Carney, Sandoe, & Associates representative Ryan Graf came to campus this week to discuss Carney Sandoe’s role as an educational recruitment firm in the search for jobs in teaching and administrative positions at private, independent, and other similar schools. Graf, who has been visiting Davidson for several years now, also gave students some helpful tips and guidelines on how to market themselves for jobs in the field.
Graf shared some characteristics of independent schools: they have small class sizes, there is usually tuition or financial aid and merit scholarships involved in funding the education, they are outside government regulation, and each of them is unique. Independent schools have the luxury of creating their own cultures and attracting students for different reasons such as strong academics, sports, and sometimes, religious affiliation. Independent schools can be boarding or day schools and they are found all around the country.
Independent schools, unlike public schools, do not require formal certification for their teachers, which makes it possible for students who studied any major to work as a teacher. What independent schools are looking for in their new hires are people with strong academic backgrounds, experience with teaching or working with children, and involvement in school activities. They are looking for teachers who show passion and mastery of the subject they want to teach. To display this on a resume, Graf recommends including your major GPA and some relevant coursework, as well as a thesis, capstone project, or study abroad experience. Any experience working with children should be highlighted on the resume by being placed towards the top. Graf explained that it is perfectly fine to discuss experiences that reach back to high school, especially if they were valuable or formative. Schools need teachers to work as coaches and advisors, so it is great to see some relevant experience in extracurricular activities.
Carney, Sandoe & Associates works with each student to help match him or her to a school that would be a good fit on all accounts. They help create your file, which includes letters of recommendation, a transcript, a personal statement, a resume, and a video interview. This file is sent off to different schools in hopes that they will consider the candidate and eventually hire the student.
Students who are considering a job at an independent school or a similar institution later on are welcome to look at Carney, Sandoe & Associates’ homepage to see all of the schools they work with and more about what they do.