<h2>Schools want to employ the best teachers to nurture and educate their students and align with the culture, but how do they find the perfect match?</h2>
<p>Sifting through resumes may offer insight into a candidate’s background and experience but what about their personality, the culture fit and rapport with students?</p>
<p>Face-to-face interviews may give a feel for a person’s demeanour and communication style but what about their classroom skills?</p>
<p>Finding the perfect fit for your school can be a time-consuming endeavour which can often detract hours from other important work.</p>
<p>Someone on staff has to post the advertisements, shortlist the candidates, arrange interviews and scrutinise candidates’ references and backgrounds.</p>
<p>Then there’s always the concern of how long the new teacher’s tenure will last, with schools reluctant to continually replace departing staff.</p>
<p>Government figures show the most popular method for sourcing prospective employees is through jobs boards followed by word of mouth.</p>
<p>Recruitment agencies are the next favoured option alongside newspaper advertisements and company websites.</p>
<p>Frontline Education agency owner Graham Howard says the search for the best teacher recruits is becoming increasingly competitive for schools and universities; and the issue is exacerbated at different times of year and even more so when recruiting for regional positions.</p>
<p>The recruitment challenges faced by clients in the education sector &#8211; such as tapping into a rich pool of candidates, finding committed recruits, getting the right culture fit, filling vacancies in a speedy manner and spending time and money on the process &#8211; are becoming even greater with fewer graduates in education and an ageing population.</p>
<p>“Recruitment agencies can take the headache and work away from schools by undertaking the entire process on behalf of clients,” he says.</p>
<p>Graham explains there are a number of benefits to using a specialist education recruitment agency:</p>
<p><strong>Experience and expertise</strong></p>
<p>Specialist agencies are ideally placed to understand the vagaries of the education industry. A specialist agency can also be a useful resource if you need permanent, short-term or casual talent at short notice, as they know where to source strong candidates quickly.</p>
<p><strong>Cost effective solutions</strong></p>
<p>Agencies are well positioned to identify, screen and shortlist ideal candidates in a systematic and streamlined way to save you time and money. Significant savings arise from reduced time to hire, ensuring you only interview candidates who meet specific requirements – greatly reducing the burden on in-house staff.</p>
<p><strong>Wider reach</strong></p>
<p>Finding someone who fits your company culture is just as important as identifying the right skills and experience. A specialist agency will get to know who you are and what your school or university is trying to achieve before finding candidates who are a great fit for your team. Specialists also have access to a broad pool of talent. Candidate relationships built up over years ensure agencies have extensive networks to call on.</p>
<p><strong>Knowing your brand</strong></p>
<p>Today’s job seekers are discerning, and actively seek out schools with a strong, ethical, contemporary culture. Agencies can help promote your brand to reach the right candidates.</p>
<p>Break</p>
<p>“However, choosing the right recruitment agency may seem just as daunting a task as employing a new teacher,” says Graham.</p>
<p>“With so many agencies competing for business and offering different services, schools have to undertake research when deciding not only whether to hire a recruitment agency but which one to select.”</p>
<p>Graham advises to do your homework before selecting an agency.</p>
<p><strong>General or specialist</strong></p>
<p>Find a specialist agency with in-depth knowledge of the education industry. Such agencies have built up a bank of knowledge regarding industry requirements as well as the skills and temperament needed for candidates to succeed.</p>
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<p><strong>Value for money</strong></p>
<p>Cost isn’t the only factor, but it’s important to know that your chosen agency can deliver affordable, cost-effective workforce solutions. Quality agencies can tailor-make a recruitment package to suit your school’s needs. Don’t be tempted by ‘quick and cheap’ options which cut corners and may ultimately fail to deliver.</p>
<p><strong>Experience counts</strong></p>
<p>Choose an agency with an established presence and national reach. This allows the agency to access available talent in different cities and states. Agencies with experience and hard-won expertise have extensive networks capable of sourcing top candidates with premium skills.</p>
<p><strong>What they undertake</strong></p>
<p>When engaging a recruitment agency, it’s important to know exactly what tasks they will be undertaking for you.</p>
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<p>Finally Graham explains that teacher recruitment is not just about ticking the boxes with regard to skills and qualifications.</p>
<p>Finding that “perfect match” is just as much about choosing the candidate who shares the values, goals and work ethic of your school.</p>
<p>“Know what your school needs and what the candidate must demonstrate,” he says.</p>
<p>“Carefully frame your interview questions so you can determine if they are the right cultural fit.</p>
<p>“And show the candidates around your school, introduce them to staff and watch their body language.</p>
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