My Journey to Job Security - Ciarasclassroom

This weekend, I’m outlining a series of 4 blog posts from 4 permanent/CID teachers who are kindly offering their advice to NQTs and those on the job front about skills development, job seeking and the journey to where they are today. First up is Ciara from @ciarasclassroom on Instagram who shares her story to date and about her job in an ET school.

 How did you get the job you're in right now?
I applied to the Supplementary Panel in December 2019 and got offered a permanent post through the Educate Together section in June. 😊

How many contracts did you have before you became permanent?
I worked for a few years before looking towards permanent posts as I wanted to make sure I ended up in a location and school type that I would love. In total, I had 1 maternity leave, 2 temporary contracts and 3 Fixed-Term contracts before going for a permanent post. I feel like I gained so much from each of my experiences and am so grateful for all of the amazing opportunities I had ahead of getting my permanent post.

Did anything surprise you about the job-seeking process?
I personally found job application season a bit overwhelming each year and was surprised by how much time the process takes. To give yourself the best chances of getting the job you should tailor each application to the particular school/position, which takes a lot of time when you are trying to apply to lots of schools. My advice would be to only apply to the schools/positions you are genuinely interested in, otherwise, you are just wasting time that you could spend on an application for a school you would truly love to work in. Quality over quantity!!!

What advice would you give NQTs looking for jobs this Summer?
Be your unique self! Every person who applies to the job is a qualified teacher, so think about what makes you special and focus on this in your application and interview, rather than solely on your love of teaching. Do you have special talents to bring to the school? Are you passionate about the ethos? Do you have unique experiences or a new perspective? Do you have new ideas to engage and excite the school community?

> Read ‘Advice for NQTs starting their first job here.

What could an NQT do in your school that would be appreciated?
I work in a developing school so there are LOADS of ways an NQT could contribute in the school. They could join teams or committees for example Green Schools, Student Council, Rights Respecting Schools, Active Schools or subject planning teams. Other great things an NQT could do would be to share their unique skills, talents, interests and passions. We can all learn from each other!

What skillset is important in your school?
Teamwork and communication skills are really important in my school as our staff is growing each year. My school also values having a variety of skills, interests and passions across the staff as we can all contribute to the overall staff skillset. For example, a teacher who is really creative might be able to introduce new ideas in the school, or a teacher who has great IT skills may be able to help with the school website/blog etc.

Thank you so much Ciara for giving us an insight into your story. We wish you the best and keep up the great work on @ciarasclassroom on Instagram! GRMA!