*The views expressed are solely that of Justin and in no way reflect MSU or the COE. Some assembly required. Batteries not included.* I want a job! (Bruner Version)

Some questions to answer for yourself How will you present yourself? How do you want the search committee to remember you? Justin really emphasizes citizenship in his application Why you over the 234,523 other people who applied for this one job? How do your needs and experience best match those of the school? (What makes you special/different?) What have you done and what can you contribute to the team? More often than not fit will be just as important as qualifications

Two main takeaways for today How to be successful in your search: 1. How do you fit in to the position you are applying? 2. What is your differentiator? I.E. What makes you different? I.E. What can you do that no other candidate can?

Researching your community Test Scores School/District Webpage Lansing Mission Statement School/District Webpage Lansing District/School Standards and Curriculum State/School/District Webpage Lansing Demographics US Census 2010 now available Michigan

Documents Philosophy Statement What do you believe as an educational professional? Samples Resume Experiences related to your beliefs and goals Reference List Diverse and detailed Cover Letter How your beliefs and experiences match those of the school AVOID generic cover letters Everyone has those

Portfolios – Tell your story Philosophy Statement (Beliefs) Resume (Experience in Philosophy) Sample Unit Philosophy in action Lesson Philosophy matched to standards Student Work (no names) Students meeting your philosophy Certificate 90 Day Letter is Valid Reference List NOT letters

Philosophy Statement – Page 1 There is not a right or wrong answer here You should write what you believe rather than what you think people want you to This will serve as your introduction and foundation of how you are presenting yourself. Should be no more than a page Sample

Resume – Pages 2 and 3 Two pages max Minimal Formatting Proofread multiple times Check formatting when uploading online Shows the experiences you value From your philosophy statement Sample

References - Page 4 Experience (CTs) Professional (FI/Instructor) Administrative (Principal) Character (Non-Academic) and phone numbers Title and relationship Sample

Cover Letter No more than one page NOT generic Each job application should have a unique letter One Paragraph What are you applying for and introduce self Second Paragraph How you fit with the needs of the vacancy Final Paragraph Specific examples Direction to supporting materials Sample

Webpage How much this matters seems to be up for debate but I would encourage you to over-prepare if you can. No pictures of minors (under 18) Photoshop them out They are not 18 so they cannot consent Not necessary anyway Show your competence with technology Mirror your portfolio but with more depth Allow interested parties to dig deeper into your experiences Additional lessons, units, experiences, personal info A thought about Facebook and other information online Mine

Making a Webpage I would suggest using your MSU AFS space Link Mac users have Iweb built in Screen Shot Windows users can use Dreamweaver for Free Dreamweaver Elements Lesson Plans with supporting materials (PowerPoint) Unit Plans (With Summative Assessment) Documents About You

Job Fair Prep Feedback from mock interviews? Protocol Like the auto show Many tables Visit the ones you want Strategy The lines for MI schools will be very, very long Out of State will have very short or no lines at all Create an agenda for the job fair Answering questions Apply for jobs even if you are on the fence Get the experience of the process

Interview Time Don’t be afraid to ask what they would like to see Come prepared, you should have Portfolio, contact information, everything ready to go Having lesson plans ready was a major plus according to one administrator Show you have done homework “I saw on your website that…” “I know you have done well in recent MEAP …” Have a two-way conversation “What are you looking for in a candidate?” What types of professional development do you offer?”

Sample Interviews Try to balance the conversation Limit your responses to 30 – 60 seconds Bring knowledge of standards and how to apply them Talk about what you will do beyond the classroom Be prepared to be “out-numbered” Respect and Humility as opposed to knowing it all

How to handle job offers Be careful of multiple vacancies Could be really good – growth Could be really bad – nobody will work there Ask your questions during the interview, not the job offer Usually happens at the end of interview Save Salary, Benefits, etc. until offer Do not burn your bridges Be honest and upfront about your prospects and intentions