Portrait of a Modern Teacher: Recruiting for the Future of Education

Teachers in the 21st century aren’t just educators; they’re also asked to act as mentors, counselors, storytellers, and student advocates. It’s an intense, but crucially important, job, and as a school administrator, you’re tasked with finding the very best teachers for your students.

Keeping those students in mind—who need exceptional educators to come out of K-12 schooling future-ready and confident enough to succeed—should be your true north as you hire for open roles.

Here are some guideposts to help you spot and onboard the very best talent in your search.

Characteristics of a Modern Teacher

To keep up with all those evolving responsibilities, an exceptional modern teacher doesn’t just have a strong grasp of child development and their curriculum. Skills in classroom management, innovative approaches to learning, and readiness to accommodate students’ diverse needs are also essential.

In your search for new teachers, look for these qualities:

• Tech-Savvy: Modern teachers should know just how many tools are at their disposal when it comes to accessibility, creative lesson planning, and student and parent engagement. They should be proficient in using software and integrating technology into the classroom.
• Adaptability: Educators must be ready to adjust their teaching methods to meet diverse student needs and evolving educational trends. This includes adapting to Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and the culture of a particular class to facilitate effective learning.
• Lifelong Learner: Teachers who are committed to continuous professional development, developing their skills, and staying updated with the latest educational research are more likely to improve with time and want to stay in their roles for a long time.
• Collaborative: Although teachers should be empowered to own their classroom setting, good educators must also work well in team settings, value input from colleagues, and actively participate in professional learning communities. Building community is key!
• Student-Centered: Your school’s teachers should be ready to focus on personalized learning approaches, understanding each student’s unique strengths and challenges. Like you, their main driver should be fostering student success.
• Innovative: Effective, memorable teachers who employ creative strategies and are open to experimenting with new ideas and methods are invaluable in today’s landscape. They’re also beloved among students.

You might notice that it’s not easy to pin down all of these qualities based on a resume or job application. Thorough candidate sourcing, thoughtful screening, and insightful interviewing practices are going to be essential to helping you find these types of educators in your search to fill open roles in your school.

Strategies for Recruiting Modern Teachers

Although casting a wide net for candidates has become a somewhat difficult necessity for today’s employers, there is a huge advantage to expanding your search across geographies and networks. Simply getting that job posting in front of more searchers means you’ll have a higher chance of finding the perfect fit.

The first step is simply implementing the right hiring technology to make casting that net easy instead of daunting. Features like virtual interview options, on-demand video interview capabilities, and even AI can help.

As you search for the right hire, be sure to:

• Utilize Advanced Technology: Leverage video interviewing and automated interview scheduling tools to streamline the recruitment process and reach a wider pool of candidates—without bogging down your calendar or spending essential time and money accommodating travel needs.
• Highlight Professional Development Opportunities: Make your job descriptions shine! Showcase your institution’s commitment to ongoing teacher training and growth. This is a great way to specifically attract teachers who have the qualities listed above.
• Promote a Collaborative Environment: Similarly, make sure your postings emphasize the school’s culture of teamwork and support. Now more than ever, educators want to operate as part of a team so they can feel supported, explore new perspectives, and foster innovative education strategies.
• Showcase Technology Integrations: Somewhere in your description of your school and district, demonstrate how you integrate technology in the classroom and support tech-savvy educators. Having a tech-forward approach to the hiring process, including offering a virtual interview option, can also make an impression here.
• Offer Competitive Benefits: This should go without saying, but teachers need to be compensated fairly for the important, and sometimes intense, role they fill. Provide attractive compensation packages, including benefits that support work-life balance and professional growth.
• Leverage Social Media and Online Platforms: Broaden your search with social networking. Use digital channels to reach potential candidates, share success stories, and highlight the school’s innovative teaching practices.

All of these recruiting strategies can help you improve teacher retention strategies and teacher turnover rates.

Best Practices for Interviewing Modern Teachers

Once you’ve drawn in some promising candidates, the interview stage is your time to learn more about them—and to present the best possible impression of your school as a workplace.

Before conducting any interview, be sure to:

• Prepare interview questions that assess a candidate’s adaptability, tech-savviness, and student-centered approach.
• Get buy-in from fellow staff and teachers on these questions, if possible. Ask them if your questions reflect what they need in a teammate.
• Leverage simple, intuitive interview scheduling software to speed up the process and improve the candidate experience.
• Review candidates’ resumes to familiarize yourself with their backgrounds and tailor questions accordingly.
• Prepare an honest, positive, and authentic “elevator pitch” about your workplace and why it’s a great place to build a career.

During the interviews, you’ll want to:

• Consider using on demand interviewing and live video interviewing tools to gauge candidates’ comfort with technology—and show that your institution embraces technology as a rule.
• Stick to your planned questions to make sure you cover your bases, but feel free to tailor them slightly to the conversation and ask follow-ups where appropriate.
• Talk through specific scenarios and real experiences from candidates, not just hypothetical responses to imagined problems.

After interviewing your top candidates, don’t forget to:

• Follow up with practical tasks that will help you evaluate candidates’ problem-solving skills and teaching methods.
• Frequently stay in touch with your candidates! No one likes to be ghosted or left wondering what’s happening for weeks at a time.
• Upon hiring, set your new teachers up for success with a robust onboarding program that will smooth their transition onto your team.

Being as mindful of how you hire as who you hire is a great way to ensure a better hire.

Building Up Modern Teachers

Given the high demands and complex needs of today’s schools and their communities, filling an open teacher role on your team isn’t just another item on your to-do list. It’s possibly the most impactful way you set your school up for greater achievement well into the future.

By staying attuned to the qualities modern educators need to succeed, adopting the innovative recruitment strategies you’ll need to attract and retain top teaching talent, and thoughtfully engaging in each step of the recruiting process, you’ll be well-positioned to build an incredible group of educators.

Need help evaluating your current recruitment processes, identifying opportunities to improve, and making the necessary adjustments to meet the demands of modern education? Reach out to us at interviewstream! We can help you learn how video interviewing and advanced hiring tools can assist in recruiting modern teachers. You can schedule a demo at any time by contacting us here.

About The Author

Drew Whitehurst is the Director of Marketing, RevOps, and Product Strategy at interviewstream. He's been with the company since 2014 working in client services and marketing. He is an analytical thinker, coffee enthusiast, and hobbyist at heart.