Tips on how to find a job in music education
If you are just starting out, looking to relocate, or maybe even desiring a change, there are many resources to help with finding a job as a music educator. The information below covers topics ranging from resume writing to locating openings and interviewing, so hopefully it will help to make the "pavement pounding" easier. Good luck!
Getting Started
- A Career Guide for Music Education - This online source starts at the very beginning of the job search, and includes guidance on graduate school, resumes, interviews, and more.
- Finding Your First Job as a Public School Music Teacher - This article provides helpful information about finding a job, and then deciding if it's the job you want.
- 7 Job-Hunting Tips - An article from the Future Teachers Network
Job Listing Sites
- NAfME Online Job Center - Job seekers can peruse national and international job openings free of charge. As a benefit of membership, NAfME members can post their qualifications in a free database, accessible by the employers that have posted the job ads.
- NAfME Federated State Associations - These associations often post job openings within their states on their websites.
- Individual school districts’ websites list job opportunities.
- Education America - This site allows you to search for jobs within a state, post your resume, and read about job fairs.
- State Boards/Departments of Education - The State Departments or Boards of Education are reliable sources of information about job openings. Many of their websites have employment sections, and are relatively easy to find online using search engines. The departments are also typically listed in the Government section of the phone book.
Networking
- NAfME Mentors – Talking to others is often one of the best resources. Expert mentors are available to answer your questions on the NAfME Forums from September through May, and other NAfME members also give feedback. You might want to read through some of these postings to get an idea of what's going on in classrooms today.
- Visit the NAfME Events page for information about upcoming events for music educators.
- The NAfME Federated State Association Conferences are listed on the NAfME Federated State Association page.