AoC Jobs is the market-leading job board for the college sector and is run by the Association of Colleges, so we know a thing or two about getting a role in the education sector, especially further education jobs. This blog will share our top tips for keeping up with ever-changing recruitment trends in education during the COVID-19 pandemic and how they will affect you post lockdown.
Browsing for jobs in education has never been so easy! Search for the latest jobs in FE here and use the sidebar menu to narrow your search by level, salary, subject area, and location.
However, job numbers are not going to be at the levels they were two years ago, as the economy has shrunk, and therefore it will take time for the numbers to increase. We recommend that you do not go too narrow with your search criteria as you might miss that perfect opportunity for you!
Searching for jobs is like house hunting. Although you are dead set on a specific area or location, sometimes there is a fantastic opportunity that sits just outside of that requirement that is perfect for you, just with one or two of your boxes unticked.
It is fair to say we have seen a 100% increase in jobs that have either a full or partial work from home requirement due to lockdown and the COVID 19 pandemic. However, this is somewhat of an anomaly for the education sector, with nearly all staff required to work on campus (With very few exceptions to the rule) before the first lockdown.
As lockdown eases and the vaccination rates increases, we are already seeing more and more staff return to the old way of working, with online classes being swapped for more face-to-face lessons. That’s not to say that online classes are dead, as lecturers will still need to flex based on COVID 19 case numbers etc., and there is
always an argument for increasing blended learning. However, nothing beats a physical lesson in a college when it comes to engaging students.
We get inundated with inquiries from candidates missing advertised job opportunities and deadlines. With the average job being advertised for 14 days or less, jobs come and go very quickly in FE, so we can see how easy it is to miss that perfect job for you. The simplest way to resolve this is to sign up for job alerts, as they keep you up to date with the latest opportunities that match your criteria. Here are top tips to be a job alert guru:
· Make sure when registering your job alerts that you have one alert that is an exact match to what you want and a second one with a slightly broader set of criteria (See ‘Broaden your search criteria’ above for more details).
· Do not go too broad with your criteria. The last thing you want is to get loads of alerts for jobs you are not interested in.
· Manage your alerts. If you are not getting the correct type of jobs coming through to your inbox, you need to amend the criteria you have set for your alerts. Simply log in to your account to manage your alerts.
With face-to-face interviews challenging to conduct, video interview etiquette is essential these days if you want to get a new role.
Moving forward with contact restrictions not being side-lined for a while and with so much uncertainty regarding lockdown easing and potential future lockdowns. Video interviews will still be an essential recruitment practice from now on with most education providers. To get up to speed, read our ‘Top ten best practices for online video interviews’ article for tips on adapting to the growing trend of virtual interviews.
Familiarising yourself with the industry you are trying to enter, and others who have worked in further education is essential. Our extensive range of career advice articles are perfect for candidates wishing to hear first-hand experiences of current teachers, lecturers, managers and other education workers.
Our ‘day in the life’ series is designed to give candidates an idea of what it is like to work in FE, featuring interviews with various individuals from course leaders to coordinators to trainees employed in many different subject areas. Topics covered range from salary expectations and regulations to helpful information about specific role requirements.
A wealth of tips and insight into how the education industry is evolving post-covid are shared by TV presenting lecturer Kathryn Wolfe. People working in FE are pivoting and effectively using Zoom or Microsoft Teams in their roles, two rapidly growing video conferencing platforms.
With more and more education, employers requiring candidates to know more about their organisation when they apply and, certainly at interview level, do not get caught out. You can thoroughly research Employers using AoC Jobs’ catalogue of employer microsites and see what type of roles they advertise.
We recommend you look into the career path you are trying to pursue, and the steps required to get to your ideal position will also put you at an advantage. Browse our FE careers spotlight articles for valuable resources to help you further understand a variety of different roles across the education sector.
Did you know that teaching jobs take up approximately 63% of all jobs in the further education sector? Colleges are always looking for staff to fill these roles. However, you don’t always need a teaching background to teach in further education. Becoming a trainee teacher is a great way to learn necessary skills while on the job!
We’ve seen plenty of candidates progress into teaching/lecturing roles as a trainee, hear about how working as a trainee lecturer in business and public services has benefited Paul Brenton and helped him access a whole new career path.
Many colleges will support you with training and help you gain a teaching qualification whilst on the job. Search for jobs that offer teacher training on AoC Jobs.
Have you ever unsuccessfully interviewed for a role with an employer that you admired and spent time afterwards monitoring their job opportunities for another shot?
AoC Jobs talent pool feature will help save you time and energy by allowing you to join the talent pools of specific employers or organisations that you are interested in and increase your chances of being considered for future opportunities that match your criteria.
Joining talent pools is also a great way to show employers that you are genuinely eager to work for them and are willing to find one of their roles that align with you. Increasing convenience for employers by making yourself easily contactable will also work in your favour.
When registering with AoC Jobs we see that those who created an online profile and have their CV visible to recruiters are almost six times more likely to be viewed by recruiters searching for candidates. Compared to those who only have a CV visible with no profile details added. Based on this information, we recommend that you spend 20 to 30 minutes of your time creating a profile if you want to increase your chances of being headhunted.
Although CV’s are secondary to application forms as a method of applying for jobs in the education sector, they are still commonly used as a supporting document when submitting an application form.
We often see candidates submit CV’s that are not easy to read and have out of date information on them. By doing this, you are only weakening your chances of being shortlisted, as it tells the hiring manager that you don’t have attention to detail, which is something every employer wants to see in their future employee. To get more information on how to improve your CV, read our top tips on how to write a killer CV.
AoCJobs, part of the Association of Colleges, connects teachers and support staff with schools and colleges for online job opportunities.
