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Recruitment process stage 3: attracting candidates

During this stage, your aim is to ensure you attract a large enough field of candidates to give you a real choice. You will devise an advert and compile an information pack for candidates, remembering that all your communications and dealings with applicants influence their impression of your school.

Making the right impression

This stage is concerned with attracting the right candidates by communicating effectively about the school and the job. You want a large enough field of suitable candidates to ensure you have a real choice. You will need to put yourself in the candidate's position and consider what they need to know in order to decide whether to apply.

Think too about the impact of your communications and how you want to portray your school. All your interactions with prospective candidates contribute to their impression of your school, including:

  • the quality of the material you assemble
  • the way in which you communicate with them by letter
  • the way you handle telephone calls or visits

If you are a school with challenges, it pays to be honest. Some candidates are looking for a school in which they can make a difference. They want to hear optimism from the governing body and a commitment to supporting the headteacher.

On the other hand, if you are a successful school which is replacing a high-profile headteacher, avoid creating the impression that this will be a hard act to follow. Even successful schools need to keep moving forward.

There is more detail about creating an effective advertisement and application pack in the publication, Turning Heads: Taking a Marketing Approach to Leadership Recruitment.

Creating a successful advertisement

First, think about where to advertise. All headship posts must be advertised nationally, and the majority of advertisements are placed in the Times Educational Supplement (TES) or Education Guardian. In the case of faith schools, the diocese will advise on other media to use as well.

Advertising is costly and you will need to weigh up carefully the advantage of using the local press too. Most local authorities have vacancy bulletins or web pages, which are worthwhile because many candidates apply for new jobs within their own authorities.

There are also online media specialising in recruitment and education and recruitment consultants who may take on some of the responsibility on your behalf, for a fee.

Advertising principles

A job advertisement is a marketing tool, not a public notice. Its purpose is to capture attention and create initial interest in a role, encouraging potential candidates to find out more. It is not intended to recruit a headteacher in one step.  

You may need specialist support to help you design, produce and place your advertisement since good advice at this stage can help you maximise the effectiveness of your limited budget. Your local authority should be able to help you.

Look at other adverts in the national press. Which ones catch your eye and why? Which seem to sell the school positively? Look for ideas on style and content, but ensure that you are describing your school as accurately as possible in the space available.

An effective recruitment advertisement:

  • tries to differentiate what you are offering from other people’s offers
  • is relevant to the target audience, and highlights ideas that are important to them, not you
  • communicates directly and concisely
  • is never boastful
  • includes a clear call to action

What to include

Include the following factual information:

  • school name and location
  • number on roll
  • job title
  • salary range
  • start date
  • how to obtain further information and an application form
  • the closing date for applications
  • the dates of interviews

Also include the local authority logo. Research shows that location is the single most important factor for candidates in deciding whether to apply for a role.

Consider offering candidates visits to the school before they apply. It’s better for you if prospective headteachers have seen the school and know they want to work there. In this case, the advertisement should say who to contact.

You will also want to include brief information about the school and the sort of headteacher you’re looking for. Communicate your most vital messages: the key characteristics of the school, your essential criteria and what you will offer the successful candidate. Church schools will want to indicate the religious commitment expected of candidates.

Make sure the information is clear, concise and interesting, and avoid clichés. Try to see it from the candidate’s point of view, not your own. Test the wording of the advertisement on the staff – they will tell you whether they think it captures their school in an appropriate way.

Creating an application pack

The application pack serves two purposes. It tells applicants how to apply and tells them more about the school and the role than you can fit in an advertisement.

The pack picks up where the advertisement left off, giving an honest appraisal of the challenges involved and providing information that good candidates will want, in order to decide whether to apply.

Traditionally, the pack has been a collection of existing documents, of variable quality, offered in hard copy. You need to think of it as a marketing tool to tell the story behind the recruitment process and engage candidates in the school’s journey. Ideally, it will be available electronically and in alternative formats for applicants with particular disabilities.

The application pack should include:

  • the school ethos, aims and current priorities
  • the nature of the pupil intake
  • the organisation of classes
  • the staffing structure (teaching and support staff)
  • information about finance and the governing body
  • information about the location, buildings and grounds
  • parent partnerships, community links and links with other schools
  • a map and plan of the school
  • an inspection summary from Ofsted, and performance results
  • information about working in the area, provided by the local authority
  • the job description and person specification

Things to consider

  • Don’t rush to advertise – invest in preparing the process and defining your needs first.
  • Seek to impress as well as to be impressed. Efficiency and courtesy are the most important attributes at this stage.
  • Be honest, but optimistic – some of the best headteachers are attracted by the chance to make a real difference.
  • Help candidates to self-select by giving accurate information. There is no value in hiding your selection criteria.
  • Invest in a coherent and complete application pack, but don’t include too much information.
  • Include an application form that tests for your threshold ’criteria, among other information, and specify that you don’t want CVs.
  • School visits are a useful part of the self-selection process, but ensure that they are well planned and that all participants are briefed on their roles.
  • Offering continuing professional development to a new headteacher demonstrates a supportive attitude.

Checklist for attracting candidates

At the end of this stage you will have:

  • written and placed an advertisement
  • produced a pack for applicants
  • planned how you will organise visits to the school
  • decided what additional information you will make available to candidates

Related publications and resources