This document provides advice for new educational administrators on marketing themselves for jobs. It discusses identifying strengths and weaknesses, developing resumes and online presences, researching potential job matches, networking, preparing for interviews, following up after interviews, deciding on job offers, and introducing oneself at a new job. The document emphasizes being prepared, making a good first impression, using a portfolio to showcase strengths, and continuing to promote oneself through local media after being hired.

1. Marketing the Educational
Administrator
Rene M. Lafayette, M.Ed.
Intrepid Learning for Positive Results
December 2010
Revised February 2011
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2. Knowing What You Offer
• If you don’t know what you can offer as a new
hire, chances are your potential employer will
not either.
• Take time to gather information and opinions
from people you trust to be honest about your
strengths and weaknesses.
• Keep in mind who your “audience” will be.
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3. Resume, Letters, Website?
• With word processing programs today, there is
no reason why a candidate for a position does
not have a custom-to-the-job resume to offer.
• Letters of recommendation remain important
elements in the job search process. Be sure
they are not stale (6 months to 1 year at most).
• There are many opportunities to get a presence
on the World Wide Web that you should
incorporate in your resume.
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4. • Google.com offers the opportunity to get a
Google website. Free.
• BusinessCard2.com is set by location and job
title. Easy to use.
• Intuit.com is yet another site that allows you to
create a website using the company’s templates.
• Blogger.com offers users the chance to create
and electronically publish their own blog. Be
careful of content.
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5. Finding the “Right” Match
• It may be exciting or humbling, but before
leaping into a new job, reflect on whether or
not it is the right “match” for you.
• Do you want to work in an urban or suburban
setting?
• Do you like diverse student populations or if
you are a person of color, does the challenge of
bringing diversity to an otherwise nondiverse
school interest you?
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6. • While there is no foolproof way to be sure you
will be happy with your new job, pre-
acceptance research will help tremendously.
• Check out online archives on the school
district and key players.
• State departments of education also provide
valuable information for job seekers.
• Professional organizations increasingly have job
banks.
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7. Marketing 101
• Word of mouth or networking
• Use SchoolSpring.com. (increasingly used by
districts to collect resumes, etc...)
• Professional associations
• Massachusetts Secondary School
Administrators Association (mssaa.org)
• Massachusetts Association of School
Superintendents (massupt.org)
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8. • National Association of Secondary School
Principals (principals.org)
• National Middle School Association
(nmsa.org)
• New England League of Middle Schools
(nelms.org)
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9. Yes, It Does Matter
• It has long been held that “you only have one
chance to make a first impression.” Think
about it.
• Be prompt 15 to 30 minutes before the
interview.
• Intel or intelligence. Take a dry run a day or
two before the interview to scope out parking,
security, etc... Something as simple as road
work can wreck havoic with an interview.
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10. The Portfolio
• Defined: a 3-ring binder (best quality you can
afford) containing your resume plus....
• The portfolio can easily separate you from the
other candidates for a position.
• It is the amplification of your strengths in a
way that a resume or letter of recommendation
cannot begin to promote.
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11. Pre-Interview Decisions
• Okay. You have researched the district and
school. You see this opportunity as one that
you want to experience.
• Be sure that your clothing are impeccable.
• That your portfolio is equally spotless and that
you have a second copy for you to follow along
with.
• Your personal hygiene and grooming must be
fastidigious.
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12. The Interview
• The day has arrived. You are ready and project
it to everyone.
• You are not boastful or cocky. You strike the
delicate balance between prepared and
presumptuous.
• A firm (not bone crushing) handshake and
careful attention to the names of people you
meet makes a difference.
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13. • Do not hesitate to take notes.
• Have copies of your business card ready. (More
on that later.)
• Your portfolio is a major card for you to play.
When it is your turn at bat, do not hesitate to
use it to your advantage!
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14. Follow-Up
• Be sure you have the names and addresses of
every member of the interview committee.
• THAT day hand write notes thanking the
committee members for their time and
participation.
• Send a word processing document to the chair,
principal or superintendent (whoever lead the
meeting) focusing on the actual process and
how you hope to join the team....
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15. Decisions, Decisions
• They offer you the job. Now what?
• They do not offer you the job. Now what?
• You are notified that you are scheduled for
another round of interviews. Now what?
• You doubt that you would “fit” in the new
setting.... You guessed it, now what?
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16. The New Job
• Yours is a delicate balance between wanting to
hit the ground running and not offending your
staff and other constituents or stakeholders.
• As a mentor once told me, “hit the ground
listening.” Between that and observing the
culture, I offer it is wise advice.
• Well paced, you can impact the culture in a
positive way within 3 to 6 months. Everyone
will look for consistency rather than a splash.
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17. Introducing Yourself
• As soon as possible after your appointment
have cards printed with your new title and
contact information.
• Speak with the Superintendent or other
principals to find out the obvious and not so
obvious lists of people to meet.
• The armed services still have civilians beat in
this regard and it just makes sense to meet the
new people. Don’t hesitate, do it!
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18. • Make overtures to the local media after having
studied them for at least a week or two. Make
a point of meeting reporters assigned to your
community and perhaps the publisher and
editors.
• Start providing the media information and keep
it coming in compliance with district policies.
• Today more than ever, education, especially
public education needs to educate and cultivate
support across the community spectrum.
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19. • The new media: social network media,
websites, blogs offer you great potential to get
your message across to the community.
• Do not neglect the traditional media of print
and electronic forums (newspapers, radio and
television).
• Keep copies of all articles and you are on your
way to developing a powerful tool to marketing
yourself as an educational administrator.
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20. • Thank you and good luck!
• Remember, be Intrepid!
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