TIPS FOR WRITING YOUR MESSAGE
Your application will be in the form of a SHORT MESSAGE (max 500 characters). You will need to
summarize your CV/Resume and cover letter in a few short sentences! You can edit your message after
submitting it (retrieve it from your Requested tab) as long as the school has not viewed/actioned it yet.
Once the school has viewed it, you cannot retrieve/revise it.
Remember, recruiters will have to scan lots of these messages during the fair, so make sure yours is
concise and contains key highlights. Recruiters will be scanning for relevant teaching experience,
confirmation of certification in your field, career highlights and your preferences for the next move.
YOUR GOAL IS TO GET AN INTERVIEW!
Tips for writing your message.
•
Draft your message template in a separate WORD document. Then copy/paste in the message
box, revising and personalizing it to target a particular school and position. Make sure you
PROOF-READ. Nothing turns off a recruiter more than typos and spelling or grammatical errors.
Also, be careful with your copy/paste - nothing is worse than saying ABC School is your dream
school, and then accidently sending it to XYZ School.
•
Do not waste your 500 characters by stating your availability day/time for interviews. Recruiters
can already see your availability via the Portal Schedule (which you set on your Settings tab!).
•
You do not need to spell the school’s name in full, just use their acronym ie TASIS (The American
School in Switzerland) or JIS (Jakarta Intercultural School). You can check the school’s website or
Search page to see what acronym they go by, or if you are not sure they use an acronym.
Here’s a basic template:
Start with a brief introduction “Hello, my name is Jane Smith and I would like to interview for the Music
position”. Then a brief summary of your experience/education “I am a (US/UK etc) certified teacher with
4 years of experience teaching (subjects)” or “I am just completing my B.Ed but have 3 years’ experience
teaching ESL in Korea”. Followed by key skills/ highlights (IB trained, literacy coach, teacher/trainer for
Reader/writer workshop, certified swim instructor), any other notable achievements (I am a Rhode
Scholar, published author, helped write state math curriculum, I had a previous career as a
lawyer/engineer/police officer etc), WHAT YOU CAN BRING TO THE TABLE (I coached our girls’ vball
team to state championships, or I led our school to MUN world finals in 2015) etc - why you should be
granted an interview. If applicable, state your partner’s name and position he/she is applying for and
that you wish to be interviewed together. End with “Thank you, I look forward to interviewing with
you”.
Here are some examples:
My name is xxxxx and I am interested in learning more about the the EAL Dept. Head position. I have led
the MS ELL department at my current school for the last several years and have had many successes.
Additionally, I lead the Grade 6 Team. I have advanced degrees and certificates in TESOL and Educational
Leadership and would love to talk more about my candidacy.
Dear Mr. xxxx and Ms. xxx, My name is xxxx, and currently I am the Head of Year 12 and an IBDP English
B/KS3 EAL teacher at xxxx. I have extensive experience working in my home country and have been a
middle leader since 2018. I am keen to relocate to xxxx, and I am attracted to this role at xxxx due to the
school's strong reputation and its IB through-program. I would be keen to discuss what I could offer for
your department head or teaching roles.
Dear Mr. xxxx, I am interested in the humanities position offered at xxx and - based on my recent teaching
experience - am confident that I would be an excellent fit for this position. I am eager to build upon my
skills and learn more about what your school offers in the way of professional development. I am also
excited at the prospect of exploring the many historical and natural sites xxxx has to offer and integrating
myself into the local culture. Thanks for your consideration.
Hello XXX, I am an experienced middle school teacher who is highly-skilled in all aspects of readers and
writers workshop and English language teacher (ELT). My background is in English language learning and
teaching, and I moved from higher education to K-12 eight years ago. Since then, I've become proficient
in a variety of school systems and now lead my grade level and department. I'd love to talk more about
how I can positively impact the XXX community. Thank you.
Good morning I would like to request an interview for the university guidance counsellor role. An
experienced leader and educator I have worked in 3 states in the USA. I have significant leadership and
University guidance counselling experience both within IB and privatel schools. Currently l lead and
support a team of three counsellors, advising, supporting and processing students’ applications to
universities world-wide, including Ivy League schools, and other destinations in Europe and Asia.
Hello! I am a US Certified Science teacher with 11 years of experience, including IB MYP/DP and US NGSS.
I hold a Master’s Degree of Education in Curriculum & Instruction with an Environmental Education focus.
I would love the opportunity to speak with you about the MS Math/Science position, my qualifications,
and learn more about XXX, a school that interests me greatly. My partner, XXXX, is applying for the MS
Physical Education & Health position.
Greetings, My name is xxxxx and I am writing to apply for the High School Physics and Biology positions at
xxxxx School. I believe I possess many attributes that would help further enrich the academic and social
community within your school. I invite you to review my profile on Search Associates, and would welcome
an interview at your earliest convenience. Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to
hearing from you. Sincerely, xxxx
Hi there, My name is xxxx and I am experienced upper elementary and middle school teacher. I see you
have several positions that are of interest to me, and I would love to speak to you about any of them.
Please let me know if you see a good fit with me at your school and are willing to give me a chance to let
you know how I could be a key contributor as a future teacher in xxxxx. Have a nice day!
My name is xxxx. I currently teach middle school English, Language Arts, at xxxxx. I create creative lessons
in compliance with the AERO standards, using Design Thinking, Backwards Planning, and an assortment
of innovative technology tools to enhance the digital and in-person learning experience for my students.
Before xxxx I spent four years in California, teaching Writing and Debate to students ages 7 - 15. Hope to
hear from you soon, xxxx