Tips And Tricks To Accelerate Your K-12 Recruiting Strategy For 2023-2024

Fall is fast approaching, and you have a looming staffing shortage for the 2023-2024 academic year. Your budget is firm; there is no wiggle room for pay increases or added benefits. But that doesn’t mean you have to settle in for another long year of being stretched too thin. There’s still time to turn the tables in your school’s favor. Rather than panicking, now is the time to spread your net even further, consider alternative recruiting methods, and ensure your school can boast of a welcoming environment with growth opportunities for new teachers and staff who share your mission and vision of helping students succeed through academic excellence and social and emotional well-being. 

Keep reading to find out my recommendations for attracting and securing fresh candidates in the “off-season” for the 2023-2024 academic year. 

Why is there a staffing shortage in K-12?

The K-12 staffing shortage is widespread and varies from state to state and district to district. Some postulate that the shortage exists because fewer people are going into the teaching profession in general. But other data shows that not every district is experiencing the shortage to the same extent. This discrepancy in the numbers seems to suggest that some schools are doing more to attract qualified talent, while other schools are not. My belief is that prospective teachers and support staff are out there somewhere, but to get them to sign on the dotted line, administrators must think outside of the box by using technology and social media to boost the reputation and allure of the school and improve staff satisfaction overall, considering lesser qualified candidates with life experience who are eager for career advancement, and revamping your current hiring process for speed, descriptiveness and reach. 

Using social media to attract talent and improve staff satisfaction

Your online presence matters

If your school does not have an existing online presence or if you need to dust off a few discarded social media accounts, start here. A vibrant social media presence can work wonders for your school’s reputation as well your staff’s and parents’ career and school satisfaction.  The National Report on the Impact of Parent Satisfaction on School Districts states, “[S}chool districts that communicate clearly, completely, and consistently, at the proper frequency and in a courteous, timely manner, will tend to have more Promoters [parents who promote and advocate for the school] and fewer Detractors [parents who are likely to speak negatively about their experience and pull their children from the district].” It’s a fact. Happy staff members and happy parents will promote your school and tell their friends to come and see. Give them something to share! Celebrate your staff. Celebrate your school. Celebrate your community. Show them all the ways they shine so that others want to be a part of your team. 

Authenticity matters

Having a robust communications department to implement your social media strategy is great. But even if your communications department is understaffed, authenticity is still king on the internet. Your phone camera, a lot of enthusiasm, and your smiling face make an effective toolkit for spreading good news and attracting candidates. Great candidates want to be a part of a growing and evolving school environment too, not just a well-established, professionally-branded one. Excitement is contagious. 

As a bonus, your current staff will benefit from the energy you bring to your social media strategy. When you celebrate individual teachers for their contributions, not only do you make them feel seen and appreciated, you broadcast the message that your school is a welcoming environment where everyone’s contribution matters. 

Expanding the K-12 candidate pool 

Look inside first. The most qualified candidate isn’t always the best choice for your open position. Skills can be taught; passion cannot. If you’re looking for the most passionate candidate, keep your eyes and ears tuned in to the gossip in the hallways. When you hear of a substitute teacher who always does an outstanding job or a support staff member who aspires to use their talents to a greater extent, consider hiring them for an open position. They’re already helping at your school, so you don’t have to convince them of the merits of working on your campus. If you want to know more about sponsoring support staff, other employees, and even graduating high school students to pursue their professional development while teaching at your school, The Institute of Education Sciences provides helpful documentation put out by Regional Educational Lab Northwest (REL Northwest) to help staff and educators implement “grow-your-own” programs to alleviate staffing shortages in K-12. 

Use technology to widen your search

Searching for candidates outside of your community is useful if the local candidate pool truly is dry, but there are a few things to keep in mind. First, posting online means candidates will view your open position alongside higher-paying positions. That means your job descriptions have to be on-point. Convey excitement about the community and the school culture. Highlight the unique aspects of your school and community. Talk about opportunities available to staff. And give a clear explanation of the mission and vision you have for the school. Great candidates want more than just a paycheck; they want to make a difference and be part of a community. 

There are so many places you can post job listings, but I would recommend starting with setting up your school’s LinkedIn profile, so you can grow your online presence, post jobs and reach out to candidates personally.  K12JobSpot.com is another great option for posting jobs. And don’t be afraid to reach out wherever your school has an active presence on social media. Encourage your supporters to like and share! 

As you expand your reach, consider refining your hiring and onboarding processes to keep up with the competition. When you widen your search, the candidates will have plenty of other options, so you have to think competitively. Kristie Ratcliff, an Instructional Coach with thirty years of public education experience suggests streamlining the K-12 hiring process to elevate your school’s competitive edge. If the hiring and onboarding process is slow and consists of actual paperwork rather than digital, you could lose great candidates simply because you aren’t locking them down fast enough. 

Make your new recruits feel welcome

Here’s a bonus tip as you accelerate your recruitment process over the summer. When you’re hiring in the “off-season,” your new recruits can feel disconnected from the school culture and possibly even anxious about the upcoming year. Be sure that you have a great welcome packet and plenty of branding materials to introduce them to your school culture so they know what to expect when their feet hit the ground in the fall. 

But don’t stop there. Announce your new hires on social media! The idea is to make them feel like they are the best hire the district has ever made. (Check out what Taylor ISD is doing to celebrate their new staff members.)

And, you can keep the welcome party going all year long by hosting a monthly first-year teacher lunch or breakfast with the superintendent and leaders. Rotate it around the district and invite just the new teachers in that area so it’s not a far drive and everyone gets invited once. 

Conclusion

If your school is understaffed for the upcoming semester, take heart; you still have time and options inside your local pool of candidates and beyond. But no matter how and where you recruit candidates, your best bet for attracting new talent is to focus on supporting, mentoring, celebrating and developing the teams you have right now. Good news and bad news travels fast in our digitally connected world, so overwhelm your channels with the good! Great candidates will find you when you create a welcoming environment that encourages professional and personal growth. 

Interested in revamping or improving your social media strategy? Grab my free guide: 7 Ways to Use Social Media to Bridge School Communications Gaps with the Media. Or, book me on a monthly retainer to receive crisis communications consulting, thought partnering, and low-level social media support all year long. Monthly retainers can be customized to fit your needs