11.16.16 – Council of International Schools (CIS)
The Netherlands & New York, USA
The international school recruiting season is in full swing with more positions being posted almost daily on either The International Educator (TIE) or TesJobs. TIE is American-based but offers a wide range of international school jobs while TesJobs is British-based and tends to represent schools who offer either the British National Curriculum and/or IB.
In my book, I discuss the pros and cons as well as the cost of the various agencies, however here is a short blurb and the link to CIS (Council of International Schools), one of the better known and established agencies who recruit staff for international schools including librarians. Also included are some answers to questions about the agency from Tanja Janjic, one of their Career & Recruitment Services Administrators
CIS was formed in 2003 as a spin-off from ECIS (European Council of Schools) and handles both the accreditation of schools and the Teacher Placement service. It is a world-wide organization however due to its origin is still heavily European and British-based and is the service the majority of teachers from these regions recruit through. CIS holds one recruitment fair in January in London where they claim that 50% of the interviews for open positions take place. The remainder are recruited via online interviews or independent in-person meetings. The fee for registration and membership, lasting three years is €180.
- Why choose CIS rather than another recruitment agency?
CIS Career & Recruitment Services can connect candidates with more than 700 high-quality, reputable member schools located throughout the world that are expressly committed to continuous improvement and preparing students to become active global citizens. We support our candidates in their career development and finding the position that will benefit both candidates and the school, resulting in a successful international experience. Being a CIS-Approved candidate is an indication of quality that our member schools recognise and value. The application process is thorough, ensuring that we represent candidates and their skills in the most competitive and effective way. We are committed to supporting our candidates throughout their career in international education through our events, resources and other professional development opportunities.
- CIS traditionally focused on European Schools, how worldwide is the focus and coverage now?
CIS has a truly global network, currently including 706 member schools in 112 countries and all Member Schools are accredited. (530 schools are outside of Europe.)
- Are librarians from countries other than US/UK/Canada/Europe able to obtain positions (if they have the credentials)?
As long as they meet the CIS criteria, candidates from any country are welcomed to apply. In the last couple of years, we had 97 librarian vacancies available in CIS member schools in 32 countries. CIS-Approved Educators come from different cultural backgrounds and nationalities.
- Is it still worth the expense of attending a hiring fair?
The CIS Career & Recruitment Fair does more than bring together leaders from more than 100 Member Schools in one venue to facilitate the job interview process. Past attendees have stated that in addition to finding positions, the CIS Educator Recruitment Fair helped them gain confidence, learn interview techniques and how to present to schools, learn about the diverse range of opportunities to teach internationally, build a network with other educators and advance their careers. We have a variety of workshops for candidates in different stages of their careers.
The Traveling Librarian 