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I’m qualified under Route 4  With my restricted qualification, will my application be overlooked

I’m qualified under Route 4 – With my restricted qualification, will my application be overlooked?

In recruitment, personal preference always plays a big part. Over the past number of months and years chatting to principals, the one thing I’ve learned is that there is no ultimate answer for what they are looking for – we can only gather a general consensus for the universal skills that are preferable amongst many leaders.

Diversity

I have reached out to principals about this specialised situation, however, and the majority of principals are happy to employ a teacher who is qualified when th…

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Why is my Standard Application Form or CV not getting me interviews

Why is my Standard Application Form or CV not getting me interviews?

This is a common complaint amongst job seekers. And the thing is… If you don’t know… you don’t know. From working 1-1 with teachers and from speaking to principals about what they are looking for in teachers to their school some common trends arise amongst in-effective job applications.

Your document will be overlooked if:

  • you do not tailor it to the individual school (happens very frequently, I’m hearing from principals) 

  • you spell PRINCIPAL wrong and if you have poor spelling in general 

  • your synt…

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How do I stop waffling in interviews

How do I stop waffling in interviews?

This is one of the common complaints that my clients have – They fear that they waffle in interview answers. They find that they sometimes lose track of what they were trying to say so they continue talking and don’t know when to stop. Losing focus in interviews can easily happen but I can help you to regain that focus.

Finding your result

The key thing to do is to know your RESULT. Limiting your interview answer to 5-7 effective sentences is sufficient. Effective interview answers can be impressi…

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teaching+jobs+in+Ireland

When will I hear back after my teaching interview? 

For teaching jobs, this ranges from 1 – 3 days generally - though it can be longer. Make sure your referees know you are job hunting this year, and that they can easily be contacted by mobile phone number, in order to keep the process moving as quickly as possible.

If you want to learn more about how to look for interview feedback and learning from it so that it may help you in the future, check out my blog post ‘When interview feedback hurts’ here.

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What are the best ways to prepare for teaching interviews

What are the best ways to prepare for teaching interviews?

Truth bomb! Your job application and interview are less about you and more about the problem that you’re trying to help a principal to solve. Their problem is that they have a teaching role that they are trying to fill, and they need to find the best person for that role. 

With that in mind, what are the things that you can do to better prepare for teaching interviews in Ireland?

Reflect on what principals want

My key piece of study for 2020, was asking a wide variety of primary and second level pr…

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5 time management tips for teachers

5 time management tips for teachers

Always chasing your tail to get those copies corrected? Do you feel stressed about finding the time to update your display boards? Today's blog outlines some of the time management strategies that I wish I'd known as an NQT.

Tip#1. There's no Need to Reinvent the Wheel

Unless requested by management to do otherwise, and you feel that you like the layout of school yearly schemes - by all means, USE THEM! As I go around subbing - I see examples of the wide range of teachers' planning. Some teachers …

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when+are+teaching+jobs+advertised

When are teaching jobs advertised?


In Ireland, the job season for teachers is in two parts. The first part begins in May and continues into July. Most schools then take a break for 2 weeks in August and then in part 2 there is another surge for the last two weeks in August, and into the start of September.

Taking holidays abroad

Before the changes in 2020/21 (more interviews being held online, increased uncertainty with staffing numbers, the dangers for pregnant and compromised staff in the classrooms) and Covid-19 restricting us t…

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where+are+teaching+jobs+advertised_

Where are teaching jobs advertised in Ireland?

For NQTs, teachers looking for a change, to move home or for roles in management the go-to places for job vacancies in the Primary and Second Level Education Sector are www.educationposts.ie, www.publicjobs.ie    and  www.staffroom.ie. 

Further useful websites include:

> Read up on when are …

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Can I buy a hard copy of your guide NQT Job Application Guide

Can I buy a hard copy of your guide NQT Job Application Guide?

At the moment, no. ‘NQTs – Acing Your Job Applications – An All-in-1 Guide’ is only available as a download here. You can print it off at home or send it to your local printers (stationery shop) and ask them to print it for you in an A4 booklet style.

Many stationary shops may even post it to you for a fee if you can’t collect it. It’s a fabulous resource to have in coloured hard copy.

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What+to+wear+to+a+teaching+interview_

What should I wear to a teaching interview?

I often see questions online regarding what to wear to teaching interviews. A principal will probably be smartly dressed in a suit or dress of some kind. That should give you an idea of the type of attire that will be expected of you.

Interview Style

And so, today's focus is on interview style. Whether your interview is face to face on online – it’s important to look put–together, smart and that you are out to impress the interview panel.

What that means to each person is slightly different. Howeve…

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