1.  They do not invest enough time

            Candidates underestimate the time they must devote to the job search process.  According to Richard Nelson Bolles, the author of the bestselling career counseling book What Color Is Your Parachute? advises job hunters to consider job searching as a full-time occupation.

2.  They listen to the wrong “experts”

            Much of what the candidates learn about job hunting comes from fellow students, college placement offices that do not specialize in classroom teaching jobs.  To put it simply:  You need advice from seasoned school administrators who knew exactly what is demanded of prospective teachers and why so many candidates fail.

3.  They confuse boardrooms with classrooms

            Friends, family members, and countless books offer advice about job hunting from the business world’s perspective, but businesses operate much differently from schools. Generic job hunting books really pertain to the business market.  For example, every school administrator we know strongly prefers a resume style know as the chronological resume, yet generic books suggest alternative formats, which could lose you the job you want.

4.  They don’t recognize that times have changed

            Changes have taken place in job hunting for teachers over the last decade.  Computer-designed resumes, interview committees, demonstration lessons have become standard practice.  Data about schools are available over the Internet, and candidates have begun posting electronic portfolios online.