M202 Job Search Strategies for Educators

Each semester the IU Education Careers Office staff members teach a course entitled “Job-Search Strategies”. This is a one-credit, eight week course designed to instruct students on maximizing their job-search skills. This course concerns helping students become more employable through a study of educational career development.

Current course information and general syllabus are posted below:

Purpose of the Course

This course is designed to assist the transition from student to teacher. The general purposes are as follows:

• To help students analyze and determine their educational career objectives.
• To help each student develop an action plan for achieving his or her career objectives.
• To make students aware of the support services available to them.
• To help students connect their pre-service program to the world of practice.

Course Objectives

• Students will be able to describe the personalized services of the educational career services office which are available for their use.
• Students will be able to describe a generalized process typically used in seeking an educational position.
• Students will be able to describe and prepare a series of letters commonly used in educational employment.
• Students will be able to effectively prepare a resume which represents their personal and professional background.
• Students will be able to effectively complete an employment application form, including appropriate responses to selected situational questions.
• Students will be able to correctly describe the anatomy of a generalized educational employment interview.
• Students will be able to describe the specifics of applying for certification and becoming a licensed teacher.
• Students will become familiar with and be able to describe the contents of the Job Search Handbook for Educators.
• Students will be able to list correctly the state mandated competency exams required for their own licensing.
• Students will be able to utilize the World Wide Web for searching for information regarding positions in school districts and for other related information.

Course Requirements:

You will be expected to complete the following tasks:

• Do adequate reading on each topic (handouts and references).
• Regularly participate in class discussions and activities.
• Participate in a mock interview
• Complete each assignment, project, or activity in a satisfactory manner as determined by the instructor.
• Regularly attend class.
• Demonstrate at least a satisfactory level of familiarity with topics discussed in class.

Academic Course Requirements:

• No exams will be administered.
• Grading is by S/F only.
• A grade of “S” is considered to be equivalent of “C” performance or higher.
• Participate in a group mock interview
• Register for an EASE account
• Assignments:  Prepare each of the following:
  • Mission/Vision/Philosophy of Education (1-2 pages)
  • Employment portfolio binder plus table of contents
  • Letter of Application
  • Letter of Inquiry
  • Resume
  • Completed Application Form
  • List of 3-5 questions you will ask a central office interviewer
  • List of 3-5 questions you will ask a building-level administrator

Administrative Requirements:

• Regular attendance is required. For an “S” grade, a student may miss no more than one (1) of the class sessions without permission of the instructor
• Missing projects or assignments will be scored as an “F” grade.
• Late assignments will be accepted only by prior arrangement with the instructor. Last day for all assignments without prior arrangement is the last day of class.
• Incompletes are available from the instructor, if warranted.

Evaluation of Students:

• Specific assignments, projects, and class participation previously identified will be used to assess each student.
• Students have the opportunity to submit quality work and have this effort translated into a satisfactory evaluation and grade. The instructor may ask students to resubmit work that is not satisfactory.

Class Materials:

• A Job Search Handbook for Educators . American Association for Employment in Education, Chicago , IL 68 pg., 2008 edition.
• M202 Booklet to be obtained from the TIS Bookstore or the University Bookstore.
• 1-2 inch binder to be used for an employment portfolio