{"id":9087,"date":"2023-03-26T09:01:32","date_gmt":"2023-03-26T09:01:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/?p=9087"},"modified":"2023-06-29T09:48:11","modified_gmt":"2023-06-29T09:48:11","slug":"applying-for-a-teaching-post-in-an-international-school","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/applying-for-a-teaching-post-in-an-international-school\/","title":{"rendered":"Applying for a Teaching Post in an International School"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>I\u2019ve reviewed applications and interviewed prospective staff for over 20 years, and in that time I\u2019ve seen some candidates excel, and others fall short for the simplest reasons. If you are applying for a teaching post in an international school, here are some dos and don\u2019ts that will increase your chances of landing your dream role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Screenshot-2023-06-29-at-11.46.24.png?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" data-attachment-id=\"9217\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/applying-for-a-teaching-post-in-an-international-school\/screenshot-2023-06-29-at-11-46-24\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Screenshot-2023-06-29-at-11.46.24.png?fit=1202%2C800&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1202,800\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot-2023-06-29-at-11.46.24\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Screenshot-2023-06-29-at-11.46.24.png?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Screenshot-2023-06-29-at-11.46.24.png?resize=800%2C533&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9217\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Screenshot-2023-06-29-at-11.46.24.png?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Screenshot-2023-06-29-at-11.46.24.png?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Screenshot-2023-06-29-at-11.46.24.png?resize=768%2C511&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Screenshot-2023-06-29-at-11.46.24.png?w=1202&amp;ssl=1 1202w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Read the Advert<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Do<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>check that you meet the minimum requirements for the role eg:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>qualifications<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>number of years of teaching experience<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>subject experience<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>language requirements<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>visa limitations (if any)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>follow the application steps carefully.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Don\u2019t<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>apply if you don\u2019t meet the minimum expectations; it will be a waste of your time and that of the recruiting team;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>apply if you feel the school\u2019s ethos doesn\u2019t align with your own. It\u2019s unlikely you will get the role, but if you do, you won\u2019t be happy!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Your Resume<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>There are plenty of online tools such as Canva that will help format your resume to look modern, organised and structured<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Be consistent with fonts and font size<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Most recent experience is most relevant, so this goes first with the oldest later. If there are any gaps, explain them briefly<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Include all your relevant qualifications including your teaching certificate<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Photos are not normally required for your resume<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you wish, include links to additional resources such as a professional website or LinkedIn, but not to Facebook!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Your Personal Statement<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Do<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>find out and use the name of the head of school<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>clarify your own educational philosophy. Are you all about academic outcomes? Are you more holistic in your approach?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>include reference to any extra-curricular activities however unusual. Bee-keeping? Rock-climbing? Dungeons &amp; Dragons? International schools serve a wide-ranging community so add your interests.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>use an accurate spell-check and don\u2019t be afraid to use a tool like Grammarly to guide you in crafting your statement to have the right impact<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>personalise your statement by referring to the school\u2019s mission and vision<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Don&#8217;t<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>repeat what\u2019s on your CV<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>write too much, or too little. Between 350 words and 1,100 is about right. Too short and recruiters will not get a sense of who you are, and too long and they may not read it all.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Preparing for an interview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are lucky enough to get an interview, then:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>read the school website and the job details &#8211; print them off and highlight keywords;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>ask your contacts around the world for information about the school;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>research websites such as ISC to find out more about the philosophy;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>highlight key aspects of your own set of skills and experience that you really need to mention at the interview;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>write down some questions that you may be able to ask at the interview.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. If you get an interview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Increasingly, interviews are online so practise with a friend, record yourself and review the video.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Most importantly, be yourself. Interviewers know it is a stressful situation and they really want to get to know the person behind the camera, so try to relax.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Be smart in terms of attire and general appearance<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Consider your background &#8211; avoid dirty dishes and laundry appearing over your shoulder!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Find somewhere quiet where you won\u2019t get disturbed. If necessary, have a sign outside your door saying please do not disturb.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Consider lighting so your face is neither too bright nor a silhouette.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sit at a table and use your laptop rather than your phone.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use a few prompts if you need to. Sticky notes dotted around your screen that you can peel off when you\u2019ve mentioned them are often useful.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Never read from a script.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Try to maintain eye contact by looking at the camera rather than the image of the interviewers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Don\u2019t be too close to your camera nor too far, and ideally have the camera somewhere in front of your face rather than below or above.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do smile and be warm, but not too relaxed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Stick to time limits &#8211; if they ask for something to take 5 minutes, set a timer.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Practice with the platform before the day to minimise technical problems that will fluster you on the day.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Good luck!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gavin Lazaro &#8211; Deputy Head, <a href=\"https:\/\/the-lisboan.school\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Lisboan International School<\/a>, Portugal<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Gavin initially trained as an industrial chemist in the UK and worked in agrochemicals, perfumery and catalysis before moving into teaching. He has spent nearly 30 years working in and leading international schools in the Middle East and South-East Asia. Currently working at <a href=\"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/school\/2330\/The_Lisboan_International_School\">The Lisboan International School<\/a> in Lisbon he is relishing the challenge of helping to create a school from scratch with a clear focus on a culture of kindness, holistic learning and high expectations.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Above image from https:\/\/images.pexels.com\/photos\/4226140\/pexels-photo-4226140.jpeg?auto=compress&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;w=1260&amp;h=750&amp;dpr=2<\/em><br><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I\u2019ve reviewed applications and interviewed prospective staff for over 20 years, and in that time I\u2019ve seen some candidates excel, and others fall short for the simplest reasons. If you are applying for a teaching post in an international school, here are some dos and don\u2019ts that will increase your chances of landing your dream [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9217,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[12],"tags":[3037,29,64,2603,3038],"class_list":["post-9087","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-highlighted-articles","tag-applying","tag-international-school","tag-interviewing","tag-personal-statement","tag-teaching-post"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Screenshot-2023-06-29-at-11.46.24.png?fit=1202%2C800&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2flVT-2mz","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1421,"url":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/free-and-informative-webinar-applying-for-jobs-at-international-schools-preparing-your-cv-resume-and-personal-statement\/","url_meta":{"origin":9087,"position":0},"title":"Free and Informative Webinar: Applying for jobs at international schools &#8211; preparing your CV, resum\u00e9 and personal statement","author":"ISCommunity","date":"October 13, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Applying for jobs at international schools - preparing your CV, resum\u00e9 and personal statement Teachers International Consultancy (TIC) will be hosting a free and informative webinar for anyone getting prepared for a job move. The webinar will take place on Wednesday 17th October at 5:00pm (British Summer Time) and focuses\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Highlighted Articles&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Highlighted Articles","link":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/category\/highlighted-articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.files.wordpress.com\/2012\/10\/images.jpg?w=350&h=200&crop=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":241,"url":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/teachers-international-consultancy-tic-teaching-from-australia-to-abu-dhabi\/","url_meta":{"origin":9087,"position":1},"title":"Teachers International Consultancy (TIC): Teaching from Australia to Abu Dhabi","author":"ISCommunity","date":"October 30, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Teaching from Australia to Abu Dhabi Charles Tripolone is explaining the rains: \u201cIn my first few months in India, back in 2008, we had 5 \u00bd metres in 4 months!\u201d \u00a0he says. \u201cThat\u2019s quite a contrast to the millimetres of rainfall that we normally measure in Australia.\u201d He goes on:\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Highlighted Articles&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Highlighted Articles","link":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/category\/highlighted-articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.files.wordpress.com\/2011\/10\/charles-tripolone-in-india-alibag-excursion.jpg?w=350&h=200&crop=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.files.wordpress.com\/2011\/10\/charles-tripolone-in-india-alibag-excursion.jpg?w=350&h=200&crop=1 1x, https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.files.wordpress.com\/2011\/10\/charles-tripolone-in-india-alibag-excursion.jpg?w=525&h=300&crop=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8627,"url":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/why-arent-seasoned-international-school-teachers-getting-hired\/","url_meta":{"origin":9087,"position":2},"title":"Why Aren&#8217;t Seasoned International School Teachers Getting Hired?","author":"ISCommunity","date":"February 6, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"There seem to be a lot of teaching vacancies being posted at 1000s of international schools this recruiting season. These positions are in many countries around the world (although MANY of them are in China it would appear this year). But even if there are 1000s positions available and (most\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Discussion Topics&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Discussion Topics","link":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/category\/discussion-topics\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/hr-process-4783430_1280.png?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/hr-process-4783430_1280.png?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/hr-process-4783430_1280.png?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/hr-process-4783430_1280.png?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/hr-process-4783430_1280.png?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":11302,"url":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/teaching-abroad-as-a-couple-heres-what-you-need-to-know\/","url_meta":{"origin":9087,"position":3},"title":"Teaching Abroad as a Couple? Here\u2019s What You Need to Know","author":"ISCommunity","date":"February 10, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"International School Community\u00a0is full of thousands of useful, informative comments, 52693 comments (10 Feb. 2025) to be exact. Teaching abroad as a couple comes with its own unique set of challenges and rewards. From navigating contract negotiations to balancing work-life dynamics in a foreign country, there\u2019s a lot to consider\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Top 10 Lists&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Top 10 Lists","link":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/category\/top-10-lists\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/couple-168191_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C882&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/couple-168191_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C882&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/couple-168191_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C882&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/couple-168191_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C882&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/couple-168191_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C882&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1965,"url":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/which-region-in-the-world-would-you-most-not-want-to-move-to-next\/","url_meta":{"origin":9087,"position":4},"title":"New Survey: Which region in the world would you most NOT want to move to next?","author":"ISCommunity","date":"May 16, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"A new survey has arrived! Topic:\u00a0 Which region in the world would you most NOT want to move to next? There is always going to be a region of the world that you would most NOT want to move to.\u00a0 They always say at international school recruitment fairs to be\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Surveys&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Surveys","link":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/category\/surveys\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"world copy","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/world-copy-300x155.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6398,"url":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/hiring-season-trends-2018\/","url_meta":{"origin":9087,"position":5},"title":"International School Hiring Season Trends for 2017-2018","author":"ISCommunity","date":"October 11, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"When it comes to landing a position at an International School, there are several ways candidates can increase their desirability in the eyes of the employer outside of the usual suspects (Degree in education, teaching license). Of course, a degree in education and teaching license will go a long way\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Highlighted Articles&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Highlighted Articles","link":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/category\/highlighted-articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Untitled-1.png?fit=975%2C603&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Untitled-1.png?fit=975%2C603&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Untitled-1.png?fit=975%2C603&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Untitled-1.png?fit=975%2C603&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9087","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9087"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9087\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9217"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9087"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9087"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9087"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}