Why should I become a candidate with Cal/West Educators Placement?

• Cal/West can save you time and effort while increasing your chances of finding an appropriate and rewarding education position. Once you have been accepted as a candidate, we send your portfolio to schools whenever we learn of appropriate openings. Many school administrators prefer to receive materials from Cal/West because they know that our candidates have been pre-screened to ensure that they have relevant qualifications.
• Schools frequently list positions confidentially with Cal/West. These are not available in internet listings, newspaper advertisements, or through other public means.
• Working with Cal/West is extremely personal. You will usually meet one-on-one for an in-depth interview (either in person, via Skype, or by telephone) with a Cal/West Team member.  The Cal/West Team will review your resume and supporting materials, and may provide tips for revisions that will increase your chances of getting a school interview.
• We have personal relationships with the Heads of Schools and other administrators at most of the top California schools, and will call them whenever appropriate to discuss a particular candidate in depth. We are often available to you for personal consultation seven days a week. Because we specialize in placing educators regionally, we have the ability to focus our attention on the schools and candidates that we serve.
• The Cal/West Advisory Board, comprised of leaders from a broad range of schools, meets twice a year to discuss how we can best meet the recruiting needs of Independent, Private, and Charter schools.
• All senior staff members of the Cal/West team has one or more connections to Independent schools, either as a former student, teacher, administrator, or parent!
• Will Cal/West definitely find a job for me?  No one can guarantee you a placement - not even us! Your chances depend on your educational background and work experience, the number of teachers retiring or moving, the number of students enrolling in each school, demand for specific classes, the time of year a position is listed, and your personality, temperament, and educational philosophy. You can help tip the odds in your favor by starting early, attending our Connection Events, visiting if you live out of state, keeping in regular contact with us, and following the other advice we give you.

What schools work with Cal/West Educators Placement?

• We work actively with hundreds of schools!
• We DO NOT have a "membership fee" or "member schools." Any school is able to list a position, receive resumes, interview candidates, and call us for additional insights on our candidates. Schools are not charged for our placement services until after they hire a candidate.
• Our services are available to all Independent, Private, and Charter schools in California and neighboring states including Arizona, Hawaii, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington.

Who pays your fees?

• Schools pay the placement fee after a candidate is hired.
• Candidates pay a one-time $35 application processing fee once they have been interviewed by us and accepted as a candidate.

Why do schools prefer to use Cal/West instead of recruiting people directly?

• Many schools prefer that we do the recruiting, screening, and initial interviewing for them. This saves school administrators valuable time and effort. Most have budgeted funds specifically for professional placement services.

Do you place staff members other than teachers and administrators?

• Yes! Cal/West helps schools find qualified people for a variety of specialty positions, such as Business or Operations Managers, College Counselors, Deans, Director of Admissions, Director of Advancement, Director of Development, Division Head, Learning Specialists, Librarians, Principal, School Psychologists, Special Education Instructors,Technology Directors, etc.

I do not want my employer to know that I am looking for a new job. Can you conduct a CONFIDENTIAL search on my behalf?

• Yes! When your search is confidential, your Cal/West file is marked in a way that indicates that preference. We inform schools that they should not contact your current employer without talking to us first.
• At some point during your search you will need to tell your current employer that you are seeking a new position. When that time comes, we can support you throughout these conversations and offer guidance on how to approach the topic. 

When do the private and independent schools do most of their hiring?

• The peak hiring season is February through June. Leadership and Administrative positions are often filled by April or May, while teaching positions may continue to be filled through the summer. To increase your chances of finding a position, we suggest that you start working with Cal/West as early as possible.

Can my resume be longer than one page?

• Yes, resumes longer than a page are fine for presenting all your relevant educational and work experience. "White space" and readability are very important!
• Your resume should have a minimum of fancy formatting, and no tables. It should be submitted as a Microsoft Word file (or "Word for PC" format if you use a Mac). Send it to us as a .doc file, without using .zip, .sit, or any other compression format. If it is not possible to save your resume as a Word document, call our office. View samples of teacher and administrative staff resumes on our Resources for Candidates page.

How can I increase my chances of being interviewed and hired by a school?

• Attend one or more of our Connection Events, where school administrators will be in attendance specifically for the purpose of interviewing candidates. During these events, administrators hold personal 30-45 minute interviews with pre-qualified candidates. Some interviews are scheduled in advance, but they may also be scheduled during the event.  At some events we also hold a School Showcase which allows candidates to briefly introduce themselves and network with administrators in attendance. View our Candidates Calendar of Events for more information.
• If you do not live in the west, it is important to demonstrate a sincere willingness to relocate.
  • Attend one or more Cal/West Connection Events.
  • Visit specifically to interview with school administrators.
    • A visit (2-3 days minimum) should ideally take place between January and April.
    • It is imperative that you give Cal/West at least two weeks advance notice of your visit, so we can:
      • Alert school administrators that you will be available locally.
      • Check school calendars to be sure schools are open, and not closed for vacations or other reasons.
• Consider broadening the geographical parameters of your job search to include additional areas within California or in other western states. Call us if you need advice.
• Once you have been invited to interview with a school administrator, take the time to learn about the school's philosophy and other important information in advance. You can usually do this by spending 20-30 minutes studying the school's website and calling us for additional insight.

Do I need to have a California teaching credential?

• At the elementary level, lead teachers generally need to hold a Multiple-Subject credential, either from California or from another state. A Multiple-Subject credential is not required to be an Associate/Assistant/Intern Teacher at the elementary level, but would be considered an additional qualification and asset.
• At the secondary level, schools usually hire middle and high school teachers based on their degrees in relevant subject areas, graduate education (if any), and previous work experience. Having a credential would be considered an additional qualification, but it is not required.
• California charter school regulations require that charter school teachers hold a California credential or be in the process of getting one. Teachers with credentials from other states can seek recognition or pass additional steps to receive a California credential. Visit the website of the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing at www.ctc.ca.gov for more information or contact Ventura County Office of Education, Teacher Education Programs at www.VCOE.org/tss.

What is involved in a school visit?

• Candidates are almost never hired without first visiting a school. Some schools try to hold all the interview components in a single day, while others prefer to spread the process over two or more visits. Certain schools will also include a student participation component where students meet with and help evaluate prospective teachers.
• While there is no typical school interview process, many schools schedule the following for visiting candidates:
  • A meeting with the head of school, the department head, and/or one or more senior administrators.
  • Interviews with teachers.
  • Teaching a demonstration lesson (usually 30-45 minutes).
• It is important that you be prompt for your school visit, and dress appropriately.

Why teach in an Independent, Private, or Charter school?

• Educators choose to work in Independent, Private, and Charter schools for a variety of reasons including greater job satisfaction, freedom to create meaningful curricula, smaller class sizes, feeling part of a community, identifying closely with the educational mission and vision of the school, parental involvement, and professional development opportunities.

How do salaries compare to those in public schools?

• Compensation and benefits packages vary from school to school, but in the western states they are usually similar to or higher than public schools. Each school sets its own salary and benefits schedule for faculty and staff.  Individual schools may offer benefits such as medical insurance, retirement plans, and financial support for ongoing professional development or advanced degrees. Some school faculties are unionized, though most are not.

What is an Independent School? A Private School? A Charter School?

• Independent schools are college preparatory, non-profit institutions governed by boards of trustees and supported by tuition revenue, charitable contributions, and endowment income. Through a rigorous accreditation process, these schools show that they meet high standards of educational quality, operation, and staff competence. Independent schools are distinct from other private schools in that they are independently governed by a board of trustees and they do not depend on church funds as parochial schools do, or on tax dollars as public schools do. Source: The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), a membership organization of almost 1,200 independent elementary, middle, and secondary schools throughout the United States. Visit their website at www.nais.org for more information.
• Private School is a more general term that includes many types of non-public schools including independent, parochial or religious, Montessori, and even for-profit schools.
• Charter schools are an alternative form of public education. They receive some public funding and do not charge tuition, but they are exempt from certain public school education codes and practices. They have more freedom in curriculum selection, teaching philosophy, hiring, and other decision making than traditional public schools. California currently has approximately 500 charter schools, more than 70% of which are new schools started within the past 10 years.
  Source: The California Charter School Association, a membership organization serving charter schools in California. Visit their website at www.charterassociation.org for more information.

If I am a recent college graduate, what are my chances of being hired?

• California Independent, Private, and Charter schools generally prefer to hire experienced educators as lead teachers. They will occasionally hire new teachers or candidates with teaching-related experience. Examples of this would be experience as a camp counselor, tutor, Big Brother or Sister, etc. In elementary schools novice teachers usually start as Assistants or Associates, working with a lead teacher. At the middle and high school level newer teachers may be hired either as Interns or as lead teachers, often with mentors to help them through their first year or two. 

If I will be in college or graduate school for another year or two, what types of work experience will help me land an educator position when I graduate?

• Previous employment working with children or in teaching-like activities demonstrates your interest and ability to work with students. Examples of such positions include camp counselor, teaching assistant, tutor, volunteering in a school or after-school program, and other teaching or leadership activities. Such experience makes a big difference in your chance of later getting a full-time job in a school.