Teachers and school leaders are lagging behind in the world of professional networking. As international teaching becomes increasingly viable, stepping out of traditional networks and into modern networking systems is crucial.
Teachers from diverse backgrounds may find making an early step into professional networking particularly advantageous.
Preface
This article is not sponsored, nor is it a blind endorsement of LinkedIn as the cure for all problems faced by teachers from diverse backgrounds in international teaching recruitment. This article seeks to provide an additional option that can be accessed by many teachers to support their success when searching for new opportunities.
LinkedIn is not perfect, but it currently provides opportunities to bypass some of the most challenging expressions of bias within international teaching recruitment.
Please read on with this in mind.
Networking, Research and Mentorship
The connections now possible via LinkedIn far outweigh anything possible, even through recruitment agencies. Whether simply for recruitment or as part of your professional development, the networking possible through LinkedIn could make a key difference;
- Want to speak to the head of a school you are interested in? Find them on LinkedIn
- Want to contact people currently working in a specific school or country to learn more about life there? Find them on LinkedIn
- Want to network with teachers using a particular exam board or with access to a particular location or case study for collaborative work? Find them on LinkedIn
- Want to speak with teachers in a similar role as you or potentially experiencing similar challenges? Find them on LinkedIn
Many people on LinkedIn offer themselves as mentors and as open to conversation. In fact, the recent interview series I completed for these articles all originated from conversations that started via LinkedIn.
The current Headteacher at St Constantine’s International School Tanzania Yasir Patel shared with me, “I put myself out there on LinkedIn and am happy to support others.”. Focusing on the reality of diverse candidates needing guidance or mentorship, Yasir communicated his experience of, “people from India and Nigeria, who have the experience, but challenges securing interviews through traditional channels, contacting me.”.
Once contact is made, Yasir and many other teachers and school leaders on LinkedIn, take time to engage in dialogues and networking which may support less experienced or privileged teachers.
These connections, information, and guidance can greatly support the success of diverse candidates. For more detailed interviews with Yasir and other leaders of recruitment, please check out all of the interviews here.
Let the world know you are present!
One of the greatest and most passive benefits of LinkedIn is that people can find you. As expressed by CEO of WABE International School Brian Couch when speaking about methods to find diverse candidates, “the people who use LinkedIn are the job searchers, they’re the networkers, it’s a different kind of group, and so we do get a very diverse set of candidates when we search on there.”
Schools that actively seek diversity cannot always rely on recruiters and job boards to provide them with what they need. LinkedIn enables people seeking roles to push themselves forward while developing profiles which will more actively come to the attention of relevant schools based on the search criteria business accounts have access to.
Being proactive on your job hunt
Contacting schools and potential colleagues on LinkedIn can provide a good water test to support deciding which schools to apply to. The contact made can also help propel formal applications to the top of the pile or bypass some application barriers such as local HR departments. Connecting your LinkedIn account is often more valuable than a resume if it is maintained well.
This is not a perfect system, as the current director at QSI International School of Astana (aka Nur-Sultan) Joshua Garrett expresses, “I can only speak to my own experience, but my answer would be that LinkedIn is hit or miss for me.”. Joshua continues, “I have made several professional contacts via LinkedIn, and a few have led to personal meetings.”.
It is understood that LinkedIn is by no means an industry standard within the educational space, but those who are engaging with it are typically open to meaningful engagement – though this may have a slow pace at times.
In contrast, the current Headteacher at St Constantine’s International School Tanzania Yasir Patel, expressed, “I think getting your profile out there on LinkedIn is key”. Yasir continues, “It is especially an advantage if you’ve spoken to the headteacher before you apply, like some of our candidates. I think it’s a good thing, I reply to every single message I get, even if it’s ‘thank you’.”
Just from these experiences, we can see the potential for LinkedIn and how this may develop as more teachers take advantage of this platform – so it is best to get in early.
So how do I get started?
Interested, but not sure where to start?
LinkedIn is easy to get to grips with, but to maximise your success, I have created a guide ‘How to create a great teaching LinkedIn profile’.
Feel free to have a look at (and connect with!) my profile for inspiration @darylsinclairgeography.
There are also many communities of international teachers from diverse backgrounds where you can find people to speak with or mentors to support your journey.
Further Reading
This article was developed based on insights from recruiters and school leaders. To learn more about their thoughts and advice, please explore their interviews:
- Brian Couch (WABE International School)
- Sheena Nabholz (Search Associates)
- Yasir Patel (St Constantines International School Tanzania)
- Joshua Garrett (QIS Astana).
Their insights into the recruitment process will support your journey and help you pave a safe and successful path.
For further articles about international teaching for diverse teachers, please read my series Should You Teach Internationally? In the series, I explore key topics and considerations for people from diverse backgrounds as they enter the world of international teaching. Best of luck with your international teaching journey, and please share your stories and experiences with me on Twitter @dsinclair17 or on LinkedIn.
