How early should I start preparing for an education leadership job search?
Months before you plan to apply — ideally a full year. The biggest advantage in any admin job search isn't talent or experience. It's preparation time. Most candidates wait until they see a posting to start writing their resume and cover letter, which means they're rushing through the most important documents of their career in a weekend.
If you start early, you can do things your competition won't: build an experience portfolio that tracks your leadership accomplishments throughout the year, get feedback on your resume from people who hire administrators, practice interview answers on camera, and cultivate references who will actively champion you — not just confirm your employment.
The spring hiring season rewards people who prepared in the fall. That's not a secret, but almost nobody acts on it.
More on Admin Job Search
What's the most common mistake people make on education leadership applications?
Listing duties instead of accomplishments.
How many applications should I expect to submit before getting an interview?
Use the 20% rule as your diagnostic.
How should I prepare for education leadership interviews?
Practice on camera.
What role do references play in the admin hiring process?
More than most candidates realize — and most candidates manage them badly.
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There are also 22 more questions on Admin Job Search answered from video content — see the full Admin Job Search FAQ →
Answered by Justin Baeder, PhD, Director of The Principal Center and author of three books on instructional leadership.