up with depends on what you're looking for. UNI is good, but a number of the higher-paying schools don't attend. If you want to look at higher salaries, I'd suggest Search and ISS, with my strong preference being Search.
If you're looking to start in the 06-07 school year, TIE may well be your best bet.
I'll also check out Search as well. Have heard mixed reviews, both here and through friends.
Here is a partial list of schools that I've found through this forum and ISR reviews, as well as through contacts we've got in the int'l community that seems to be strong bets for a rewarding experience:
American School Dubai
American School Doha
American Int'l School Cape Town
International School Santiago
Osaka International School
Yokahama International School
Singapore American School
International School Kuala Lumpur
Shanghi American School
American Int'l School Guangzhou
American Int'l School of Budapest
International School of Stavanger
Thanks!
-
Mucho Gusto
Tech Director, teaching couple.. you've got it made!
UNI has become a "mop up" fair for administrators filling positions where they failed to find candidates at the big fairs. Most of the candidates are inexperienced.
I think that ISS has switched its big fair from to Carmel from Boston since I was last in the mix (2002). Search's big fair is still in Cambridge. CIS-London has become huge. Any of those three fairs should work for you.
UNI has become a "mop up" fair for administrators filling positions where they failed to find candidates at the big fairs. Most of the candidates are inexperienced.
I think that ISS has switched its big fair from to Carmel from Boston since I was last in the mix (2002). Search's big fair is still in Cambridge. CIS-London has become huge. Any of those three fairs should work for you.
-
Mark L. Hansen
UNI fair reply
The reply from Mucho Gusto stating that the
"UNI has become a "mop up" fair for administrators filling positions where they failed to find candidates at the big fairs?
is simply not true.
As an administrator who attended the 2006 UNI Fair and hired at the fair, I find the UNI Fair outstanding with very professional candidates in many different subject levels. While it is true that many may not have international experience, that is not an issue. Many administrators, including myself, hire the best teachers possible...whether they have overseas experience or not. Each year I have attended the UNI Fair I was able to hire teachers that have been outstanding. The UNI Fair has a very good reputation run by a very capable and friendly UNI placement department. We attend CIS, Search Associates, UNI, as well as do our own independent recruiting.
Our school is an IB World School and while most teachers at the UNI Fair do not have IB experience, it is very easy for us to send them to the IB training courses once they are on staff. A competent and motivated teacher can easily adapt to a new style of teaching, as long as they agree with its philosophy.
I would certainly recommend the UNI Fair as I have found outstanding candidates each year I have attended that have made terrific international teachers.
Mark L. Hansen
Elementary Principal
Berlin Brandenburg International School
Berlin, Germany
mark.hansen@bbis.de
"UNI has become a "mop up" fair for administrators filling positions where they failed to find candidates at the big fairs?
is simply not true.
As an administrator who attended the 2006 UNI Fair and hired at the fair, I find the UNI Fair outstanding with very professional candidates in many different subject levels. While it is true that many may not have international experience, that is not an issue. Many administrators, including myself, hire the best teachers possible...whether they have overseas experience or not. Each year I have attended the UNI Fair I was able to hire teachers that have been outstanding. The UNI Fair has a very good reputation run by a very capable and friendly UNI placement department. We attend CIS, Search Associates, UNI, as well as do our own independent recruiting.
Our school is an IB World School and while most teachers at the UNI Fair do not have IB experience, it is very easy for us to send them to the IB training courses once they are on staff. A competent and motivated teacher can easily adapt to a new style of teaching, as long as they agree with its philosophy.
I would certainly recommend the UNI Fair as I have found outstanding candidates each year I have attended that have made terrific international teachers.
Mark L. Hansen
Elementary Principal
Berlin Brandenburg International School
Berlin, Germany
mark.hansen@bbis.de
-
Mucho Gusto
Mark L. Hansen makes strong arguments for recruiter attendance at the UNI fair which unfortunately are not germane to JISAlum's question. With experience at SAS and a PHD, JIS looks like a top tier candidate in a sellers' market. Of the 20-25 schools that I consider to be "prestige" in the IS world, I count only 5 or 6 among the 2006 UNI attendees.
The people at UNI have gotten wise and moved their fair from Late Feb./March to early Feb. They have a reputation for excellent organization and I wish them well in regaining their past status. Until they do, I think that there are better fairs for JISAlum. But, these are just the thoughts of a humble schoolteacher
The people at UNI have gotten wise and moved their fair from Late Feb./March to early Feb. They have a reputation for excellent organization and I wish them well in regaining their past status. Until they do, I think that there are better fairs for JISAlum. But, these are just the thoughts of a humble schoolteacher
Job fairs opportunities
I appreciate the feedback from those that have posted. The original objective of my post was primarily to compare job fairs as my family's career objectives have changed.
Our original experience at UNI approximately 8 years ago was excellent. It is truly a well run organization. When we were there, we both were K-8 'generalists', willing to accept many positions. Back then the 'top tier' schools (defined many ways) all seemed to be in attendance. Whether one got a position or not obviously depended on many factors. But the pool of schools was impressive.
Now, our objective have changed. I'm looking for a more specific position, one which will not be as easy to find. In looking at some of the top tier schools (SAS included), I see that some are not planning on attending UNI. This does not take away from the fair, just the opportunities it offerers.
However if the market has changed and if schools are now in position to either be more discriminant in terms of the job fairs they attend, or through electronic communication have decided to hire more directly, than applicants have to consider which fairs to attend.
I am in the process of contacting schools directly to find out which fairs they are attending. I believe, and have read on this forum, that getting an idea of which schools are going to be at which fairs can be challenging.
It would seem that Search and ISS have concluded that it is in their best interest to portray their job fairs as well attended, with many jobs available. As a candidate I would not want to pay the fees, buy the plane tickets, pay for the hotels only to find that the positions are not even being offered. I can accept rejection based on credentials, however would be frustrated if I didn't even get the chance because schools had pulled out, or were not even there in the first place.
Unfortunately I cannot attend UNI, Search and ISS. I have to choose one and hope that schools I am interested in, and a position that I am looking for is being offered. My extended family has attended UNI for the last three decades. It is amazing that one can have as dynamic and exciting an experience in Northern Iowa (who knew?). Deep down I feel that UNI is the most 'genuine', and offers the most 'open' experience. However if the market has changed and schools are going elsewhere, considerations will have to be made.
Obviously just one opinion.
Our original experience at UNI approximately 8 years ago was excellent. It is truly a well run organization. When we were there, we both were K-8 'generalists', willing to accept many positions. Back then the 'top tier' schools (defined many ways) all seemed to be in attendance. Whether one got a position or not obviously depended on many factors. But the pool of schools was impressive.
Now, our objective have changed. I'm looking for a more specific position, one which will not be as easy to find. In looking at some of the top tier schools (SAS included), I see that some are not planning on attending UNI. This does not take away from the fair, just the opportunities it offerers.
However if the market has changed and if schools are now in position to either be more discriminant in terms of the job fairs they attend, or through electronic communication have decided to hire more directly, than applicants have to consider which fairs to attend.
I am in the process of contacting schools directly to find out which fairs they are attending. I believe, and have read on this forum, that getting an idea of which schools are going to be at which fairs can be challenging.
It would seem that Search and ISS have concluded that it is in their best interest to portray their job fairs as well attended, with many jobs available. As a candidate I would not want to pay the fees, buy the plane tickets, pay for the hotels only to find that the positions are not even being offered. I can accept rejection based on credentials, however would be frustrated if I didn't even get the chance because schools had pulled out, or were not even there in the first place.
Unfortunately I cannot attend UNI, Search and ISS. I have to choose one and hope that schools I am interested in, and a position that I am looking for is being offered. My extended family has attended UNI for the last three decades. It is amazing that one can have as dynamic and exciting an experience in Northern Iowa (who knew?). Deep down I feel that UNI is the most 'genuine', and offers the most 'open' experience. However if the market has changed and schools are going elsewhere, considerations will have to be made.
Obviously just one opinion.
-
gringo
Job fairs opportunities- Carol Morgan School
Nice of you to find information about the Santiago Christian School. It is a well run school with a lot to offer. In fact should you think about the Dominican Republic, this school would actually be number three or four on your list. A more fitting locale might be the Carol Morgan School in Santo Donmingo. A world class school with a lot of great extras, they have a technology component to all three of their schools, with a corresponding infrastructure, that is heads and shoulders above even some of the 'best' international schools. Contact them directly to see for yourself.
Good luck.
Good luck.
-
Leona Greenlaw
Finding a tech job
You are wise to ask your questions here, and you will also be deemed to be very much in demand! My suggestion is that you send your resume via email to the schools you have already identified, and keep your eye on tieonline.com for upcoming job postings. More and more schools are beginning their recruiting very early in the season now--October--and are responding to emails if they expect an opening in a specific area which the emailed resume addresses. Positions that are known to be difficult to fill will be aggressively recruited for as soon as openings are known, and a tech director position would fall into that category. You may well find that you can avoid the job fair totally by communicating directly with the schools you have in mind. If not, you can ask those you identify who have positions that meet your description which fairs they will be attending. Make sure, however, that you meet those deadlines--which are also creeping up each year!