Location matters to job seekers in education. Just maybe not the way we’ve been thinking about it.
Even if your school isn’t located 10 minutes from a beach, or in the heart of a cultural arts hub, your location can be a draw for out-of-towners who are “window shopping” K-12 job listings. And a reminder of all your region has to offer can reinforce current employees’ instincts to stick around.
In a recent interview with Rhodes Branding, Apptegy’s VP of Marketing Tyler Vawser talked about how location factors into the decision-making process for individuals looking to start – or keep – a K-12 job.
“Your zip code is your zip code. It’s not changing,” Vawser says.
But what can change is how you position your location to educators.
Referencing data from SchoolCEO’s 2023 teacher satisfaction survey, Vawser said 60% of participants (1,000 teachers from 300+ school districts) listed “Location” as an important factor in job satisfaction because they don’t want to relocate for a teaching job. As in, they view their current location as desirable, and aren’t looking to move.
While these teachers may be scrolling job postings nearby, and would consider moving to a neighboring district or changing schools within their current district, they’re not looking to uproot their lives and move across the country for a similar role.
“If someone’s got an eye on another location, how can you remind them that a lot of the things they’re looking for somewhere else you probably actually have?” asks Vawser.
Your Careers page.
Highlight the area’s arts and cultural activities, or natural resources and outdoor attractions. Provide a recent ranking of the top 20 restaurants or businesses in the area – and there’s no need to reinvent the wheel, here. Pull in sources like Yelp reviews, or partner with the local chamber of commerce to show video or photos of your quaint Main Street or bustling downtown – whatever makes your location an enjoyable place to live.
We take for granted what’s in our own backyard. For those window shopping other opportunities outside your district, your Careers page highlighting the regional benefits serves as a reminder of just how good they have it.
On the flip side, the same SchoolCEO data means 30% of educators are willing to pick up and move to a new location – if it’s the right fit. Where will they go to make that judgment call?
Your Careers page.
By showcasing what life in your area looks like outside the 40-hour workweek, you give an outsider some valuable perspective on what makes your district’s region an attractive place to live – not just to work.
“Reframing how you think about location for those 30% who are willing to move is so important,” says Vawser.
Some job-seekers are craving a quieter, small-town feel that a rural district can offer. For others, big city activity is a draw that urban districts can boast. Either way, schools and districts should note that what they have to offer in their unique location is desirable to a subsection of K-12 job-seekers – and it’s up to them to market it effectively.
AI contributed to the graphic for this blog.
Molly is the liaison between education leaders and the agency, connecting the K-12 community with services designed to accelerate performance and market position. She leads content and partner engagement strategy and is a frequent conference presenter and podcast/blog guest. Molly likes to push it to the limit, and races competitively in Obstacle Course Races on the weekends.
