This article is authored by Tim McDonough, who has recently joined Searchality as an advisor.
Candidates don’t spend much time on your homepage. Your careers page is often the first impression a potential educator will have of your school and is likely one of the top 3 pages visited on your website. For those seeking to advance their career in education, the careers page is a key resource for exploring professional growth and job opportunities. It’s more than job listings — it’s a reflection of your school’s culture, priorities, and brand as an employer. A strong careers page helps you attract candidates looking to build a rewarding education career, not just any candidates.
What Makes an Education Career Page Work: Key Elements
Here are 4 features to make your page stand out:
1. Clear and welcoming messaging from the Head of School
“Thank you for your interest in Searchality Day School. We encourage applications from all candidates and invite you to join our inclusive and collaborative school community.” This immediately sets a tone of inclusivity and appreciation. Your page should make candidates feel welcomed and valued from the first line.
2. Transparent hiring process and expectations
Describe the application materials, interview process, timelines, and benefits. This kind of transparency helps reduce uncertainty and improves candidate trust. For example:
“Applications will remain active for one year… Interested in applying? Candidates should email or mail a letter of interest and a resume…” Candidates can send their resume and other required materials via email or mail for consideration.
You should clearly outline what the candidate needs to submit, what steps follow, and any timelines or standards you maintain.
3. Emphasis on culture and value proposition
For many schools, an educator’s decision isn’t just about salary—it’s about mission, community, fit, and leadership. Include a section titled “Why I Love Working at Searchality Day School”, which is a great example of highlighting culture and staff perspective. Describe your school as a place where educators can thrive and grow professionally, making it a central hub for career development and a supportive community. Consider including quotes from current teachers, testimonials, or a short video about life at your school. Is the cost of living in your area low? Are there great hiking trails, short commutes, a close community of teachers? What are the selling points of your school and the area?
4. Commitment to equity and professional growth
Include a statement on equal employment opportunities and details on benefits and development funds.
“Searchality Day School’s salary and benefits are nationally-competitive… The benefits package includes group medical insurance… Funds are available for professional development. Newly hired educators are supported through comprehensive mentorship and onboarding programs to ensure a smooth transition and ongoing growth.”
Candidates—especially top educators—care about growth and fit. Highlight how you invest in your staff, support professional learning, and build a culture where educators thrive.
User Experience and Design: Making Navigation Easy and Engaging
A great careers page isn’t just about the information it provides—it’s about how easily candidates can access and interact with that information. When educators, administrators, or support staff visit your site to search for jobs or learn about your school, a smooth user experience can make all the difference.
Start by ensuring your careers page is easy to find from your homepage, with clear menus and direct links. Mobile responsiveness is essential, as many candidates—especially younger teachers and students—will browse and apply from their phones or tablets. Use clean layouts, readable fonts, and intuitive navigation so applicants can quickly view open positions, learn about your district or departments, and start their application with minimal clicks.
Visual elements like photos of your team, videos about your school culture, or infographics about your hiring process can make your page more engaging and help new candidates picture themselves as part of your community. Accessibility features, such as alt text for images and compatibility with screen readers, ensure that all applicants, regardless of ability, can access your opportunities.
By focusing on user experience and design, you not only make it easier for candidates to apply, but you also demonstrate your school’s commitment to innovation, safety, and inclusivity—qualities that top educators and employees value in an employer.
Job Posting and Management: Streamlining Opportunities for Candidates and Schools
An effective careers page does more than just list jobs—it acts as a dynamic hub where schools and candidates connect. For employers, having a streamlined system to post jobs, update positions, and manage applications is crucial for attracting a strong applicant pool and filling roles quickly. For candidates, easy access to current opportunities and a straightforward application process can be the deciding factor in whether they apply or move on.
Make sure your site allows for real-time updates so that new jobs and positions are posted as soon as they become available. Include clear job descriptions, required skills, and application deadlines to help applicants determine if a role is the right fit. Consider offering a free account or email sign-up so interested candidates can receive alerts when new positions are posted, keeping your school top-of-mind for returning applicants and those actively searching for education careers.
For schools, using a job management tool or service can simplify the hiring process, allowing your team to track applications, communicate with candidates, and move efficiently from posting to interview to hire. This not only saves time but also ensures that no qualified candidate slips through the cracks. By making it easy for both employers and applicants to connect, your careers page becomes a powerful tool for building a talented, diverse team of educators, administrators, and support staff.
Measuring Success and Analytics: Tracking What Works and Improving Over Time
To ensure your careers page is truly supporting your recruitment goals, it’s essential to measure its performance and make data-driven improvements. Analytics can reveal how many candidates visit your page, which jobs attract the most interest, and where applicants are coming from—whether it’s a job board, social media, or a direct search on your site.
Track key metrics such as the number of applications submitted, the average time it takes to fill a position, and the conversion rate from page visit to application. This information helps you identify what’s working—such as which roles or departments attract the most qualified candidates—and where there may be barriers in your hiring process. For example, if you notice a high number of views but few applications, it may be time to simplify your application steps or clarify job requirements.
Regularly reviewing analytics allows your school to adapt its strategy, improve the candidate experience, and ultimately hire the best educators and employees. By focusing on continuous improvement, you ensure your careers page remains a valuable resource for both your team and the thousands of new candidates searching for opportunities in education.
How to Use These Insights for Your Careers Page
Here’s a simple step-by-step plan to refresh or build your school’s careers page based on these best practices:
- Make your page easy to find - Far too many schools include the Careers page as a sub-item in a menu, or in the footer of a page, rather than at the top
- Headline & introduction — Craft a warm, welcoming opening that aligns with your mission and invites candidates.
- What makes working here special — Add a short paragraph or testimonial about your school’s culture, values, and why educators stay. For example, if your district is one of the largest in the state, such as Broward County Public Schools in Florida, highlight your achievements, size, and diversity within the state to attract top talent.
- Open roles & how to apply — Provide an easily navigable list of current openings, clear application instructions, and downloadable forms if needed. Be sure to clearly list all available teaching positions and provide detailed instructions for qualified applicants interested in teaching roles.
- What the process looks like — Include bullets or a section on your interview/hiring process and timeline so candidates know what to expect.
- Benefits & growth — Highlight professional development, mentorship, equitable practices, and any unique perks your school offers.
- Equity/inclusion statement — Include a brief policy or statement about how you’re an inclusive employer committed to attracting diverse talent.
- Call to action — Encourage prospective candidates to apply now or contact the appropriate person at your school.
Why This Matters for Your Applicant Pool and Recruitment Strategy
In today’s competitive educator market, outstanding candidates make quick decisions. Schools that present a polished, informative, and confident careers page stand out. A strong careers page increases the likelihood that qualified candidates are found by your school, improving recruitment outcomes. They reduce friction, improve candidate experience, and signal that you’re a forward-thinking employer. This is a first step in the candidate/school relationship - rather than candidates connecting with recruiters or job boards. Using a tool like Searchality (which supports modern recruitment workflows and smart matching) alongside a strong site presence can further reduce time-to-fill and raise hire quality. Watch this short video to find out how Searchality works for schools like yours.
Author
Tim McDonough
Tim has spent his career helping schools adopt technology that truly supports educators, and now brings that expertise to Searchality’s work with K–12 schools around the world.
