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When searching
for a teaching
job it goes
without saying
that a powerful,
well-written,
teacher cover
letter is a
critical piece
in the process.
I have written
several articles
on the topic of
teacher cover
letters and how
to make your
teacher cover
letter stand
out.
However, this
article is NOT
about how to
write a teacher
cover letter,
but rather what
to do once your
teacher cover
letter is
written.
I know what
you’re thinking…
“What to do with
it? Just send it
in with your
resume.”
Well, if that’s
all you’re going
to do, you are
certainly not
going to stand out
above the
competition…which
can be very
tough when it
comes to getting
a teaching job.
So, what should
you do with your
teacher cover
letter?
Well, first of
all, you are not
just going to
send in your
teacher cover
letter and
teacher resume.
Instead, you
should walk in
your teacher
cover
letter/teacher
resume.
That’s right…you
are going to
hand-deliver
your cover
letter and
resume. Doing
so will put a
face to the name
and will most
definitely make
you stand out
from all of
those other
applicants who
only sent
theirs in.
However, more
important than
“standing out”
is the fact that
an administrator
may actually
give you an
interview on the
spot!
The second thing
you’re going to
do is write
three versions
of your teacher
cover letter.
That’s right…3
versions. You
need to stop
thinking of your
teacher cover
letter as just
one individual
letter and more
as a series of
three letters.
The first letter
is the
traditional
teacher cover
letter. The one
we just
discussed that
you both send in
AND hand-deliver
that are both
accompanied by
your resume.
It’s the second
and third cover
letter, however,
that are going
to really
separate
yourself from
the crowd.
Remember, the
old Head &
Shoulders
commercial
slogan? “You
only get one
chance to make a
first
impression.”
Well…maybe
that’s not
entirely true.
Maybe you get
two chances…
Your second
cover letter is
known as a
“follow-up
teacher cover
letter”. This
cover letter
comes AFTER you
have landed the
interview, but
BEFORE the
actual interview
takes place. In
those few days
in between is
when you send
out your
“follow-up
teacher cover
letter”.
This cover
letter is
similar to your
original cover
letter with some
minor changes.
Your follow-up
teacher cover
letter is
“slightly” less
formal. It is
somewhat of a
cross between a
cover letter and
a thank you
note.
Start the letter
off with a thank
you for the
upcoming
interview at
[insert date and
time]. Make
sure you include
the date and
time. This will
make you stand
out even
more…they will
be looking
forward to
your
interview!
Once you have
thanked the
appropriate
person,
highlight the
key points you
made in your
original teacher
cover letter.
*****Sidebar*****
If you’re
looking for tips
on how to write
your original
teacher cover
letter, take a
look at some of
my other
articles on
teacher cover
letters:
*****Sidebar*****
The third in the
series of
teacher cover
letters is the
“post-interview
teacher cover
letter”.
This third
“cover letter”
is much less
formal and is
leaning more
towards a thank
you note than a
cover letter.
In fact, this
third letter
should actually
be presented as
a “hand-written”
note on nice,
professionally
monogrammed
stationary.
You give this
third letter to
each and every
person that sat
on the interview
committee.
Address each by
name and keep it
short. Start by
thanking the
person for their
time AND make
sure to add
something
specific from
your interview –
this will again,
make YOUR
interview stand
out. Next, wrap
up that letter
with something
specific about
their school and
your passion to
teach there.
But wait! You’re
not done!
Make sure
you…Don’t Give
Up!
If your
“post-interview
teacher cover
letter” doesn’t
get you a phone
call within a
couple of days,
then follow-up
with an email…
If that doesn’t
work, then
follow-up again
with a phone
call.
Persistence can
pay off big time
and can be the
difference
between getting
a teaching job
or being back to
looking for more
teacher
interviews.
This teacher
cover letter
process is
extremely
powerful and
will put you
light years
ahead of the
competition.
Here are the
steps once
again:
-
Original
Teacher
Cover Letter
~ mail AND
hand-deliver
along with
teacher
resume.
-
Follow-Up
Teacher
Cover Letter
~ mail AFTER
you get the
interview,
but BEFORE
the
interview
takes place
-
Post-Interview
Teacher
Cover Letter
~
hand-written
thank you,
follow-up
email,
follow-up
phone call
Plain and
simple…you
greatly increase your
chances of
getting a
teaching job
when you use
this approach to
writing your teacher
cover letter. |
