Recruiting international teachers is rarely straightforward. At Generations International School (GIS) in Macau, we’ve learned that the process can often feel long, unpredictable, and time-consuming. Finding the right people, those who not only have the skills but also share our values, usually takes months.
Earlier this year, we tried something a little different.
As part of Teacher Horizons’ Explorer Access event, we were invited to trial their candidate search tool. We gave it a go without huge expectations. Two weeks later, we had two new teachers signed, sealed, and ready to join our team. Here’s how it all unfolded.
Who We Are
At GIS, currently in our second year of operation, we’re a close-knit team of over fifty staff – around thirty of which are our dedicated educators. We follow an internationally recognised curriculum and support professional growth, offering pathways like the International PGCE for instance.
We aim to create a community that values curiosity, growth, and mutual respect. We also know that the people we hire help shape that community every day.
Why We Trialled the Explorer Service from Teacher Horizons
The usual approach to recruitment can be slow and costly. We were looking for a faster, more hands-on way to find teachers who were already aligned with what we needed.
That’s what made the Explorer search tool so interesting. Instead of waiting for applicants to come to us, we could search through a vetted pool of candidates, see who matched our needs, and start conversations straight away. The clean, straightforward, and efficient platform helped us overcome any sense of being lost. It allowed us to navigate easily and clearly, immediately accessing most of the fundamental information we needed. Our initial caution quickly melted away as we saw the potential out there and felt we could access it.
Source: Teacher Horizons
“This experience reminded us that recruitment doesn’t have to be stressful or drawn out. With the right support, it can be simple, efficient, and even enjoyable.”
The 14-Day Timeline
We didn’t go into this with speed as our main goal. But having a focused tool and a clear process made it possible to be focused and efficient.
Our Process
- Days 1 – 3: We filtered candidates using Explorer and reached out to a few who looked like a strong fit.
- Days 4 – 10: Interviews were set up and carried out – the direct messaging system made it easy to keep things moving.
- Days 11 – 14: We made two offers, and both were accepted.
What normally takes a couple of months happened in just two weeks.
Source: Teacher Horizons
What We Learned
There were a few key things that helped make this work:
- Acting quickly matters. The strongest teachers often get snapped up fast. Being able to contact them directly meant we didn’t miss out.
- Fast replies go a long way. We made a conscious effort to respond to candidates within two days. It helped build trust and kept the momentum going.
Final Thoughts
This experience reminded us that recruitment doesn’t have to be stressful or drawn out. With the right support, it can be simple, efficient, and even enjoyable. We’re big believers in starting conversations with candidates on an open, positive note, grounded in our values as a school. We found Teacher Horizons’ Explorer tool enabled us to do exactly that!
If your school is looking to speed up its hiring process and connect teachers quickly and easily, we highly recommend giving Explorer a try.
You can reach out to the Teacher Horizons team at [email protected] to learn more or set up a demo.
This is an advertorial from Teacher Horizons, written by the team at Generations International School, Macau
