Search Associates rang in the New Year on January 28-31 by bringing 423 candidates to Cambridge, MA to meet recruiters representing 136 schools worldwide. On the table were more than 900 international school positions to be explored by schools and candidates alike, looking for the perfect match. A large team of experts joined Host and President Jessica Magagna to facilitate the process: Founder John Magagna, Senior Associates Ralph Jahr, Sally Gordon, Bridget McNamer, Julie Ryan as well as Web Developers Rob Snyder and Ed Sunder, and Project Manager Gavin Hawk. One candidate commended the company for the personal support:
"My Associate and the other Associates at the fair were incredibly helpful in my decision process. They had answers for most of my questions, and if they did not know the answer, they asked around until we found the answer. I have already been recommending Search Associates to people looking to teach overseas, and I will definitely continue to do so, as well as use this group again, should I decide to change locations sometime in the future."
The longest running of Search Associates' fairs, Search Cambridge is also the largest international job fair in North America. For 22 of its 25 years, Search Associates has hosted the event at the Hyatt Regency, a venue that understands well the needs of the Cambridge Fair and is highly committed to making it a success. Search Cambridge, historically, has one of the highest placement ratings, between 50-55%. Currently, 54% of candidates who attended have accepted a job offer due to the connections they made during the fair. So far, 222 overseas teaching vacancies have been filled. Jessica adds:
"The Cambridge fair is unique in that it does not cater to schools from a certain region or offering a specific curriculum. This fair is very eclectic, with schools attending from all regions offering a variety of curriculum."
With so many candidates and recruiters present at the venerable Search Cambridge, Search Associates takes the opportunity to offer a variety of invaluable workshops. Interview Tips and Living and Preparing to Go Overseas were both heavily attended by candidates. The Aspiring Heads Workshop for current administrators looking to move into head of school positions was conducted by Founder John Magagna and Senior Associate Ralph Jahr, who have completed more than 300 head of searches combined. Also presented was Recruitment Practices: Update from Search Associates and the International Task Force on Child Protection. Finally, for candidates applying for our paid internships, Search Associates offered the Intern Workshop, a wonderful opportunity for prospective interns to listen to experiences of other interns who have already been overseas. The Cambridge Fair offerings, in terms of international teaching opportunities, networking, and helpful workshops are hard to top. Satisfied candidates had this to say:
"The Cambridge Fair was exhilarating! I met so many great teachers and administrators that I hope to see again in the future. The fair opened up so many doors for me. I networked, and I was offered four jobs. Thanks for your help in placing me in a great school in Tokyo!"
"Thanks, Search Associates! Jessica, I'm so glad you called and invited me to the Cambridge job fair. I'm off to Africa with my two daughters to have our adventure of a life time. I met some wonderful people and shared the excitement of the fair. The experience of the job fair alone has stimulated me as a teacher, and I'm looking forward to meeting my new international students."
For more about Search Associates' annual job fairs click here
