Now that you finished college and have your teaching certificate, don’t just expect a teaching job to land in your lap. There is a lot of competition out there, especially in certain geographic areas and teaching specialties. You need to take the necessary steps to market yourself as you would with any other employment opportunity.

It takes more than just sending in your resume to your ideal school district. Here are a few tips to help you get the teaching position you want.

1. Since you probably don’t have much teaching experience, you need to highlight your other attributes to impress potential interviewers. Ensure that you have your college transcripts, results from exams like the Praxis, certificates, samples of lesson plans and student work from student teaching, a testimonial about your personal teaching philosophy and anything else you feel that is pertinent to your teaching qualifications.
2. To gain valuable experience in your school district of choice, think about signing up to become a substitute teacher. This is an excellent opportunity to meet and work with other educators and administrators and provides insight into your unique teaching capabilities. Although there is a significant lack of consistency and benefits to this type of job, substituting often gives you a foot in the door in both the district and certain schools.
3. Ensure that you are marketable as a teacher. If your certification specialty is not in high demand, think about taking some online classes to beef up your resume and increase the opportunity for you to get hired, even if it’s not in your preferred field. Adding professional development experience to your portfolio is never a bad idea.
4. Don’t expect a teaching position to come to you. Aggressively market yourself. Visit the board of education in one or more districts, inquire about open positions, and request an interview. Network with teachers and browse job feeds. The time to start look for a job for the fall is the spring before.
5. If you’re willing to relocate, consider looking for a position in certain areas. Some cities and districts throughout the country are eager to recruit qualified teachers and offer incentives like relocation assistance and bonuses.
6. Practice mock interviews beforehand. Have thoughtful answers for common questions and learn how to relax and be yourself. Knowing a few key pieces of information about the district you interview for can also be beneficial.

Becoming a teacher doesn’t stop with getting your degree and certification. Design a plan to showcase yourself and your abilities and implement it. You should have little trouble getting a teaching position with some advance preparation.