Author – Allison Wienhold
Published – March 20, 2025 & most recently updated on January 20, 2025
How do I get a world language teaching job!?!?
If you new graduates are anything like I was, you are spending your last semester of school Googling things like:
- “how to write a cover letter”
- “what to wear to a teaching interview”
- “how to prepare to teach a interview Spanish lesson.”
Or maybe you are ready for a new school and it is time to brush up again. Now I have been on both sides of the interview process and have learned the following the hard way.
- I have learned what it is like to be the “2nd choice” multiple times in a row.
- I have learned that waiting a week to her back after an interview is the longest seven days of your life.
- I have learned that interviews literally make be sick to my stomach.
I plan to share what I learned the hard way about how to (hopefully!) get the language teaching job you are hoping for. As I started this post it became pretty long, so it will be a 2 part series.
If you already got the interview, move on to prepare for the Spanish Teaching Interview
Part 1 – Land a Teaching Interview
Step #1 – Scan these documents to be ready for a job opening
- Teaching Cover Letter (personalize for each school)
- Updated Teaching Resume
- University Transcripts (order 1 official & scan)
- Teaching License
- 3 Letters of Recommendation
- 1 should be from cooperating teacher if 1st job – ask for general letter before you leave student teaching placement
- 1 current/most recent principal
- 1 other – boss, professor, coworker, supervisor, principal etc.
Make sure you highlight what makes YOU stand out as a world language educator. If you do not have full time teaching experience, focus on what makes you unique. Your semester living abroad, long-term volunteer program with children, or what you learned substitute teaching in an inner city school.
I am not going to lie, zero years experience is the biggest strike you can have as a teacher. Everyone always wants a “seasoned” teacher. To fight this, it is imperative that you make a professional first impression, without any errors in your documents.
Finally, you need to show how you see yourself in this job and community long-term. No one wants a flaky new teacher who leaves after year one.
Step #2 – Complete Common online applications for city, state or region
- All of the documents above are usually uploaded to this site.
- Many districts are moving to completely online hiring. So having these general applications ready to go allow you to then “apply” with 1 click when a job opens up.
- Some states have a set teaching application website. Start there.
- Also, complete the common application for the big districts you are interested in. From my experience, the bigger the district, the more paperwork they will require.
- This might include getting a drug test. It also might mean specific certificates or online trainings for things like Child Abuse to even apply.
Step #3 – Apply for specific teaching jobs
- Check teaching sites almost every day starting after the new year.
- The first of the year is when schools in my area start posting jobs. But, they really get moving in the Spring.
- Check both large teaching sites, as well as websites for specific districts you are interested in.
- Having human contacts are even better! Ask friends in the school systems if they know if any potential openings in their district. It is true that it is all about WHO you know. I know MANY teaching jobs are unofficially offered to people’s friends/former student teachers/etc before even posted online.
- Apply right away when you see an opening you are interested in. Some schools unofficially offer jobs to the best candidates even before the closing date for applications.
**Even though many districts have a common online application, I have found it helpful to ALSO email the documents above to specific building principals. State that you have filled out their common application, are interested in the position, and would love to speak with them at their earliest convenience. Some may frown on this, but it never hurts to try!
I once had a building principal immediately call and set up an interview after he received my email. The central office emailed days later just thanking me for applying, not even realizing I already had an interview set up. Many principals would love to have a say. Contacting them directly can prevent your online application just getting lost or overlooked.
Waiting for a teaching job during the school year? Start subbing in districts you are interested in!
Subs usually have to do the same common application as districts in the district. Once you have applied you can earn money right away while making connections.
If you have availability to sub long term it is excellent experience for your resume.
While in graduate school, I subbed in 2 major districts. Once I graduated at semester, I did a lot of subbing while applying for full time teaching jobs.
I even got hired as a long term Spanish maternity leave sub to finish the school year. This sub job came from applying for a full time Spanish teacher position for the fall. I did not get the full time job, but I got the long term subbing job.
This led to connections. The teacher who did get the full time job was leaving another small town Spanish teaching position. They passed my name on to the school she left. I was hired at the private school she left.
Since it is a small world, that teacher I replaced & I became good friends & served on a Language Board together.
Now that you (hopefully) have an interview, up next Part 2 – Prepare for the Interview!
