Above all, recruiters want classroom management skills

The Department for Education’s (DfE) Teaching Vacancies has commissioned new research that reveals the most desirable skills recruiters want to see in teachers’ job applications.

Research carried out by YouGov has unveiled qualities that make an application more favourable, such as soft skills like passion and enthusiasm (62 per cent), good communication (60 per cent), and good organisation (36 per cent). Top hard skills include classroom management skills (81 per cent), knowledge and understanding of curriculum (79 per cent) and writing/grammar skills (48 per cent).

The most common mistakes that teachers make when applying to positions include untailored applications (65 per cent), grammar and spelling mistakes (62 per cent), leaving blank gaps in their work history (32 per cent) and not including how they can contribute to school life as a whole (24 per cent).

Teaching Vacancies can be used to support teachers who are on the job hunt, which allows for users to filter roles on varying criteria, like job title and location. It is the largest source of primary school jobs directly listed by primary school in England, and over 98 per cent of secondary schools are signed up.

Teaching Vacancies is especially helpful seeing as new research from TeacherTapp found that the biggest challenges when finding roles are finding a job that matches their desired location, job title education, phase and working pattern (44 per cent), as well as finding time to search and apply (20 per cent).

Professor Dame Alison Peacock, CEO of the Chartered College of Teaching said: “Teaching is the most wonderful and influential profession, helping children and young people to grow into thriving adults, empowering the next generation to build a better world. Find the right school and the right role for you is key to flourishing in your teaching career.

“Teaching Vacacnies is a fantastic tool which you can use to ensure that your experience in schools is right for you, supporting and enabling you to further your career for career-long development. I wish you all the best in finding your next teaching role, ensuring that the environment and culture supports both you and your students to thrive.”