As the 2024 school year comes to a close, you may already have a job lined up for next year, or be continuing on in your current position. However, if you are still looking for a position, it’s important to make sure you have a competitive application.

Any application for an advertised teaching position should be tailored to meet the needs of the school and its context, so avoid generic applications. You can find information about the school’s priorities from its job advertisement, website and from Schools Online. This does not mean that you need to re-write your entire application for each new position advertised; you should be able to adjust key sections to reflect the school’s priorities.

It can also be beneficial to contact the school directly if you have questions about the priorities outlined in the advertisement and website. If this is the case, contact the person listed on the advertisement by phone or email.

The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) outlines Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. These standards are organised into three domains: professional knowledge, professional practice and professional engagement. In your application for a teaching position, you’ll need to demonstrate your competency against these domains.

Detail your skills and experience that are most relevant to the context for which you are applying. Use the SAO (situation, action, outcome) format to describe how you have applied your skills in particular circumstances. It is essential that you include how your actions influenced a positive outcome – leaving out this key point is the most common mistake that graduates make when writing applications. Be sure to ask a critical friend to read your application.

You are required to provide the details of two referees. Ask your referees if they would consider providing a strong reference for you and supply your referees with the details of the vacancy.

Schools will have different stipulations for how long your curriculum vitae should be. Make sure you follow the guidelines listed in the job ad. And don’t just shrink your font! As a guide, font size should be minimum of 11 point and you should include a margin of at least one centimetre on each side. 

Lastly, consider applying for a recruitment pool. The graduate teacher, fixed-term, remote teaching service and flying squad pools are all good options for new educators looking for a new position. If you are permanent and looking for a transfer, consider the transfer pool. And if you are seeking casual teaching opportunities, apply for the casual teaching pool.