Search Associates

What Makes a Search Successful

An international job search is a process, and often more of a marathon than a sprint. Success depends on many things working together, and it helps to understand that going in.

Some factors are within your reach: a complete and thoughtful profile, references requested from the right people and guided by your Senior Associate’s advice, an openness to different regions and roles, and the way you connect with schools when you interview. Others are shaped by circumstance, such as your years of experience, the time of year you begin, and the specific needs schools have in any given season. None of this is meant to discourage you. It is simply the honest picture. The educators who approach their search with patience, flexibility, and persistence are consistently the ones who find their footing.

The Questions

Do you hold a bachelor's degree or recognized equivalent from a college or university?

All schools in our network ask that educators hold a completed degree or its equivalent from a college or university. Qualifications look different around the world, so a recognized equivalent from your own country's system counts here too. A degree in education can be helpful, though it is not required. Educators come to international schools from many academic backgrounds.

Teachers, Counselors, Librarians Do you have at least two years of recent full-time experience at a recognized primary or secondary school?

(College or university experience does not count, unless you are applying for a college counselor role.)

Schools generally look for educators with full-time experience in the role they are seeking, whether that is leading your own classroom, counseling students, or running a library program. Ideally, you are currently working in that role or have done so recently. This helps schools see that you are ready for the work you will take on abroad, and the more relevant and extensive your experience, the more schools are likely to be open to you.

Administrators Do you have at least two years of experience in an educational leadership role suited to the position you are seeking?

Schools generally look for leaders who have already done the kind of work they will take on abroad. Ideally, you are currently in a leadership role, or have been recently. Leadership roles in international schools are limited in number, and demonstrated experience in the specific area you are pursuing matters most. The more relevant and extensive your leadership experience, the more schools are likely to be open to you.

Do you hold a teaching certification, credential, qualification, or a recognized equivalent from your own country?

Many schools require educators to hold a teaching credential. This is often tied to visa and work-permit requirements in the host country rather than the school's own preference. A credential from the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, or New Zealand can expedite the visa process, and in some countries, it is a requirement. This varies across our network. That said, many schools recognize qualifications from a wide range of countries, and holding a credential widens the range of schools open to you. If you do not hold a formal credential, you can still move forward. It becomes one part of a fuller picture we consider alongside your experience and background.

Are you open to working anywhere in the world?

As you complete your application within your online profile, you will choose the regions you are open to, and that choice has a direct effect on the opportunities available to you. Limiting your search to one or two regions narrows the positions you can be considered for, while staying open to many regions gives you access to far more jobs within our school network. Some of the most rewarding opportunities come from places you may not have first considered.

Do you have a non-teaching spouse or partner, and/or dependents, who will accompany you abroad?

International schools vary in what they can offer educators relocating with family. Benefits such as housing, airfare, tuition, and insurance differ from school to school, and some can accommodate larger families more readily than others. Each school sets its own terms based on its resources and priorities. We ask this so you can begin your search with a clear understanding of how family circumstances may shape your options.

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