Many people are afraid of the job search process. Well, this page will provide you with simple instructions to help you become a teaching assistant.
First, you must decide where you want to work. What state / city do you want to work in? Do you want to be a teacher’s aide in a suburban, rural, or urban school? Do you care if you are working in a high school, junior high or elementary school? Although you should not limit your options, it is a good idea to give yourself a general direction when beginning your job search.
Second, you need to find out what vacancies exist for ATs. This is generally an easy task, as most school districts have a Regional Office of Education website that lists all openings for the district. The specific category to look for is “Not Certified – Support Personnel”. This category should contain all vacancies for teacher aides. If you can’t find this category, try searching for a similar category, such as “Paraprofessionals.”
Third, you will apply for the vacant positions. An effective application will include a good resume and a cover letter. On this site, you can also find information on how to create a good resume and cover letter for a teaching assistant position.
Fourth, you will apply for more positions. Obviously, the more positions you apply for, the better your chances of being called in for an interview. The good news is that many schools are often looking for teacher aides. Also, the applications for teaching assistants are often very similar, so it shouldn’t take a lot of extra work to apply for many more openings.
Fifth, you will wait to be called for an interview. However, while you wait, you should constantly check to see if positions have been opened or if there are other open positions in nearby school districts. On this site, you will also find information on how to effectively interview for the teaching assistant position.
Sixth, you will accept a job offer! This is always a satisfying time, and if you follow the steps above, as well as review the pages with information on how to write good resumes and interviews well, then you should be very confident as you seek to enter this profession.
Becoming a teaching assistant takes hard work and commitment, but if you keep working at it, I am absolutely sure that you will be able to receive a job offer. Remember, it’s not about if, it’s about when. Be patient, confident, and keep searching and applying!
