recruiting teachers for international schools: smart ways to meet new challenges

Finding the best

teachers and leaders

in an increasingly

competitive market

21st Century recruitment

Overview

Welcome and introductions

The international schools market

The impact of increased competition

What schools can do to attract teachers - survey

The effective use of technology

Discussion and questions

Andrew Wigford

Dave Pitchford

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

2004 2005 2008 2009 2015 2020

Schools

*Figures from ISC Research

Growth projection

There are now 8,231

international schools

across the world

*Figures from ISC Research

• Competition for teachers

• Takes longer – all year round

• Increased costs

• Traditional practices no longer as effective

• More fairs

• More agencies

• Fishing in the same pond

The impact on school

recruitment

• More choice and more likely to

shop around

• Career focused and better

informed of the opportunities

• More likely to seek a second

opinion and do their research

The impact on teachers

There are now 402,000

international school

teachers

• 523,000 needed by 2020

• An extra 121,000

• UK, IRL,USA, CAN, AUS, NZ, SA

• Surplus or deficit?

• ‘Brain drain’ in UK– Sir Michael

Wilshaw

• Australian & IRL shortages

• US shortages for many years in

some subjects

Where will they come

from?

How do teachers choose which schools to apply to?

• Applying to international schools

• 401 teachers responded

• Fully qualified, specifically

looking for international school

jobs

• Most had made applications

previously

Our survey says….

• Location – 34%

• The role – 28%

• The salary package – 22%

• Reputation – 12%

• Accreditation /membership –

4%

What attracts them to look

at specific int. schools?

• Recommendations – 25%

• Information pack and

application process – 40%

• Job description – 16%

• Well written job advert – 5%

• School website – 14%

What makes them

apply?

• Application forms – 35%

• Long complicated application

process – 24%

• Poor information – 16%

• Slow communication – 15 %

• Bad organisation – 10%

What turns them off?

• Better response

• Give feedback

• Make applying easier

• Online applications

• Keep candidates informed

How can schools

improve?

What can you do to

attract the best

teachers for your

school?

• PR / marketing not just for

parents

• Make links with colleges

• Make your website stand out

• Encourage referrals

• Make links with agencies

• Develop your

web presence…

Actively promote your

school to teachers

Marketing to candidates on the Internet: practical steps

1. Take stock

“If I had an hour to solve a problem I'd spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and 5 minutes thinking about solutions.”

Albert Einstein

2. Start small (& compliant)

– Appoint a digital recruitment “champion”

– Create a diary of tasks (start with an audit)

– The web site

• Accessibility statement?

• Cookies statement (EU)?

• Develop a careers section

• Ensure safeguarding is prominent

• Mobile-friendly pages?

A good starting point

3. Move to the next level: find the sweet spot

What candidates

want to know

What you want to

tell candidates

What candidates want– A straight-talking jobs section that

focusses on benefits

– Comprehensive, up-to-date information about salaries, tax, accommodation, security, visas and cost of living

– Believable testimonials from teachers

– Demonstrable interest in the teachers as professionals

– A mix of photos, text (“TLDR”) and video supporting the above

5. Learn from the experts

6. Then look at your wider online presence

Website

? The next big thing…

...but only pursue if you have the resources for it

If you can’t keep it updated, either…

1. Assign long-term resources to help:

- Staff who understand social media

- Your school’s 500+ “digital natives”

- A reliable freelancer

2. Or stick to the minimum you can manage.

Neglected channels are worse than no channel at all.

7. Regularly review supporting technologies

• Real-time online interviewing

• In-your-own-time online interviewing

• Virtual recruitment fairs or subject matter leadership

• Applicant Tracking Systems

• Better response

• Give feedback

• Make applying easier

• Online applications

• Keep candidates informed

How can schools

improve?

Make applying easier

Provide school / role / process information

Give better, faster feedback

Be organised

More at apply.uptic.net

Thank you

For details of TIC Recruitment’s services,

contact Andrew:

a.wigford@ticrecruitment.com

For a demo of the Uptic Applicant

Tracking System, contact Dave: dave@uptic.nettoday or email us