Advantages of an Experienced Educator: Job Hunting for the Veteran Teacher

Updated September 8, 2022

Veteran teachers who are seeking a new job can feel a bit like they’re starting over. While getting a teaching job may be tougher than it used to be, it doesn’t have to be a daunting process

With well-established networks, long-term association memberships, extensive professional development, and a significant resume, you have unique skills that less experienced teachers simply cannot offer. That said, while there may be challenges in seeking a new teaching job with an extensive resume, there are also distinct advantages.

Networking for veteran teachers

One big advantage is your network. Through both work and professional development, it’s likely you’ve become colleagues with a variety of teachers and administrators in other districts. To begin your job search, get in touch with your professional acquaintances.

This doesn’t mean simply announcing to friends that you are looking for a job. Consider how your resources — and their resources — might be a fit for your qualifications and articulate your professional desires clearly. Education Week advises having a few specific examples of how your experience and skills benefited students ready to talk about when networking.

Be specific about who might be able to help as well. If you’d like to be introduced to other professional contacts, call your acquaintances and ask.

Expand your professional network through social media

Additionally, consider using social media and networking sites as a job search tool. A profile on LinkedIn or an announcement on Facebook can expand your job search beyond your immediate circle.

Twitter is useful for keeping up with education news, policy and even teaching strategies. It is also an occasional recruiting tool for districts; according to the NEA, the Kansas Educational Employment Board sends job listings to its Twitter followers.

While substitute teaching may not be your ultimate goal, participating in different districts as a substitute can expand your networking opportunities and give you insight into the unique needs and expectations of different districts, so consider it as a possibility during your search.

Relocation for teaching jobs: Teacher shortage areas and current certifications

Entertaining the idea of relocating or expanding your search area can help in your pursuit of a position. While some areas of the nation may be dealing with budget shortfalls and layoffs, others may be struggling to find qualified candidates for their positions. Areas with high rates of retirements are actively recruiting teachers to their districts and states. The Department of Education publishes a list of nationwide teacher shortage areas that is updated every school year.

If you consider relocation, ensure that your certifications, professional development, and additional trainings will transfer to different states or districts, or take steps to ready yourself to teach in those areas. While experience can sometimes make a teacher more costly, larger school districts are less constrained by individual employee cost and will be more likely to hire based on breadth of knowledge and experience rather than cost-saving measures.

Research the salary ranges of your desired job title in the target locale you’re considering for relocation. Glassdoor, Payscale, Indeed, and similar salary research websites are useful for this task. To explore the average salary outcomes of your teaching degree for different locales, you can use a site such as doesitearn.com.

Job interviews and teaching demonstrations

Once you have an opportunity for a teaching demonstration and interview, remember that you have a unique set of qualifications and experiences that separate you from people new to the process. Veteran teachers have a breadth of lesson plans.

It’s to your advantage to talk about what you’ve taught and how that has changed as educational requirements or your personal experience informed your pedagogy. Additionally, don’t be afraid to discuss previous student and parent interactions or relationships. What separates an experienced teacher from others is their significant experience in navigating these sometimes troubled waters.

Discuss how your classroom discipline, student feedback, and parent teacher conferences have changed through the course of your career, particularly how previous experiences affected your current scenarios. Finally, don’t be afraid to discuss how you functioned within the unique culture of your school with staff and administrators as well as any extra-curricular involvement you may have had there.

While going back on the job market can be daunting, don’t forget that experienced teachers have an advantage over new teachers. Practice, professional development, and extra-curricular participation all combine to make you a unique candidate with a broad teaching portfolio and a refined teaching talent that less experienced candidates simply cannot offer.

Monica Fuglei is a graduate of the University of Nebraska in Omaha and a current adjunct faculty member of Arapahoe Community College in Colorado, where she teaches composition and creative writing.