Any teachers who can help with a job application please?

[gotaweirdthingtoshowyou]

I'm in the final year of my teacher training degree, and am just starting to apply for jobs.

University were set to start supporting us with this when the pandemic started, and we haven't really heard from them since.

Obviously, there aren't many jobs out there right now, and the application for the ones that are seems to be an application form and and a Skype interview.

So I really just have a question about the application form, and no-one to ask in real life, so am hoping that someone can help me.

Basically, there is always a section on the form for 'other information' and I've been told to use this space to show that I meet all of the requirements for that particular job.

So some of my friends are just writing 'see letter' in here and attaching a covering letter tailored to each job.

Some of them are writing 'see letter' and doing a standard letter that they send to everyone.

Some of them are writing a letter and putting it in that section.

Some of them are doing bullet points in here to address the requirements for each job, no letter.

I really, really need to get a job and don't want to mess it up. There's no one to ask, and more important things going on for everyone, so I hope no one will mind me asking here.

Your friends are right in that a formal letter tailored to the job is best there. As someone who shortlists and interviews regularly I'd say 99% are this way.

May I recommend posting in 'The Staffroom' as you'd get a lot more traffic there.

Unless you are asked for a covering letter, don't provide one and address each of the requirements referencing each point, saying how you have demonstrated that quality and the impact it had (where possible - some person specs are lengthy and repetitive and it doesn't feel possible) in that section. If you can cover a couple of points in one piece of evidence, do so, but make sure you reference each point.

Providing a covering letter, unless you have been asked for one and especially a generic one, won't get you shortlisted. That's what the 'other information', section is for. My LA specifically states on the application form 'no covering letters'.

There will be a lot of competition for the jobs available and you have to demonstrate that you really, really want that particular job. Not look like you're applying for every job going and this is just another one - even if that is the truth! A generic covering letter doesn't do that.

Imagine that the panel have a copy of the person spec in front of them and are ticking off each point as you evidence it. Those shortlisted will be the forms that best do that.

Other people might advise differently but this is what I have always done (having been told all the above by my university), and I've been shortlisted for every job I've applied for.

Good luck.

Oh, and you must tailor to the job and the USPs and needs of the school. Show that you are really keen to work there and link in knowledge gleaned from the school website and Ofsted report.

@Chestnut23

Do you recruit teachers?

Just curious because I was explicitly told not to include a covering letter unless is was asked for and have only been asked for one once.

Ah x post!

Thank you for replying!

Well now I am nervous because that's two different pieces of advice

I suppose I have 'written a letter', tailored to the job I'm applying for, but then put it into the 'additional information' section so that there isn't an extra piece of paper for them to look at.

It is hard to address their long list of requirements in a style that flows and reads naturally.

But is that ok do you think? Maybe I should just bullet point how I meet each requirement, so it's more explicit and easier for them to see that I've met them.

I don't mind putting the effort in, I just want to get it right but it's hard when you can't leave the house, schools are closed and university hasn't answered emails for a month.

I didn't know about the staffroom, I'll take a look, thanks.

I’d go with bullet points (no point making the job harder for the shortlisting team- it won’t make you any friends!) which cover the additional points.
Where possible, give specific examples of experience. What did you learn from the experience?
Covering letter (if permitted), brief and tailored to the school. As you may not have visited in current circumstances take ideas from their website- a picture showing something which interests you or something else in their mission statement which you can relate to.
I don’t recruit teachers, but recruit TAs and have been in teaching for 20 years.