7 strategies to recruit teachers in 2023

If you’re a school teacher, parent or child, there’s a good chance you’re being impacted in some way by the nationwide teacher shortage. What no one can seem to agree on is whether it’s a shortage or a recruitment and retention problem – and of course, then there are the deep political divisions on how to actually fix the problem.

But in the short term, drawing good teachers back to the classroom and filling those education jobs across the board is about making the job one that teachers want to apply for. Here are some strategies you can try.

1. Sell your supportive workplace culture

Obviously, retaining teachers is the ultimate goal – and to do that you have to create a workplace environment that makes them want to stay. Ways to do this include having administration support to reduce the paperwork, meetings and other duties teachers are required to do on top of lesson planning and teaching.

Mentoring programs where new teachers are guided in curriculum issues, teaching strategies and given help to adapt to the school culture can also be invaluable, research shows.

2. Offer competitive salaries and benefits

We know, it’s not as easy as it sounds, throwing money at the problem (when there aren’t extra funds to allocate to teacher salaries). But can you cut back in other areas or increase community fundraising to pay your teachers more? It’s one of the biggest bugbears for the profession, which has called for a competitive salary overall for many years..

In NSW, teacher salaries begin at $73, 737 and peak at $117,060 if the teacher is considered ‘highly accomplished’. If you become an assistant principal you can earn $126, 538, or more if you end up at executive levels. But teachers themselves can’t really earn more even if they gain more experience, unlike other university-educated workers.

To attract good teachers, schools need to also offer great benefits – for example, rural and remote schools should highlight perks such as relocation subsidies and rental subsidies.

3. Make the recruitment process more hands on

That may sound strange, considering how much we talk about automation, applicant tracking software and other AI-led innovations in the recruitment process. But recruiting for teachers requires a human to go through applications and apply a personal touch.

Why? Well, it’s possible the tech is weeding out potentially great candidates that you might never see. That may include newly graduated teachers who might not meet all the criteria, but still have excellent potential for the teaching jobs you’re trying to fill. So use tech sparingly!

4. Tap into your previous teacher pool

If you’ve made changes at your school recently and are offering more competitive salaries or have support in place to reduce teacher workloads, it may be worth reaching out to former teachers to see if they’d be interested in coming back – even for part-time teaching jobs.

Previous teachers can also be valuable sources of referrals, to give potential applicants a sense of what it’s like to work in your school and be part of the school community.

5. Design clear, attractive marketing materials

Going to job fairs? They’re a great way to network with local teachers currently job-seeking – and you’ll want to have recruitment materials on hand such as brochures and flyers to give out. (Don’t forget to give your marketing materials to careers advisors at local universities, too).

Make sure all your materials have an attractive, contemporary design with strong, appealing images and clear, well-written information about your school. Including your website and social media handles is important too, so candidates can go and check you out later.

6. Boost your social media presence

A busy Instagram account or Facebook page is your digital footprint and should be full of warm, engaging posts showcasing what it’s like to work or study at your school. Your socials can also offer a sense of the community spirit and vibe amongst the teaching body and kids.

Aim for a strong, regularly-updated social media presence that documents school events, special dress-up days, class activities and offers tips for parents and teachers. It’ll help potential applicants imagine working in your school community.

7. Tweak your SEO and use targeted ads

Is your website optimised with the right keywords for your local area? If not, hire a digital marketer to help you do this. It’ll bring more traffic to your website and help you pop up in Google searches – essential for capturing potential local candidates looking for schools to work at. On that note, having a prominent ‘Work with us’ page on your website and current vacancies is a good idea, too.

You may also want to invest in Google and Facebook ad campaigns which actively target teachers in your local area, and use online jobs boards which may attract teachers from other parts of Australia or even overseas, who are looking to relocate.

What else can you do as a recruitment specialist to fill teaching jobs?

Starting the recruitment process as early as possible is another good strategy to adopt when trying to fill education jobs – as is casting your net as wide as possible. If there’s an option for the school to talk to upcoming graduates, that may also help attract candidates.

If you’d like more advice about hiring for the education sector, get in touch with a Frontline recruitment specialist in your local area – we’d be happy to chat to you about your needs.

Want more tips on keeping staff happy at work? Get your hands on our 2022 Frontline Feel Good Index Report – it’s free to download now