Timing Your International School Job Search

A common question is when does the international school hiring season start and stop? The first thing to know when looking for a school job abroad is to consider the timing of the hiring season. It isn’t the same in domestic schools as it is internationally. For example, in my US experience, the hiring season rarely started until late spring; I was used to being offered a contract in March or April. Possibly, it might start a little earlier, but that was rare. Yet, the international school hiring cycle is different, starting in October/November and continuing all school year long. Even now that we’re in mid-winter, many international jobs are available and will continue to open until the end of the school year (and even the summer).? ?

You might wonder why the hiring season begins so early in the fall. Considering all the logistics of getting visas, completing paperwork, preparing for a transition, etc., it takes months to plan the entire process (both for the candidate and the school). Schools usually ask current employees in the fall about their intent to stay there for the coming school year. Surveying for most may finish around October/November so that the school will know most of the jobs they will have open for the year ahead. But some schools won’t ask until the start of the second semester (in January or later), so there is no single rule of thumb. However, even with surveying, people announce their intention to depart throughout the school year.?

When the hiring season ends varies. Some schools may hire only a handful of candidates, so their season is very short. Other schools may need to hire many candidates, so their season may extend by several months. In my experience, there are phases when openings occur. At the end of the fall semester/beginning of the spring semester, a few staff may unexpectedly announce they will leave at the end of the school year after having thought it over during vacation. I find that by the end of the school year, other openings come up because newly hired staff back out of their offers or current staff decide at the last moment that they aren’t returning for the following year. So, while most jobs are filled in the fall or early spring, there still are many opportunities in schools toward the end of the school year.

One thing that may happen with jobs is that new positions that never existed before may be created as new opportunities arise in the middle of the hiring cycle. For example, a school may need a half-time teacher in one subject and a half-time teacher in another, so they create a new position mid-cycle. While they may never have considered a role like that in October, as the recruitment cycle progresses and new needs emerge, they consider new ways to hire the right person to fill new needs. I remember one year, we needed a physics/special education teacher. While it was an unexpected and odd combination, we filled it as soon as we posted it.?

One exception to the hiring cycle beginning in October is when filling some senior-level administrative positions such as heads of school or sometimes division principals. International schools may start a job search for these roles more than a school year before the actual start date. Schools may keep senior leadership searches more subtle and quiet and not publicly post them because they don’t want to announce leadership turnover. Therefore, top-level administrative candidates should be ready for their search a year earlier than the regular hiring cycle for these types of searches to maximize their chances for these potential opportunities. ??

Job openings may not update instantly because hiring changes can happen quickly. That means job-seekers must consistently check job source sites and schools of interest to be on top of an ever-changing market. Letting a school of interest know your availability is essential because it could lead to an opportunity that may or may not be posted publicly.

In successful job recruitment, timing matters a lot. It’s not about the candidates or jobs that got away, but about which candidate got the job in the right school when needed and available. Being in the right place at the right time is the key to finding your desired job.

Copyright 2025 by Kelley Ridings

I can help you in four ways: by providing career development, offering coaching, preparing you for your international school job search, or assisting you in designing robust hiring systems in your schools.

1. Visit our website at EduNetPro Consulting to learn about our hiring-related services, which include online classes, personalized coaching about school job searches, and the design of school recruitment systems.
2. My book, Teach or Lead Abroad: Easily Find Your Dream Job in International Schools, is available?on Amazon or Audible.
3. My new book, The GIFT Hiring Method: You Can Confidently Recruit Quality School Staff, will be released on Amazon in February 24, 2025.
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