What Are Employers Looking For?
As a K-12 public school system, we are in the business of preparing students to be successful as 21 century citizens, and the educators and staff members who support this goal are critical to the success of that effort. When we are looking to hire new teachers to our district, there are certain qualities that we look for, and these professional qualities are not specific to the education profession. Whether a candidate is a recent graduate, or an experienced professional, successful candidates across professions share common traits:
Coachable
Education is an ever-changing field, so when interviewing a candidate, we do not expect them to have a library of standards memorized or to be able to recite technical answers. Realistically, teachers have access to many resources when they are planning lessons or educational experiences for their students. Once hired, we will communicate the strategies and resources that our district has identified, with the expectation that they will be carried over into the classroom. What we are really looking for is an individual who is willing to listen to recommendations from their supervisor, and who can transfer feedback to their work in the classroom.
A coachable employee is valuable in any profession. Being a flexible, reflective and responsive employee will make you valuable, because you will be able to withstand changes within your industry.
Effective Communicator
Collaboration across classrooms, schools, districts, and states, is becoming more common through the use of tools like Skype, Google Drive, Drop Box, Twitter, Today’s Meet and others. Administrators are looking for teachers who are able to use these tools for their own professional development, as well as to provide opportunities for their students to collaborate. Refined verbal and written communication skills are necessary to be successful in these situations.
While we understand that organizations are effective because of many different personality types, being able to clearly express your ideas is nonnegotiable. Employees need to be able to navigate situations between clients, coworkers, and other stakeholders. A lack of communication or miscommunication can result in strained internal and external relationships, and could potentially affect your employment.
Technologically Literate
Overlapping with being an effective communicator, preparing students to be college and career ready in a 21 century environment is impossible without the use of technology. Most of our classrooms are using technology on a one student-to-one device ratio, and teachers need to be comfortable with adopting different types of technology in order to provide their students with a rich and individualized academic st experience. Even if someone is still a novice, there are endless training resources on the internet to help.
Employers want someone who will take the initiative to learn about new technologies that are relevant to their field of work, and who are proactive in discovering new tools to boost their practice. Technology isn’t the solution to all workplace challenges, however a potential candidate or current employee should be able to speak to how it can affect and enhance their role.
These traits of a successful candidate have a commonality. Employers in all fields are looking for someone who is committed to their own professional development and who is a lifelong learner. Candidates should be reflective practitioners, excellent communicators, technologically savvy and should be continually evaluating themselves, and finding areas of opportunity and growth. Living and working in a global society requires all great employees to continue to grow and learn.