Top Tips for Applying to Your First Special Ed Teaching Job

Summer at school is hiring time! This means, that if you are looking for a teaching position, then May, June, and July are going to be your peak months to keep your eyes peeled and submit your applications. 

It can be very nerve-wracking and exciting – especially if you are new to the classroom! Before you can put all of the teaching skills you’ve learned into practice, you need to find a school and position that will be a good fit for you. And that process requires a whole different set of knowledge and skills. 

As a teacher who has been on both sides of the interview many times, I have created a two-part series on getting your first special education teaching position. This first part focuses on getting noticed with your resume and cover letter and how to research a school or district. The second part will help prepare you for your interviews and even a “guest teach” invitation.

Be Honest

My overall guiding advice is always to think about the best position for you. Your goal should be to accept a position where you feel comfortable and supported. It can be tempting to apply to everything and take anything, but that may backfire if the position or school is not a good fit. Likewise, a school or district may be looking for specific qualifications or characteristics in an employee. You do not want to accept a position if you do not truly fit what they are looking for. 

So be honest about your knowledge and experiences when you are applying. Also, be honest with yourself about what you are looking for in a position. That can mean the grade level, content, level of student needs, and even how long the commute will be (that can make such a huge difference). It will save you a lot of heart and headache in the long run if you can identify what you are looking for and what your dealbreakers might be. 

Spruce Up Your Resume

Often, this is the only document principals or interviewing committees will look at so it is super important. They may also be looking at a lot of resumes, so you want yours to stand out. These are three must-do’s for your resume:

Use a professional resume template

Visuals matter! Make sure your resume appears organized and professional. In fact, this is so important, that I recommend you invest in a professional resume template online. There are free templates available as well as ones you can purchase on Etsy and TeachersPayTeachers. These templates ensure that your formatting is uniform and the readers’ eyes are drawn to the important information.

Tailor your experiences

You may have lots of experience in many areas of teaching, but you want to show the principal that you are the right person for this position. You want to highlight your experiences for each specific position you are applying to. This means that you will probably need to revise your resume. Tailor it to show how you are qualified for one specific job.

If you are applying for a position in a self-contained intensive intervention classroom, then you will want to list all of the skills and duties that relate to working with small groups of students who required significant supports. The first 3-4 bullet points are the most likely to get read, so they should be as closely aligned to the job listing as possible.

Plug your talents and professional interests

You should add a list of any specializations or areas of interest that you can bring to their school community. This could include things like “project-based learning” or “multisensory instruction.” I have “data-driven instruction” listed on my resume. This helps the hiring committee learn more about who you are and what you value as an educator. It’s also an opportunity for you to sell yourself on something the committee didn’t even know they wanted. 

Write that Cover Letter

While this document may only get glanced at once or twice, it is still very important to craft and submit. This letter is your first pitch for the job, so keep a few things in mind:

Do your research!

Go to the school’s website and see what they are about before you even start writing your letter. Remember, you are trying to convince the reader that you will be a good fit at their school. But you cannot do that if you don’t know anything about the school. Research may also get you more excited about the position and writing the letter. 

Give them highlights not your entire resume

Essentially write about why you are qualified or would be a good fit for the position. Also, you might want to include any particular skills that might make you stand out. For example, you may be bi-lingual or have experience running a national honors society. Depending on the school, these skills and experiences may really pique the interest of a principal. For the record, these details should still be on your resume, but you want to highlight them in your cover letter.

Why do you want this position?

Answering this question in the cover letter can help the principal get a sense of who you are and if you would be a good fit at their school. It also might help you decide if this is a position that you want. Maybe the position works with a grade level that you really enjoy or has a co-teaching component that you are excited about. Addressing this question can help you sell yourself and your skills.

Why do you want to work at this school?

Perhaps the school has a great performing arts program or social justice focus that you are drawn to. Or maybe the school has an excellent reputation for its whole-child approach. The reason does not need to be connected to the position you are applying for. Your answer to this question lets the principal know that you have researched the school. Plus it gives them more information about who you are as a person and an educator. 

Networking & Research

As you are looking for a position, make connections and gather information about the schools and districts you are applying to. Connections may help you land interviews. Information from connections, online groups, and even the job listing page can give you insight into the type of work environment a school is offering. 

Analyze the job listings

Lots of openings? Examining how many job postings a school has and in which areas should raise questions for you. It should not eliminate a school from consideration, but it should indicate that you need to do some research. Schools with lots of job postings might hint at high turnover and teacher dissatisfaction. But a growing school might be adding more staff because their enrollment is skyrocketing. Or maybe they happen to have several teachers retiring.

Check with local social media groups or talk to a connection if you have one (more on this just ahead) to see if you can get to the root of the multiple job postings. If you apply and get an interview, ask why the position is open. It will help you determine if it is a school you will thrive in. 

Browse social media groups

Many social media platforms, including Facebook and LinkedIn, have groups for local teachers. These are great places to share ideas and collaborate as well as learn about what is going on in the local schools from the people that work there. You can learn a lot about how much autonomy teachers have and the type of instruction that happens at a school. As a member of a group, you can even say that you are considering applying for a position and would like to know about others’ experiences at the school.

Just approach these groups with some caution. We tend to hear from the extremes, so remember that you are only accessing limited perspectives.

Lean on your connections

If you know a parent or someone who works at the school you are applying to, ask them about their experience. They will probably have a lot of really great information. They may even be able to connect you with other teachers and employees at the school that can answer questions you might have.

From parents, you can find out about curriculum and school-wide programs. Other teachers or employees in the building may be able to give you an idea of the specific student needs, levels of support you would have, and specific program details. The more information you have, the better. Also, do not be afraid to let people know that you are interested. I have often found that people are willing to put in a good word or help connect you with a principal if they know you are interested.

At this point in your job search journey, start thinking about what you are looking for in a job but stay open-minded. If you are interested, send in an application with your resume and a cover letter. The worst that can happen is someone tells you “no,” but it could lead to something really great. 

In my next post, I will tell you all about my tips for preparing and interviewing for a special education position as well as a “guest teach” opportunity.