We all know there’s a teacher shortage at the moment. It’s a massive concern within the education sector and something which we, at Moxi Recruitment are seeking to address every day. Just what’s keeping teachers from answering their true calling, and coming to work for your school?
Well, recently I’ve met with several amazing candidates who, despite being desperate to secure their next career move, have been put off by the application process itself.
We know that a lot of work goes into creating the right job advertisement – and the right job specification – and it can be disheartening when you don’t get applications from the right people. On the other side of the coin, candidates can really begin doubt their own experience, question their ability or become overwhelmed when faced with the level of detail presented by some job ads and specifications. So, what can put people off?
First of all, many of us naturally don’t like straying outside of our comfort zones or interrupting our daily routines; even if those routines involve working in a job where the culture, pay and benefits aren’t great. Quite often, it’s a classic case of ‘better the devil you know’.
Secondly, short closing dates for applications can often place additional pressures on what, already, is a big life decision. When faced with a deadline to do something for which they may be no ultimate reward, many of us typically recoil and stay with what we know.
Lengthy job advertisements can also be rather off-putting, as can super-long role specifications. Both of these can have the negative effect of making the position in question more complicated than it actually is, as well as being intimidating to – and overwhelming for – the candidate themselves.
And, although we live in an age where technology is ubiquitious and permeates our daily lives, there are still people for whom applying for jobs online is an alien concept. As inconceivable as it may seem, we’re not all digital natives, and a good many of us still have limited or no access to IT and the Internet.
Lastly, as the average person spends over 90,000 hours (or approximately 10.25 years) at work during their lifetime, the relationships we forge with our colleagues are often extremely strong. After all, we probably see them more often than most members of our families. However enticing a new job opportunity may seem on the face of it, the professional and emotional security that comes from being part of a long-established team is often binding, and that sometimes can prevent us from realising our true career potential, our fulfilling our ambitions.
So, how can Moxi Recruitment help?
Made for educators by educators, Moxi Recruitment understands the teaching profession inside and out. Many members of our team have worked in education, as teachers, senior leaders and Heads of School. We appreciate the challenges, recognise the pitfalls, know the pressures and, most importantly, we’re here to help!
When it comes to job applications, we will work with you (as a client) to understand your precise requirements, so that we can accurately target – and confidently encourage – the right candidates to apply for the positions you need to be filled.
Secondly, we will introduce you to ambitious, driven candidates with the skills and experience you require, who may have been deterred from applying for jobs, in the past, for any (or all) of the reasons above.
We will also breed confidence in our candidates’ skills, encouraging and supporting them with their applications and assisting with interview preparation, to ensure you get an accurate picture of them as professionals – their abilities, experience and the skill sets they could bring to your school or organisation. Additionally, we can also submit supporting statements, based on our candidate interactions, to give you more of a flavour of what they’re about professionally and personally, to help you decide whether they’re a good fit for you.
Lastly, and importantly, we’re always on hand to offer support and guidance with advertising your vacancies and writing the accompanying job specifications. Helping you set the right tone and attract the best possible candidates. To us, here at Moxi, it’s all in a day’s work!
Call me today on 0300 303 4414 and let’s start addressing your staff shortages together. Alternatively, send an email to: info@moxi-recruitment.co.uk
