San Francisco, USA

February 1 - 2, 2025

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
WESTIN SAN FRANCISCO AIRPORT HOTEL

Fair Organizers: Robert Imholt, Jennifer Imholt

WELCOME EDUCATORS! 

For more than a decade, the San Francisco Fair for educators seeking to teach on an international level has established itself as one of the major and very successful mid-size fair options offered by Search Associates. 

The San Francisco Fair is held right at the peak of the recruiting season and is mostly attended by schools from Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America - with a few from Europe and Africa.

All Search schools and candidates are welcome to attend!

This year, the San Francisco Fair is once again a 2-day event that will take place on Saturday, February 1st, and Sunday, February 2nd, at the Westin San Francisco Airport Hotel.

About the San Francisco Fair:

• Open to all Search schools worldwide, offering any curriculum, including American, British, Canadian, Australian, or International Baccalaureate (IB) curricula.
• Open to all certified candidates worldwide, in all subjects and all grade levels
• Previous international teaching experience is an advantage but not required.
• New teaching graduates and teachers with limited years of experience are also encouraged to register.
• Leadership/Administrator candidates are welcome to attend.
• Candidates must have an active Search profile to request an invitation and register for the Fair.

Why Attend the San Francisco Fair?

• Connect with school recruiters and interview for positions in your field(s) of expertise.
• Attend presentations on international schools and information about living abroad.
• Network with like-minded educators and educational professionals.
• Get guidance and support from experienced Associates during the fair.

Attending the San Francisco Fair offers both candidates and school recruiters the opportunity to schedule interviews and determine if it is a “right fit” for both the candidate and the school before accepting a contract.

What previous candidates had to say:

“Attending the in-person job fair was a game changer for me. The ability to talk to so many really cool international schools and network with them was amazing. The focus for everyone really seemed to be finding the best fit for candidates and schools, which ultimately will be what’s best for students.

-Alexa H.

“As always, thanks for your ongoing help and support.  We’re both happy about the outcome.”

-James & Julie

“Thank you so much for all your help and guidance throughout this process!”

-Paulo

“Thank you for all your support through this process.  I remember your first email to me saying, ‘Who knows where this will take you!’ Little did I know it would be Doha.”

-Victoria

San Francisco Fair Invitation:

We are happy to accept those candidates and schools who are fully registered and have received an invitation to attend.

Once a candidate has been accepted for membership with Search Associates and activated, they can request an invitation directly from their candidate dashboard page.

If you are not yet registered with Search Associates, please email me for information on joining Search and registering for the San Francisco Fair.

Personal attention:

The San Francisco Fair team offers extensive personal assistance to schools and candidates attending. Senior Associates along with knowledgeable team members will be on hand to accommodate you with any questions you may have during the fair.

On behalf of the Search Associates West Coast team, we wish you all the best in your educational endeavors and hope to see you in San Francisco!

With best regards,

Dr. Bob Imholt

Senior Associate - West Coast, USA

rimholt@searchassociates.com

Jennifer Imholt

Senior Associate - Latin America

jimholt@searchassociates.com

Thank you to SUNY Buffalo State, International Graduate Program for Educators, for your sponsorship of the Search Associates San Francisco Fair.

Thank you to SUNY Buffalo State, International Graduate Program for Educators, for your sponsorship of the Search Associates San Francisco Fair.

Off-Site Graduate Programs Description

The Office of International Graduate Programs for Educators is responsible for the Master of Science program as well as professional development for educators working at American/International Schools. The degree program is hosted by American/International Schools for cohorts (groups) of education professionals. The entire program requires ten (10) courses that can be delivered at the school site, electronically, or through a combined approach of on-site/on-line instruction depending on the course as well as the needs of the cohort.

More information can be found at http://igpe.buffalostate.edu/

Please stop by the table at the fair to speak to Brandon Kawa for more information and program advising, and to learn what IGPE can do for you!

Don’t just take our word for it! Read what our satisfied candidates have to say about the benefits of attending an IN-PERSON job fair.

It was an exceptional experience that left a lasting impression…Being able to participate in in-person interviews allowed us to engage directly with school representatives and showcase our qualifications and passion for teaching. And the personal interactions we had with other teachers there provided valuable insights into different educational environments and cultures. – Dwight and Mari

This was my first international job fair. It was incredibly well organized with a perfect amount of schools, which made it much less intimidating. I learned a great deal about teaching/moving overseas as well as had a great kickstart to my job search. Bob was very helpful in answering questions both related to the job fair and not. – Cece

This was my first time at a search associates job fair and I felt comfortable from the beginning. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming. I was able to be connected to a school in Mexico which aligned with my experience and interests. I am really excited to start teaching third grade there in the fall! - Amberly

Attending the in-person job fair was a game changer for me. The ability to talk to so many really cool international schools and network with them was amazing. All of the recruiters were friendly, and the focus for everyone really seemed to be finding the best fit for candidates and schools, which ultimately will be what’s best for students! - Alexa

It was an invaluable experience to attend an in-person fair. Having the assistance of the fair coordinators and being able to meet school representatives really assisted me in my decision- making process. I would highly recommend in-person attendance. - Nafeesah

Attending an in-person fair could give you the opportunity to be close to the real scenario of the schools you want to apply for and to show yourself as the best candidate for international education. - Juliana

Please keep an open mind! Talk to other candidates- there is so much experience in the room. Get phone numbers of other international teachers to build your network. Then just network- talk and build connections. It never hurts! -Elise

"I am so glad I was able to attend, it was absolutely worth my expense of the trip. It was an investment, and the payoff is in the form of an offer I accepted! Also, Jen and Bob's guidance and support was very helpful. I could see them running around (literally) to support everyone - both candidates and schools!" - Anonymous

Schools who register to attend the San Francisco Fair tend to register between November and January. Here is a list of just some attendees from recent years. You can see we have had a variety of excellent schools from around the world in attendance!

For School Boards considering engaging Search Associates to conduct a leadership Search, or to conduct governance workshops, and for Heads and Aspiring Heads wishing to learn how Search Associates' Consultancy Services Division can assist their future career development, Senior Consultant Brent Mutsch will be available at the Fair, to meet in person and to describe the range of related services we offer.