How Teachers Can Build Their Confidence During Their Job Search

One year I felt so defeated, I forgot my value as a teacher. Feeling this way was the opposite of how I should have felt at the beginning of my job search.

The hiring process is all about selling yourself. To sell yourself effectively, you have to be confident. No one wants to hire someone unsure of themselves. No matter why you’re in the market for a new position, you have to search for your new job with confidence. Here are some things I did to help build myself up again!

Write Down Your Strengths

One of my strengths has always been classroom management. I do an excellent job of keeping behavior issues to a minimum. A few years into teaching, guided reading became another strength of mine, I enjoy being able to fill in student gaps. I think every few years, I add something to my list. I think I’m pretty good at other things, but these are things that I can do in my sleep.

If you’re struggling with recognizing your strengths, look over your last observation. I can almost guarantee your appraiser complimented your strengths in your evaluations. When you’re in your interviews or writing cover letters, these are things you want to mention.

Write Down How You’ve Improved

I was not a good teacher my first year. I worked hard, probably too much. I didn’t know what I was doing. Tasks that took me days to do would take me hours to do now. I have improved in so many areas, and I sometimes laugh at how bad I was during my first few years.

Being reflective and seeing how much you have grown, shows you in black and white, that you are better than you were before. A lot of times, where you see the most growth becomes a strength.

When you’re in an interview, you can share how you overcame obstacles or how you’re always trying to improve your craft. Sure, somethings still may need some improvement, but you’re heading in the right direction.

Write Down What Makes You Unique

At one point in my career, I was really into technology. I wanted to learn how to integrate technology so much I searched for as many trainings as I could to become an expert. I became a Google Certified Educator (I think it’s expired now) and an Apple Teacher. I showed that I was passionate about technology integration, and this is what made a lot of schools interested in me.

What do you do in your classroom that shows your creativity and passion? What do you do that makes your students love coming to your class? The answers to those questions are what make you unique.

Get out your notebooks and get ready to write all about why you are an amazing teacher. Whatever the reason why you’re looking for a job, remember that you have value and experience that isn’t like anyone else. Use what you write down and make them selling points when you go to your interview!

If you’re looking for more ways to build your confidence and prepare for your job search, check out my How to Land Your Dream Teaching Job Workbook, it includes tips and tools to help you become fully prepared to find your dream job!