When it comes to filling your vacancies ready for September, we wouldn't blame you if you wanted to make your life a little bit easier. Having been in business since 2005, here at Smart Teachers we know a thing or two about filling teaching and support staff job vacancies and these are 3 things that will make it easier…

Talk it through

Sometimes we know in our heads exactly what it is we need and want, but we can't quite get it down on paper. Rather than struggle on, why not talk it through with someone. Saying it out loud can help you gain clarity on what your job advert needs to sound like, the type of skills you need for the role and what the person specification should be. It can also help to understand where you are going to advertise the role, so it's seen by the people you want to attract. Here at Smart Teachers, we always find the initial conversation with our schools is just as valuable to them as it is to us! That's why we always start by spending the time to talk about you and your requirements, to ensure we know what candidates will be right for you .

We also take the time to really get to know our teaching and support staff and what they do best. We'll listen to the type of role they want; we'll discover their skills and experiences so we can find the perfect match for our schools and staff.

Have high standards

We think it's a good thing to have impeccably high standards. So don't be disheartened if you haven't seen that translated into applicants– yet! Stick to your guns and hold out for the right talent you deserve, that will benefit you and your school in the long run. Perhaps re-visit your job advert and give it a tweak to ensure prospective applicants know what you are looking for.

We have high standards too. We'll only take on the very best teaching and support staff who are experienced, knowledgeable and reliable. And not only are our teaching standards high, but we also have strict safeguarding processes and are REC gold accredited so our schools are confident that the staff we place have been rigorously checked and are suitable to work in their school. And we always stick to these standards.

Use a recruitment agency

You've got enough on your plate – why not take at least one thing off your mind and get an agency to manage your recruitment. Look for agencies who will talk your requirements through with you, who have a range of different teaching and support staff and pride themselves on helping and supporting the schools they work with. Also consider agencies who can advertise widely on job boards, but only pay a fee if they appoint. As it can be expensive to post on job boards, but it doesn't guarantee you will get any applicants.

Here at Smart Teachers you'll get a personal consultant dedicated to getting to know you and your school's unique needs and challenges. We have branches across the UK and recruit a huge variety of roles - teachers, teaching assistants, higher level teaching assistants, cover supervisors and other support staff, all across primary, secondary and SEND – so we can help fill all your vacancies whether it's daily supply, short or long-term contracts or permanent roles you need. And we can advertise on all the big job boards, but we'll only charge you if you appoint someone into the role.

We started out working in education and supply roles ourselves, so we know the challenges you face, and that's why we will support you and help to make your life easier in any way we can.

Why not contact us today?

We know that education has been tough recently but let us be the ones to make it a little bit easier for you. If you have a vacancy that needs filling, contact your local branch today, we'd love to help you.