Beyond the Resume: Recruiting Teachers for the Reality of Middle School

Contract season always arrives with a mix of urgency and reflection. It is the point in the year when school leaders begin to look ahead while still deeply immersed in the work of the present. It is also the moment when the reality of teacher recruitment becomes impossible to ignore. In public education, hiring is never a simple transaction. It is a process that requires coordination across departments, careful compliance, and a great deal of hope. In a state known for low teacher pay and in the midst of a persistent teacher shortage, it can feel like an uphill climb before the work even begins.

The positions that are hardest to fill are rarely a surprise. Math and science consistently sit at the top of the list. This year, we made the difficult decision to move forward one science teacher short. It was not because we lacked applicants entirely, but because we could not find someone who was not only qualified, which is a feat in itself, but who also demonstrated coachability and a genuine interest in working with middle school students. That part matters more than anything else. Are you coachable? Why do you want to work with middle school students? Those questions sit at the center of every hiring decision I make.

In a middle school turnaround, five things are critical when hiring.

First, hire for attitude and coachability over experience. I have hired multiple first-year teachers throughout my career, not because they were the only option or because their starting salary helped balance a budget, but because they walked into the interview with a presence that showed a love for middle school and a willingness to learn. They asked thoughtful questions. They listened. They were honest about what they did not yet know. Those teachers often grow faster and farther than expected.

I have also hired teachers with beautifully full resumes who proved to be resistant and uncoachable. Experience without openness can stall growth, especially in a turnaround environment. Schools in this work need educators who are willing to reflect, adjust, and try again. Coachability is not a weakness. It is a requirement.

Second, look beyond job titles and years of service to what makes a candidate unique. I am very transparent with my hiring teams about this. If a candidate walks in with special education training or experience as a special education teacher or assistant, they immediately rise to the top of the pile. Special education demands differentiation. It requires seeing students as individuals with unique needs. It prepares educators to teach in classrooms full of movement, distraction, and complex behaviors. Those skills align perfectly with turnaround work.

The same is true for candidates who have worked in alternative or at-risk settings. A teacher who has successfully connected with students in an alternative school or even a prison setting is not likely to shy away from hard conversations with students, parents, or administrators. Often, they bring experience managing situations many of us have never encountered, and that perspective strengthens collaborative problem solving.

Then there are educators who come to teaching as a second career. The mechanical engineer, the realtor, the business professional who made a conscious decision to step into a classroom did so for a reason. Find out why. Their prior careers carry skills that do not always show up neatly on a teaching resume. That engineer may help bring structure to complex systems. That realtor almost certainly has strong people skills. One of my best hires was a physical education teacher who had never taught PE. He came by referral, with a background in international business, real estate, and coaching elite club soccer. He was relentless in his pursuit of student connection and improvement. By his second year, he was serving on my leadership team, strengthening school culture in ways I could not have done alone. His resume could not have captured what he ultimately brought to the table.

Third, make the interview a conversation. Yes, there is a list of questions. But can you get the answers through a real conversation? It's a skill I suggest that every school leader practice. The interview is not just about evaluating the candidate. It is also about being honest about who you are as a leader and what the school truly needs. Turnaround work is hard. No one should walk into it without the full story.

Our students are multiple grade levels behind. Behavior is improving, but it is far from perfect. Teachers are expected to build relationships as deeply as they teach standards. Many students do not speak English, and in Arizona, you cannot teach them in their home language. That reality can be heartbreaking. Can you tell me ways you will support them? As a principal, I will hold high expectations and I will listen. There will be accountability. There will also be support. Giving up on kids is not an option here. This may not be the right school for everyone, and that is okay. The interview is the space to determine that together.

Pay attention to what is already “out there” about your school and about you as a leader. I am often surprised by candidates who share that they applied or accepted an interview because they researched the school and my social profiles and wanted to work with me. It is flattering, but I always ask why. The best answers connect back to coachability, leadership style, or transparency. I have also had candidates apply because someone they trusted encouraged them to do so. A former colleague, a parent, a mentor saw the work we were doing and felt confident enough to send someone our way. That is the long-term impact of relationships. Your reputation walks into the interview before you do.

Accept you will make "bad hires" and move on. Even with strong systems, thoughtful interviews, and thorough reference checks, hires can go wrong. It happens. We support, we have hard conversations, and sometimes we move on. More often, though, we fill classrooms with educators who are there for the right reasons. They do the work. They collaborate. They lead. They stay for the kids, even when the work is heavy.

Recruiting in a turnaround is never easy. But when done with intention, honesty, and courage, it becomes one of the most powerful levers we have to change a school’s story.