When to Apply for Jobs
Many companies and industries cycle through peak hiring seasons. If you’re on the path to become a teacher, you may be trying to align the completion of your teacher training preparation perfectly with the best time to apply for teaching jobs.
Having helped teachers find jobs for the past 15 years has provided us with keen industry insights. We’ve formed close working relationships with thousands of school districts and are happy to report that:
It is possible to get a teaching job at any time of the year!
Monthly Hiring Score Guide
For a quick glimpse at the best months to apply for teaching jobs, we’ve ranked each month on a score out of 10. The more points a month scores, the stronger chance you have to get hired. Here are the criteria we factored into our decision:
- Number of Anticipated Positions
- Number of Known Positions
- Availability of Hiring Staff
- Availability and Preparedness of Teacher Applicants
Here is how each month ranks:
JANUARY 
(7/10)
FEBRUARY 
(6/10)
MARCH 
(7.5/10)
APRIL 
(8/10)
MAY 
(8.5/10)
JUNE 
(9/10)
JULY (9/10)
AUGUST 
(10/10)
SEPTEMBER (10/10)
OCTOBER (7/10)
NOVEMBER 
(5/10)
DECEMBER (9/10)
Month-by-Month Breakdown
Looking for some more insight as to where and how we gathered our scores? Every month and season has unique benefits when preparing to apply for jobs. We’ve broken down different application periods to help you build a fuller picture.
DECEMBER/JANUARY
After the December holidays, some teachers will decide not to return, leaving open positions to fill mid-year. In January, you can often find emergency positions if you’re hoping to get started immediately. Additionally, if you’re more of a planner, schools may start looking to hire new staff for the upcoming year during this time. It’s very possible you could find a teaching position for the next academic year in January.
FEBRUARY/MARCH
Around this time, school administrators will start to gain a better picture of their staffing needs for the upcoming year, as current teachers are required to inform schools of their plans for the next year. If you’d like to secure a position early for the upcoming year, this is a great time to start looking. Always be sure to regularly check job boards, as new positions may appear daily.
APRIL/MAY
April and May hiring efforts definitely ramp up during this time. After spring break, many schools will focus on filling teaching positions for the new year. Many interviews are conducted in the spring months, as administrators are looking to fill any known vacant positions at this time.
JUNE/JULY
The prime summer months are a great time to apply to teaching jobs. At this point, schools have a very clear picture of their hiring needs. You can anticipate schools to begin reaching out to you and conducting more interviews once the school year has ended. It’s a good idea to stay extra organized during this period, as you may be contacted by quite a few schools.
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER
August and September are hot hiring months! As many administrators return from their summer breaks, they will begin conducting a second round of interviews to continue filling their staffing needs. It is not uncommon for schools to hire the bulk of their new teachers two weeks before the start of the new school year! Even if you aren’t hired right before school starts, don’t be discouraged – schools will continue to hire after the year has started! In fact:
1 in 5 teachers are hired in September!
Many of the job postings during these months are last-second jobs, which means that hiring managers must act fast! Always be sure to frequently check for new job postings during this time.
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER
By October, all schools are back in session. It is during this point that student numbers will be finalized. If there are more students than the school has previously anticipated, they will hire for immediate-start teachers. Be sure your resume is always up to date and ready to go on a moment’s notice, so you can apply to your dream job as soon it’s posted.
A Word of Advice
Our best advice to aspiring teachers is to apply and begin your preparation when the time is right for you. Whenever you’re ready to take the next step in your life and pursue your dream of becoming a teacher, we’ll be here and ready to help.
