How do you approach writing a cover letter/supporting statement for international school roles? Here’s what I do – I’ll explain it with some examples from previous applications…

Step 1a: Research the school. Get a genuine sense for the mission, ethos and values. List the key points and examples.

Etc.

Step 1b: Shape paragraphs 1and 2 (maybe) of your cover letter to highlight specific examples of how you align with the ethos and values of your target school. At the very least, highlight that you are aware of aspects of the school values and that you’ve considered them! This is my honest example from the cover letter for my current role:

Use direct address – it makes it very explicit that you have been reading the school’s content and that you are addressing their needs. For example (different app by the way):

You can hone in from there with specific examples, but this should at least show the employer that you have engaged with THEIR values and considered how YOU fit with them.

Step 2: Do the same with the essential and desirable roles of the job specification.

Etc

Step 2b:  Do the same as 1b – but drill down this time. More specific examples. The ‘ethos’ and ‘values’ stuff in Step 1 is overriding, and with that in mind it might be treated more generally (like, ‘my thinking aligns with yours’). When it comes to the job spec, it’s more a case of ‘I meet that criteria and I have evidence of it’.

So, directly address the criteria as stated by the school, then say how you meet it.  

KEY TIP!!!!!

When a school’s job spec is listed numerically, as in ‘key responsibilities 1.1, 1.2. etc’, organize your cover letter as such. Like this:

My links in the above are by the by, I’m just referring to the bracketed bit.

As someone who is currently recruiting for my school and reading a lot of cover letters, nothing would sing more to me than a candidate making it clear that they are addressing our specific job criteria. So, make it explicit.

Why are Steps 1 and 2 important?

Here are a few reasons why:

• Yesterday, I reviewed 48 applicants for roles in my EAL department. Do you know how many addressed the specific ethos, mission, and values of our school in their cover letter? Not many. So, if you did, you would stand out.
• Do you know how many addressed aspects of the actual job description in their cover letter? Not many, so… etc
• Do you know how many reiterated the information on their CV? Many. I learnt nothing more about them from the cover letter, other than they were probably looking for ‘a’ job, not ‘this’ job.

Step 3: Address the context. If you’re applying from abroad and this is a relocation, share your feelings on that! What have you considered? What makes you choose or consider that location? Show that you have at least given it a thought. If you’re applying locally, what makes your new context more desirable? Is it the challenge, the opportunities for development, etc etc. ENGAGE! It’s likely to be a springboard for discussion at interview.

Step 4: Go back and add an intro paragraph that is a) personal, and b) is a hook. Make things semi-formal, slightly conversational, and directly address *something specific enough* about the school early on. Why? Because ‘Please accept my application to your esteemed institution’ makes you sound obsequious and Dickensian. Jeez just be yourself a bit – there’s a human at the other end reading this thing you know!

Treat it as your first real engagement with your future colleagues. Because that’s what you want it to be, right? Overly formal might just set the tone for your interview…!

Personally, I start cover letters in a pretty direct way – addressing the school directly to highlight that I’ve done my research:

‘Of all the values that you outline in your school ethos, [value] is the one I connect with the most/I feel is most important’.

Sure, that might sound *blergh* to you, but it’s better than ‘I’ve just pasted this generic cover letter, hope it works for you’.

Why should I bother with all the above?!

Yeah, I thought you’d say that. Sounds like effort, right?

Well, it’s a competitive job market, and putting in the effort goes a long way. I feel it also helps at interview – you’ve essentially done most of the prep by honing in on exactly what the employer is looking for and making your skills explicit. All you gotta do then is start prepping your STAR examples for the interview if/when you get it and… I don’t know, pray to the gods of international schooling?

Don’t trust me on the above. It’s just an idea. But it’s my honest approach and it’s had a *fairly* high success rate at getting interviews. Who knows if they even read the cover letter. Still, I’d rather not leave things up to chance, CVs, the gods of international schooling alone…

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Categories: General, reflections

Tags: applications, cover letter, eal, international school, jobs, recruitment, supporting statement