Classical School Job Fair

Classical School Job Fair 2015: Get Ready.

The Classical School Job Fair is coming up. And it’s sooner than you think. How are you preparing? Have you carefully crafted 46 different resumes like Paris Geller in Gilmore Girls, or have you barely started your first?

Don’t panic – you have time to complete everything. Building and tweaking can be a fun process. Remember that you want to present yourself in a professional and creative way.

But resumes are only one small part of the Classical School Job Fair. Here’s some advice and thoughts from a few faculty and staff members about pursuing a teaching career and interviewing with prospective schools.

Q: Help! I’m a second semester senior and I’ve only just realized that I’m interested in teaching – what should I do?

A: Come talk to Becky Fleming, Joanna Wiseley, Dr. Daniel Coupland, or Phil Kilgore. Rebecca Fleming, associate director of the Barney Charter School Initiative, has gone through the job fair, been a teacher at a classical school, and now is part of the charter school staff. She’s gone through it all. She’s been there. Joanna Wiseley is in charge of the details of setting up the Classical School Job Fair. So all your technical questions about resumes, curriculum vitae, and practice interviews should go to her.

Q: What are some of the challenges teachers face?

A: Teaching isn’t just a job – it’s a passion and a calling. As a Hillsdale student, you know how to work hard and work efficiently. But as a teacher, you have to remember that you’re working to shape young minds and hearts. Never lose sight of that. Part of your role as a teacher is to import high and important truths to your students. The challenge lies in figuring out how to tailor them to each particular student in a way that helps them understand and embrace it. If you want to talk about this in more depth, please email Dr. Coupland.

Q: How should I prepare for the Job Fair?

A: When Mrs. Wiseley sends out the list of schools, look them up. Visit their websites and read about their curriculum. Figure out what region you’d like to be in and research schools in those areas. Check out staff profiles, school size, extracurricular programs and school culture. If you know graduates who work there now, call them up and ask them about their experiences.

Practice talking about why you want to teach with a friend or classmate, especially if you’re nervous about talking to prospective employers you’ve never met before. It’s definitely helpful to come up with a short speech about why you want to teach, what you want to teach, and what you like about their school. It will help you collect your thoughts during the interview, and allow you to better present yourself more clearly. First impressions are vital during the Classical School Job Fair.

That’s a lot to remember – can you give me a checklist for the interview day?

  1. Look good. Wear a suit or close to it. Men, if you don’t own a jacket, at least wear a tie.
  2. Communicate clearly & concisely. (This is the short speech we talked about.)
  3. Be open-minded about location and positions. If you want to teach high school, take some time to consider teaching middle or elementary school. If you want to teach English, think of other things you might also be able to teach. Classical Schools appreciate the value of interdisciplinary teachers.
  4. Stay organized. Bring a notepad, calendar, or folio (Career Services has some of these in the office) with you to keep track of any interviews you might have the following day. Be clear in your notes: write down the time, name of the school, and name of the person you’ll be interviewing with.
  5. Take notes. After you’ve visited a table, take a minute to write down some notes between now and the next table. Research some more in the evening and determine if you have any other questions.

More than anything, we don’t want you to be unprepared. Let Joanna Wiseley, Rebecca Fleming, Phil Kilgore, or Dr. Daniel Coupland know if you have any questions or concerns. And if you’re not a senior, go to the job fair anyway! You’ll get a feel for what it will be like when you’re ready to look for a job, and it’s an easy way to practice networking. Good luck!

Classical School Job Fair Contacts:

Becky Fleming: [email protected]
Joanna Wiseley: [email protected]
Dr. Daniel Coupland: [email protected]
Phil Kilgore: [email protected]