If you’ve been offered a teaching position, congratulations! That’s an enormous accomplishment. But a school’s decision to welcome you into its community is not the end of the process. There are still many details you need to figure out and many questions you need to ask.

Over the course of the hiring season, we’ve reiterated a few principles. One is that throughout your job search, you are interviewing each school as much as it is interviewing you. When you’re applying for a job, there are certain wants and needs you have and it’s up to you to figure out which school can best meet them. When the job offer is made, that is when the fun begins for you. This is your opportunity to decide where you want to spend the next chapter of your professional and personal life.

Upon an offer, candidates should always reply positively and request some time to consider it. You should not feel compelled to accept or decline on the spot. Schools typically will grant between 2-7 days for a decision, and there is also an opportunity to inquire about an extension, if needed. This request may or may not be granted but it is worth asking if you find you need it. In addition, it is also important to understand that independent school professional etiquette deems an oral acceptance of an offer as a clear commitment to join the faculty, even if the written agreement has yet to be presented.  So asking for time to think about it is often a step worth taking.

It’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of job offer excitement. Before you know it, you could find yourself saying a blanket yes without determining important, practical information about all your duties, your benefits, or moving expenses, for example. In that initial phone conversation when you’re so excited you can’t hear yourself think, how do you keep composed and keep track of the questions you need to ask? That’s easy. In true teacher fashion, you use a worksheet.

We’ve thought ahead about the prospective questions our teaching candidates might need to ask. Access our Decision Checklist below and cover all your bases. As always, if you have any questions or need more help navigating the job search, get in touch with your Placement Associate.