Competitiveness in 2020

Zebra750
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Dec 09, 2018 8:08 pm

Competitiveness in 2020

Post by Zebra750 »

Hi All - I posted this previously in the other forum but didn't get much response.

I'm looking for some constructive criticism here, as well as what I can do to make myself a stronger candidate. I'm on Search, attended some fairs. I've had a few interviews and still planning on two more fairs, but I've yet to receive any offers. It feels in so many ways as though schools are just kind of kicking tires this hiring season.

I'm one of those many teachers worldwide that had a position at an IB school last year, but lost that position due to the financial state of our school.

I've been in Education for moving on 3.5 years now.

I've got a BA in Political Science with a minor in History.
Masters in Ed that I'm working on.
Stateside Certs in English, History & Sciences. Secondary and Middle Grades.

1.5 Years as an LTS. (Middle Grades English)
1 Year in Lebanon. (MYP & DP English & DP History)
1 Year at a Charter. (Secondary History, my current role)

Should I have any hopes for this hiring season, or should I pack it in and just wait for next year?
sciteach
Posts: 258
Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2014 7:49 am

Re: Competitiveness in 2020

Post by sciteach »

In a normal hiring season - many of the better schools have started to hire for the more difficult to fill positions during November/December. Hiring continues with more positions becoming available until early Feb when numbers of jobs starts to decline due to being filled. Covid will delay many schools from hiring as early as they normally do due to not knowing numbers for the next school year.

You also teach subjects which are less in demand and have jumped around quite a bit as well. That might put off some of the more fancy schools which can easily choose from the best - but you have some IB experience which means your not at the bottom of the pile when people are looking at teachers to employ.

To put it simple - it may be too early for a teacher such as yourself to be getting offers from the worlds best schools so early in the job season but good quality schools may start looking at you soon. Note that living in the US may also made you less desirable at present due to COVID.

As such - just keep your chin up and not all hope is lost.
sid
Posts: 1392
Joined: Sat Dec 02, 2006 11:44 am

Re: Competitiveness in 2020

Post by sid »

This is a truly unique hiring season. Everything varies so much according to country, making things even more complicated.
Our school had reduced turnover, so less positions to fill, and we’ve filled them all except for one teacher who is waiting until the final deadline next week to give us a final decision about staying. If s/he decides to leave, I anticipate we’ll fill that spot within a week. All recruiting was done through zoom interviews. We didn’t use any fairs.
But that’s us. We’re reasonably confident that our enrollment is stable (it’s up slightly since the pandemic started) and that we can get new teachers into the country in August. Other schools and other countries are facing very different situations. Enrollment is unpredictable and getting new people into the country already appears impossible in some locations.
What does that mean for the OP? Hard to say, but overall not great. You, like many candidates, can only be considered in countries that are open to bringing in people from outside. There are less jobs than usual in those countries overall, and more candidates than usual. Conclusion: competition is higher than ever.
The OP has rightly judged that his/her overall package is not that competitive. Not much experience and a history of moving around (even if you wanted to stay, it didn’t happen). You are working on a master’s, which is good, but it doesn’t do much for you when competing with people who have completed their degrees and stayed longer at their schools.
It’s not all hopeless. You need to find ways to sell yourself. Make yourself special. Specifically, focus on lesser known schools in less popular locations. Places that aren’t on other’s wish lists. (These aren’t all bad schools or bad locations. There are many hidden gems out there that don’t get all the press just because they aren’t Paris or aren’t near to a beach.) Research these places. Scour their websites. Learn everything you can about what makes them special. And then write amazing, personalized cover letters that address what you can bring to them. Make it clear you know them and want them. Make it clear you’re looking for a place to settle in and stay awhile, and be truthful about that. What you need most is obviously your next job, and what you need next after that is the sustained experience that will help you avoid this situation next time you’re job hunting.
Good luck.
Zebra750
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Dec 09, 2018 8:08 pm

Re: Competitiveness in 2020

Post by Zebra750 »

Thank you both for your feedback. I appreciate it.

I ought to clarify - I don't mind working in any hardship positions. I've lived in Jordan as a kid, I can speak, read and write Arabic fairly well. (For whatever that's worth to a recruiter. In October I had an interview where they seemed relatively interested in that, although I did not receive any follow ups) So the idea of being in a place that's not necessarily a tourist hotspot doesn't immediately repel me.

I'm curious as to where else I should be considering.

The Middle East and North Africa are my main focus for next year - but I'm not married to being strictly in the region although I'd like to be there.
sid
Posts: 1392
Joined: Sat Dec 02, 2006 11:44 am

Re: Competitiveness in 2020

Post by sid »

Those lesser known places are on every continent. The other Europe, the other Asia, the other americas. Whatever countries you don’t think of first when you think of a region. Armenia, not France. Bhutan, not Singapore. Nicaragua, not Costa Rica. Etc.
sciteach
Posts: 258
Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2014 7:49 am

Re: Competitiveness in 2020

Post by sciteach »

If your looking at the ME - then they tend to hire as late or later than Europe. There was a reason that the ME fairs were later than the Asian fairs. If your looking at the ME - then you have a much better chance of getting a job.

Do note that I have heard stories of many expats leaving places like Dubai so more local schools will have more jobs available.
shadowjack
Posts: 2138
Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am

Re: Competitiveness in 2020

Post by shadowjack »

Look below the Sahara too, Zebra. There are quite a few good smaller schools there in East, West, and Central Africa.
Zebra750
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Dec 09, 2018 8:08 pm

Re: Competitiveness in 2020

Post by Zebra750 »

Noted - thanks again everyone! I appreciate the sobering yet encouraging comments.

I'm attending the SA Fair this week, so I'm hoping something good comes from it.

*Fingers crossed*
Smokegreynblues
Posts: 29
Joined: Thu Oct 24, 2019 9:50 pm

Re: Competitiveness in 2020

Post by Smokegreynblues »

469,000 US teachers were laid off in 2020 according to Reuters. I do believe this year might be the most competitive/worst for recruitment when it comes to competition. Search alone has 1000+ candidates, for a few hundred positions.
expatscot
Posts: 307
Joined: Thu Jan 14, 2016 4:26 am

Re: Competitiveness in 2020

Post by expatscot »

[quote=Smokegreynblues post_id=60471 time=1609689348 user_id=246004]
469,000 US teachers were laid off in 2020 according to Reuters. I do believe this year might be the most competitive/worst for recruitment when it comes to competition. Search alone has 1000+ candidates, for a few hundred positions.
[/quote]

I wonder though whether this might actually not be as bad as it seems (for those already overseas) - essentially, what you could have is a load of teachers without international experience trying to get a job somewhere. If I was a headteacher, and I saw those, I would be wondering exactly why that person was seeking a move - is it because they want to move abroad, or just because they need a job? How are they likely to adjust if they were to move to, say, China, and find out they can't go home because of COVID for two years? Someone who has been around a bit internationally might already have the resilience to do this, while a new international teacher might run within the year.
PsyGuy
Posts: 10789
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

Response

Post by PsyGuy »

Moving around isnt a detriment to an ITs marketability.
IB isnt the keystone to an ITs utility or marketability.
Theres no such thing as a hidden gems. A third tier IS may fit your personality and wants very well, that doesnt make it anything more than the third tier IS that it is.
Where I do agree with @Sid is that you really are only available to ISs that can bring ITs in, this is a substantial limitation.
The ME hires all year round and the ones that dont start as early as they can. Theres a couple ISs that are the exception but for the most part the ME such as Qatar and Kuwait arent on anyones list.
The same is true for Africa, a few ISs in Jburg and Capetown and then theres Egypt but for the most part the whole of Africa is a hardship region thats avoided.
Yes thats a lot of laid off DTs but IE cant absorb them and the vast majority of them arent keen on the relocation that goes along with IE.
Zebra750
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Dec 09, 2018 8:08 pm

Re: Competitiveness in 2020

Post by Zebra750 »

@Psyguy - you'll have to forgive me as some of your abbreviations I'm not privy to. What's IE & DT?

Out of curiosity - for those who are answering my questions.
I'm wondering whether it's worth it to take a job at an IB institution stateside, or to remain at my current school for next year if there aren't really that many appetizing opportunities abroad. (That is to say, offers - but in places or in schools that are not really first choices)

Or is it significantly better to have another international placement over a stateside one?

Thanks again.
Lastname_Z
Posts: 120
Joined: Mon May 20, 2013 12:17 pm

Re: Competitiveness in 2020

Post by Lastname_Z »

Zebra750 wrote:
> @Psyguy - you'll have to forgive me as some of your abbreviations I'm not
> privy to. What's IE & DT?
>
> Out of curiosity - for those who are answering my questions.
> I'm wondering whether it's worth it to take a job at an IB institution
> stateside, or to remain at my current school for next year if there aren't
> really that many appetizing opportunities abroad. (That is to say, offers -
> but in places or in schools that are not really first choices)
>
> Or is it significantly better to have another international placement over
> a stateside one?
>
> Thanks again.

I can only go based on what I've seen with other teachers, but teaching domestically (whether that's the US, UK, Australia, Canada, etc) seems to put you ahead of teachers with only international experience.

The teachers I know who taught domestically first moved up very quickly in IT (including positions in Tier 1 schools). One person I met taught Middle School for three years in Boston and got a Middle School position at Shanghai American School (which is pretty huge).
Lastname_Z
Posts: 120
Joined: Mon May 20, 2013 12:17 pm

Re: Competitiveness in 2020

Post by Lastname_Z »

Also, school enrolment (particularly in schools with expats) will probably be lower in IE than it's ever been. It might stay low as well.

Most multinational companies post-Covid have realized that much of the work high-paid expats do can be done from the main office, or they can hire someone local to do it for cheaper.

With Covid encouraging work-from-home situations and less business travel, and the education of people in developing countries increasing, I think the age of rich expats is slowly coming to an end.

This is all definitely going to affect competition.
PsyGuy
Posts: 10789
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

Reply

Post by PsyGuy »

@Zebra750

IE=International Education
DT=Domestic Teacher

IE experience is more valuable than DE experience, and while @Lastname_Z claim that some ITs go directly from DE to upper tier ISs in IE, thats the exception rather than the rule, its not a 'jump the line' common pathway. However, IB experience is valuable, more so than IE experience in of itself. Otherwise DE and IE experience count the same in terms of salary step, etc. If I had to aggregate don the differences to a bullet point, when looking at the two skills DTs/ITs need to advance thir craft from noob to professional, those two first inflection points, classroom management and curriculum/lesson design. DTs get more experience with the former and ITs more experience with the latter. DTs have to put more resources into behavior management, working with Sp.Pop. students and more focus on classroom procedures, etc. ITs have to take a curriculum and turn it into a collection of coherent lessons that address the learning objectives.

@Lastname_Z

I dont see that happening. First, your going to have embassy kids. Second, just because a task can be done remotely doesnt mean its the optimal way of doing it.

Most expats arent rich, not by western standards, they are well off and have some affluence, but for the most part rich doesnt describe it.
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