If your K12 school is facing a staffing challenge, you’re not alone. It’s no secret that schools often struggle to fill open positions, especially as the start of a new academic year looms!
But savvy school communicators know that there is a free tool in their toolbox that can help bolster their recruitment efforts all year long. Social media is a powerful way to attract and retain school staff, from part-time bus drivers to full-time school administrators, as well as the backbone of your schools: Teachers.
Today, I’m going to inspire you with real-life examples from schools that are doing amazing things with staff recruitment on social media, along with some practical advice on why social media is so effective in this area. Bookmark this blog for later, too – I promise it will come in handy throughout the school year!
Why Social Media Works for K12 Staff Recruitment
The #1 reason that social media is your secret weapon as a staff recruitment strategy is that it captures people who aren’t actively looking for a new job.
Think of your social media feed as the “long game.” If you’re constantly feeding your community a positive narrative of happy kids, satisfied staff, and fun stories, of course, they’re going to view your school in a positive light! And who doesn’t want to work for a place like that?!
Then, when you do have an opening, and you create a post about it, that same person is more likely to stop and think twice about applying. At the very least, they’re more likely to consider it, right?
Another reason that social media works is that all school-related content is very likable and shareable. Some of your most active followers are current employees and parents. I’m willing to bet that you have a handful of people who like, comment on, and share just about everything you post – and that includes your job postings!
So, the next time you’re about to post about a job opening (or even a general, “Join Our Team” graphic that points to all current openings), alert your staff, PTO, and/or active parent Facebook groups. Ask them to share the post so it gets a wider reach. You can even encourage your staff to share the post with a caption like “come work with me!” The best job applicants are referrals, after all!
The third reason that social media works so well in teacher recruitment marketing is that it gives potential applicants a glimpse of their working environment. They get to see inside the actual classrooms where they’d be teaching, the courts where they’d be coaching, or the offices where they’ll be doing the important administrator work! Showcase that culture, and tell those stories. Let people picture themselves in your school setting, using social media.
Finally, let’s just admit that social media is pretty darn cost-effective, isn’t it?! It’s FREE! It doesn’t cost a thing to post an organic social media post. So, take advantage of that free advertising, and share your positive stories with the world.
Meet People Where They Are: Post on Facebook and Instagram
The Pew Research Center reports that in 2024, 68% of American adults between the ages of 18-29 were using Facebook, and 76% were on Instagram. Among ages 30-49, 78% were on Facebook and 66% were on Instagram.
I encourage you to do your own surveys and polls, perhaps among your current staff members or within your community. But let’s just use this data as a guide for a moment. I’m willing to bet that you’re mostly trying to recruit teachers in their 20s and 30s, right? So if you want to reach them where they are… post on Facebook and Instagram!!
Now, let’s get into the fun part of this article and dig into some juicy examples. You’ll notice that while not every example is explicitly a job posting, they all work toward the larger goals of uplifting staff and showing why your school is an appealing place to work.
Staff Member Testimonials
Grants Pass School District 7, Oregon
Tumwater School District, Washington
Alamance-Burlington School System, North Carolina
Show You Offer a Rewarding Place to Work
Jacksonville Country Day School, Florida
Claremore Public Schools, Oklahoma
Share Stories that Feature Staff
Jefferson County Public Schools, Kentucky
Tumwater School District, Washington
Jefferson County Public Schools, Kentucky
Dynamic Videos
Bold Graphic and Descriptive Caption
Claremore Public Schools, Oklahoma
Maricopa Unified School District #20
School District of Maple, Wisconsin
Celebrate Accepted Job Offers
Sparta Area School District, Wisconsin
Showcase Big Achievements
Welcome New Staff Members
Cadott School District, Wisconsin
You can also feature your staff members throughout the year with social media feature posts! This blog shows you exactly how to do it.
Use LinkedIn for School Staff Recruitment
When you clicked over to this blog, you probably expected me to talk a lot about LinkedIn, right? It’s definitely a powerful tool in your school communicator’s toolbox, and I don’t want to minimize its efficacy!
Going back to that 2024 Pew Research Center data, 40% of people between the ages of 18-29 are using LinkedIn, and 41% of people between the ages of 30-49 are on the platform. So, take it seriously, since people who are invested in their professional development and/or who are actively job hunting will be on the platform.
I already created this blog as a practical tutorial for using LinkedIn as a school district, so I’m not going to repeat myself in this one. At the very least, you should create or claim a business profile for your school, and crosspost all your staff-related content over there – along with all your job postings, of course!
Here are a few schools from the #SocialSchool4EDU membership program who are engaged on LinkedIn – check them out! They might inspire you to power up your school’s profile and start seeking your next stellar recruit.
- Allentown School District
- Anoka-Hennepin School District
- Cedar Rapids Community School District
- Santa Clara Unified School District
- Scottsdale Unified School District
- Waukee Community School District
Embrace Social Media for K12 Recruiting: You Won’t Regret It!
I hope you try at least a few of today’s ideas on your school’s social media channels! If you do, tell me about it on my Facebook page: #SocialSchool4EDU.
You really can’t go wrong when you’re celebrating and uplifting your hardworking teachers and staff. Keep telling those stories – the work you do is SO important.
