Joining ISS

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Alexandru
Posts: 49
Joined: Mon May 14, 2012 9:00 am

Joining ISS

Post by Alexandru »

I'm starting to think about the next school year, and I'm wondering if my qualifications are suitable for finding a job through ISS. I'm a single, young, American, male, elementary teacher with a Bachelor's and a Master's in educational fields. I also have a teaching license from the United States. I have been teaching for five years, exclusively in American international schools. I would like to teach in Latin America or Eastern Europe.

With my qualifications and experience, is it worth the money to sign up with ISS? Or should I sign up with Search or TIE? I would rather not spend the money to go to any international teaching fair or even pay to sign up for a school database, but I've heard that applying to schools through ISS, Search, or TIE is better than just sending an email through a school's website.

Any advice is appreciated!
Thames Pirate
Posts: 1150
Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2013 8:06 am

Re: Joining ISS

Post by Thames Pirate »

TIE, Search, and AASSA would be your best bets. However, if you are just looking to apply directly, don't bother with Search. Schools don't actually have a preference of independent vs. agency applications, and if they do, it is probably for the independents because they don't have to pay agency finder fees. However, databases are invaluable as a place to upload documents and references, but more importantly they allow you to see job postings you might not have considered.
Nomads
Posts: 152
Joined: Mon Nov 04, 2013 2:08 pm

Re: Joining ISS

Post by Nomads »

Alexandru,

If you have the financial means, I would advise registering with both ISS and Search. If you can only afford one, I would go with Search as they are used by more schools. You can also post your resume on TIE for low cost.

Many schools use the database to search for candidates, which will increase your exposure. Also, Search or ISS have confidential recommendations. Many schools prefer to use ISS and Search for this purpose, particularly if they get many applicants. It is easier to do a quick scan of your references on Search or ISS to decide if they want to interview you rather than trying to track down your references. Open letters of reference you may have are pretty much useless from a recruiter's standpoint.
PsyGuy
Posts: 10789
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

Response

Post by PsyGuy »

The preference is to apply directly to an IS, as opposed to going through a recruiter portal. You need to identify vacancies and thats what premium agencies assist with.
If you wanted to go cheap the combination of TIE, TES and COIS would serve you adequately without the expense of a premium agency

Do you have IB/PYP? ISS wouldnt be a horrible option for you, you are right at the margins between what they would see as a valuable vs. invaluable candidate. SA wouldnt be a poor choice either, especially if you went to the BOS fair, youd be a much higher caliber candidate at BOS. AASSA really isnt an issue, all the LCSA ISs worth going to will advertise on TIE.

I strongly disagree with @Nomad. You can store confidential references on TIE as well, and the TIE fee is $39 vs. $225. I would strongly advise against registering with both premium agencies.
ISs rarely search through the applicant pool for candidates, and the ones that do are the bottom third tier ISs.
Alexandru
Posts: 49
Joined: Mon May 14, 2012 9:00 am

Re: Joining ISS

Post by Alexandru »

I've bookmarked all of the schools in Latin America and Eastern Europe that I'm interested, so I can check their websites to see if there are vacancies. I'm not interested in going to a fair because my salary doesn't allow it. I don't have IB/PYP experience, so I'll probably just cross my fingers and hope for a Skype interview. Thank you for the responses, everyone. PsyGuy, so do you think it's worth the money to join TIE just for the confidential references?
PsyGuy
Posts: 10789
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

Reply

Post by PsyGuy »

@Alexandru

I would strongly advise that you seriously consider a fair. You have a resume that would pitch well at a fair, while you dont have IB/PYP you hit a lot of the checklist recruiters are looking for. If you need a free one, the COIS LON fair would save you registration fees.

Do the ISs you are interested in post vacancies though TIE? If not you wont get much utility out of the reference repository. At $39 I consider TIE a very good deal just for the jobs database alone, but if you are only interested in XYZ ISs and you already have a bookmarks list and those ISs dont post vacancies to TIE, then it may well be a waste of $39.
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