While there are certain skills and qualifications that every teacher should possess, you may not realise that educators look for soft skills as well. Demonstrating these soft skills in your CV, application and interview could be the difference between being shortlisted for an interview or getting the job or not.
Applying for teaching jobs can be competitive, let’s take a look at the most common soft skills educators look for when hiring teachers that can help give you a competitive edge and help you stand out from other applicants.
1. Effective communication skills
This one may not be too surprising, and in some cases can be seen as a given for any teacher. But not all teachers are the best communicators, so demonstrating your communication skills early on can help you gain an advantage. Educators want to see that you have a variety of verbal, written and listening skills.
Consider adding examples on your CV or application that demonstrate your communication skills such as presentations you have given to peers or at conferences. Ensure your covering letter is written clearly and succinctly to further demonstrate your written skills and show active listening skills during your interview.
2. Good collaboration
You may be familiar with the saying “teamwork makes the dream work”, and when it comes to teaching it certainly does. Having a good working relationship with your colleagues is a crucial soft skill that educators look for. It tells them how you will fit in with the team and how you will positively contribute to the school culture.
Almost everyone says on their CV that they enjoy teamwork or are a team player, but rather than just saying it, demonstrate it with evidence. Think about how you have supported past colleagues or how you have been involved with extracurricular activities and include these examples on your CV.
3. Ability to adapt
Educators are looking for teachers who can quickly adapt, and the pandemic showed us just how quickly teachers as well as students had to adapt to remote learning. But beyond remote learning, the technology in education settings can change frequently, and it is important that you show you can keep up by showing your willingness to develop your skills and undertake further training.
If you have examples that required you to adapt quickly to something in a past role, during your time in education or as a volunteer, include it on your CV to show your adaptability.
4. Problem-solving skills
As anyone who has ever worked in teaching will know, problems arise and need a quick solution. Whether it is how to best manage challenging behaviour or ways to engage students, creative and analytical thinking are skills that educators look for.
No two days are the same for a teacher and problems may arise on a near daily basis. Think about your past experience and how you have dealt with problems you have been faced with. This could be conflict resolution between students, dealing with a confidential matter or finding new ways to motivate students to learn.
5. Being creative
At times teachers rely on their creativity to engage students or deal with problems as they come up, educators understand this and therefore look for creativity when hiring. There are many ways you can show your creativity, it can be in the language you use in your CV or cover letter or it could be in your lesson plan.
You may also want to consider adding examples to your CV of how you have used your creative skills to overcome a barrier you were facing. For example, you may have devised a creative way to motivate students to learn, such as making a lesson feel less like a traditional learning setting.
Looking to take the next step in your teaching journey?
If you are looking for your next challenge, join the Vision Teaching community to help you find your next rewarding role. As specialists in all aspects of school recruitment, we help every borough in London attract and retain high-quality teaching, support, and administrative staff. We have a wide range of opportunities across London in both primary and secondary education settings.
Browse our teaching jobs and find your next role: https://visionteaching.co.uk/job-search/
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