For trainee teachers, applying for your first teaching job can feel daunting – especially when you are busy with an in-school placement alongside your teacher training. 

We’ve put together a guide to how to get your first teaching job, to break down the process and help you at every stage – from job hunt to application to interview. 

Contents 

1. Job hunting 

2. Researching the school 

3. Writing your application 

4. Writing a personal statement 

5. Interview lesson planning 

6. Your interview 

7. Feedback 

8. Where to go for help

1. Job hunting 

Most teachers – whether that’s a trainee looking for their first role, or an experienced teacher just moving schools – will look for teaching jobs on sites like ÌÇÐÄVlog Jobs and .

However, it is also useful to let your mentor and colleagues from your placement school know you’re looking for a job, as well as teachers you might have met on your training course (and your personal tutor). 

Many teachers find community with other teachers, whether online, with ex-colleagues or professional networks – and teachers who know your skillset might recommend you apply for a specific job. 

Similarly, you might also hear about roles that aren’t yet advertised but are coming up – this gives you some extra time to research the school and start putting your application together. 

Enquiring about a specific school 

If you would like to work at a specific school that currently has no open positions, you can get in touch with the headteacher to let them know – they might be planning to advertise a role soon. 

However, when doing this it is essential you are polite and professional. It’s also recommended that you get in touch over email rather than by going into the school or calling – this enables the head to respond at a time that’s convenient and avoids putting pressure on them.

2. Researching the school 

Once you have found a job you want to apply to, it's essential that you learn as much as you can about the school – read their website, social media, school newsletter and Ofsted reports. 

Schools come in many shapes and sizes. For example, whether a school is an academy, part of a trust, a grammar school, faith school, fee-paying or state funded, all-through or for specific stages, mainstream, alternative provision or a pupil referral unit will all impact what it looks like to teach there. 

As such, when you’re looking at applying to work at a school, it’s important you understand which type of school it is, what that means and what practical impact that could have for you. 

Choosing the right school 

Tools such as the  help you to compare the schools you have done placements to where you might be interested in working. 

When you’re weighing up factors like the location of a school, consider the long-term impact it might have on you – would you prefer a shorter commute, or to feel more confident you can go out without seeing students or parents at the shops? 

It can be useful to use platforms like Google Maps’ street view to look at the school and the area around it – and this can prompt questions you might have at interview stage, such as around parking or public transport. 

Importantly, there will usually be contact details on a job listing or application form, along with an invite to get in touch to talk more about the role. Where contact information is provided, make the most of it: get in touch to find out more. 

You can use this opportunity to ask about what the school is like and what your department or key stage is like. 

3. Writing your application 

When it comes to writing your application, remember your mentor and personal tutor are there to help. 

Let them know you are applying for jobs. They may be able to help with your application – such as reading over your cover letter or personal statement – and with interview preparation, if you’re invited to interview. 

One of the most important parts of writing a teaching job application is to tailor each application to the school’s job specification, context, values and ethos. 

As such, it’s vital you don’t copy and paste between applications, even if the role you're applying to is similar. You will likely miss things such as leaving in the wrong school name, job title or department. 

Referencing the wrong school or role in your application can lead your application to be immediately dismissed, as it shows a lack of attention to detail and doesn't indicate you are enthusiastic about working at the school.

References 

When it comes to providing references on your application, you need to let the referees know that you’ve given their details.

This will usually be your mentor or headteacher at your current placement school, but referees could also be from a previous placement school or a personal tutor. 

4. Writing a personal statement 

Writing a cover letter or personal statement can be tricky and it’s often hard to know where to start. Here’s what you need to include in a teaching personal statement or cover letter: 

• Consider the person specification: it's vital your statement matches the person specification for the role you’re applying for 

• Your experience: this might include the responsibilities you've had, projects you've been involved in and any extracurricular activities 

• Professional development: consider what CPD is most relevant to the role and has the clearest aim – this will stand out the most 

• Bring it back to the school: make sure to talk about why you want to work at this specific school 

• Your own position on education: why are you a good fit? What's your philosophy? 

While writing your statement, remember to show, don’t tell. Rather than listing your attributes, give examples that show you hold those attributes. For example, don’t say "I am dedicated"; share an example of something you've done that shows you are dedicated. 

And remember â€“ don’t copy and paste between job applications. 

5. Interview lesson planning 

When it comes to planning your interview lesson, make it as simple as possible. There's always the potential for technical difficulties or other errors, so it's helpful to prepare a simple lesson that you have ideally done before. 

The lesson should also showcase your strongest skills and ability to build rapport with the students. Focus on creating time for you to connect with students and show the kind of teacher you are. 

You also need to show knowledge of your subject and understanding of the developmental age of the students you’re teaching. You might be asked about the lesson afterwards, so build your understanding of these into your evaluation. 

Similarly, if something goes wrong in the lesson, don’t be afraid to identify it – schools want teachers who can be reflective so showing that you can do this is a good thing. 

You could practice the lesson at your placement school with observation from your mentor. This enables you to get feedback before your interview day. 

6. Your interview 

When it comes to your interview day, make sure you arrive prepared with anything you’re asked to bring (and make sure you have a pen and paper). 

In the interview itself, remember these tips when it comes to answering questions: 

• Pause and think before giving your answer 

• Bring each answer back to the question, as it can be easy to lose your train of thought 

• If you are unsure of a question or don’t know how to answer it, ask the interviewer to repeat or rephrase the question 

It’s normal to feel nervous about job interviews – but it helps you make a good impression if you smile and act like you feel confident, even if you don’t.

7. Feedback  

At this point, you might be offered the job. But if not, remember that this doesn't mean you have failed – not being offered a position is part of the job hunting process. 

If you are told you’ve been unsuccessful, take the time to thank them for the opportunity and remain friendly and professional. 

Be kind to yourself – we know it is often difficult to be turned down from a job, especially if it isn’t the first time. 

Later, get back in touch to ask for feedback – then take this to your mentor to get a second opinion and a better understanding. 

Take this as an opportunity to continue growing and go into your next interview even stronger. 

8. Where to go for help

Remember that help is available to you. As well as your mentor and colleagues from your placement school, you can get help from: 

• Your teacher training course â€“ this could be peers, academic staff or your personal tutor 

• Online teaching communities and groups â€“ such as on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), or Instagram 

• Your union â€“ if you are part of a union, they can help if you feel you have been treated unfairly or discriminated against at interview (if you aren’t yet part of a union, you should instead seek legal advice)

Download the teacher’s application guide

A practical guide to help you build a strong CV, write effective supporting statements, prepare for interviews and explore international teaching opportunities.
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Based on a 2020 webinar hosted by ÌÇÐÄVlog recruitment editor Grainne Hallahan. Written and updated by ÌÇÐÄVlog in 2026.