Should I apply for an on-call teaching position when I'm looking for a full-time job?

A common question teachers ask the Make a Future team is, Should I apply for an on-call teaching position when my preference is a full-time permanent position? We are also often asked, should I wait until a full-time position to be posted? Our advice depends on your career goals and where you want to end up working.

If your goal is to land a full-time permanent teaching position, securing an on-call teaching position has several advantages and can help you get your foot in the door. As an on-call teacher with a school district, you will get access to internal job postings that are not accessible to external candidates. That's because school districts have to consider internal candidates before advertising positions externally to the public.

Another advantage of teaching on-call is the flexibility to teach in multiple schools, districts, or even grade levels. If you're looking to gain experience and confidence, teaching on-call can give you that opportunity. And by working at different schools, you can learn more about a school's culture and community. And when you're ready to apply for a job, you'll know which environment suits you the best, and the school will already know you! If you do decide to teach on-call for more than one district, make sure that you can realistically fulfill all your call-out commitments.

If you're a teacher coming from another province and are wary of being put on the "supply list" for an indeterminate amount of time, you don't have to worry. Once you're an employee, you can apply to any continuing position that becomes available. What's more, on-call teachers are in demand across BC, so there are many opportunities to be hired as an on-call teacher but work full-time hours.

If you're not interested in teaching on-call, there plenty of other full-time opportunities to consider in BC schools. As of today, there are over 300 full-time teaching opportunities on our job board. If you're looking for more information on how to launch or continue your teaching career in BC, reach out to Gurleen at gurleenb@makeafuture.ca.