Education is one of the most important sectors within society and key to people being able to build a better life for themselves. The education sector is also one of the biggest industries in terms of employment on a global scale. For example, there are for around 85 million teachers worldwide and an army of support staff, administrative staff and other key education personnel who help the industry function.

Leadership is also crucial for the smooth functioning of education as a sector and the institutions within it. For example, effective leadership in schools ensures required teaching standards are met, pupils are cared for properly and the school itself is run in a sensible way. Due to the importance of leadership, many people already working in education will consider moving into a role like this at some point in their career.

So, what skills and attributes do you need for a successful transition to this kind of job and how can you develop them?

Further education and learning are crucial 

One of the best ways to develop the skills needed to transition into an education leadership job is more academic learning. This will help you not only hone any skills you already have but also develop those you do not yet possess.

Consider a program such as an online master’s degree in education from the University of Exeter. This two-year program has been designed to help experienced educators prepare for leadership roles and get ready for their next professional challenge.

Here are some of the critical attributes needed for success, which your coursework will address and help you develop.

Great communication skills 

When talking about the development of key skills and attributes for success as a leader in education, outstanding communication is a must. The great thing is that communication can be improved with hard work and focused learning. Even if you feel your communication skills are not at the right level yet, you can practice them to improve further.

It is key to note that both verbal and written communication are important. As a leader in education, you must be able to speak with a range of people (from fellow teaching professionals to pupils and parents) and be able to get your message across in the right way.

Written communication is also key for education leaders, who will often have to pass on crucial information via email messages or letters. Key things to bear in mind for effective communication include clearly explaining what you need to say, using the right language and also using the right tone.

Assertiveness 

As with leaders in other sectors, those who take higher level roles in education need to be assertive and confident in their own abilities. It is key to note that being assertive is not the same as being loud, bossy or rude.

On the contrary, assertiveness is having the confidence to stick to your principles and stand up for what you think is right. It also helps education leaders maintain a sense of authority with staff and be self-assured enough to back their own decisions. Without developing your assertiveness, you may find you are easily swayed by other people and may come across as an ineffective leader overall.

High levels of emotional intelligence 

Of all the top traits education leaders need, emotional intelligence ranks highly. There is just no doubt that successful people in this field understand how to read people and how best to handle different personalities on a team. They can also apply this emotional intelligence to dealing with students and parents in a compassionate manner.

The best education leaders are able to show empathy with whatever situation has arisen and whoever they need to deal with to resolve it. Once you have established open and trusting relationships with those you lead, you will find that they are committed to following you and more motivated to do their best.

Problem-solving is vital 

One of the key skills you’ll need as an education leader is problem-solving. Whatever school, college or university you work in, there is bound to be fresh issues that crop up to solve each day. This can be anything from burst water pipes to challenging student behavior or a budget deficit. The most successful leaders are able to stay calm and find the best ways to solve the problem at hand.

It is important to note that this is not always about taking the quickest possible approach in many cases. The best leaders will actually take time to reflect on the problem where possible, gather evidence and look at a situation from all angles before making a decision. Top educational leaders are also able to think laterally when it comes to solving complex problems and come up with out-of-the-box solutions to move forward.

Organizational and IT skills useful 

In the modern educational world, IT is becoming an increasingly important part of how schools function as well as an integral part of learning itself. It is therefore crucial for leaders to possess decent IT skills and be able to use the most common IT packages/software effectively in their role.

You’ll also need organizational skills to be a successful leader in this sector. Working at higher levels in an education setting will normally mean lots of meetings to attend, lots of guidelines to read, key deadlines to hit and plenty of queries to get through. You must be extremely organized in order to perform your role to your best ability.

Key skills and attributes for top leaders in education 

If you already work as a qualified education professional, you may well be thinking of making the change to a leadership role soon. If this is the case, it is important to know which attributes and skills are needed to make this transition work. With the right preparation and coursework, you’ll be well on your way to succeeding in your new role.

Few decades ago, there used to be a stigma against the government jobs. People were attracted to the government jobs only because of the retirement pension that they would get. As far as the salaries for the government jobs are concerned, they were not really appealing. Those who were highly enterprising did not aspire to join the government jobs or apply for vacancies in the government sectors. The question is whether the same situation prevails even today or whether the teaching jobs and the other jobs in the government institutions offer good financial security.

Just for the sake of our discussion let us focus on the teaching jobs in the government institutions. When compared to the pay scale for the teaching jobs a few decades ago, today all the teaching jobs in the government institutions are well paid. In fact, these positions are better paid than many of the private institutions. The situation has changed dramatically and this attracts many qualified teachers to apply for the government jobs. 

If you want to build a secure career and if you want to get a good salary then teaching jobs in the government institutions definitely offer very good opportunities. You will be able to achieve your financial goals fast by getting into a government college or a government school. You will get job security, improve your financial security and thereby you will also improve the quality of your life. 

You will be able to find teaching jobs in all the states and capitals of India. You just need to gain access to all the latest vacancies in the teaching industry. If you are wondering how to get this information or where to look for such information, you do not have to worry. There are a number of platforms that feature such information. You need to find a free job alert site that lists all the latest government jobs. It would be all the more convenient if you find a job site that has a separate listing category for teaching jobs in the government institutions listed as per the states and capitals of India. There are a number of such platforms but some of them do not feature the latest job listings and they are outdated. You should know how to identify the most dependable platforms when you are searching for teaching jobs in the government sectors. 

You will certainly not regret choosing the teaching career. When you manage to get into a government institution then it would be even more advantageous. You will enjoy a much higher job security when compared to the private institutions. Secondly, you will not experience any delays in the crediting of the salary every month. Thirdly, there will be a regular increase in the salary as per the latest pay commission revisions. You will not find all these benefits in the teaching jobs in the private institutions. Look around for the latest opportunities for teaching jobs in the government institutions. 

Gautam Swathi is the author of this article on teaching jobs. Find more information, about states and capitals of India.

To fulfill your destiny, you must first find your mission, which is a limitless, passionate force that leads you down a road designed just for you. You’ll grow closer to defining who you are and why you’re alive as you continue along this path, finding out new methods to build the life you want to live.

The greatest brains in history have used this tremendous feeling of purpose to drive their passions, and so can you. With the help of these 15 inspirational thoughts of the day, you can start living a life of meaning right now.

1. “There is no greater gift you can give or receive than to honor your calling. It’s why you were born. And how you become most truly alive.” ―Oprah Winfrey
2. “I believe purpose is something for which one is responsible; it’s not just divinely assigned.” ―Michael J. Fox
3. “If you organize your life around your passion, you can turn your passion into your story and then turn your story into something bigger―something that matters.” ―Blake Mycoskie
4. “The self is made, not given.” ―Barbara Myerhoff
5. “Lean forward in your life. Begin each day as if it were on purpose.” ―Mary Anne Radmacher
6. “The secret of success is persistence.” ―Benjamin Disraeli
7. “Having a sense of purpose is having a sense of self. A course to plot is a destination to hope for.” ―Bryant H. McGill
8. “What am I living for and what am I dying for are the same question.” ―Margaret Atwood
9. “People who use time wisely spend it on activities that advance their overall purpose in life.” ―John C. Maxwell
10. “I would argue that nothing gives life more purpose than the realization that every moment of consciousness is a precious and fragile gift.” ―Steven Pinker
11. “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” ―Maya Angelou
12. “Great minds have purposes, others have wishes.” ―Washington Irving
13. “No man or woman is an island. To exist just for yourself is meaningless. You can achieve the most satisfaction when you feel related to some greater purpose in life, something greater than yourself.” ―Denis Waitley
14. “We must have a theme, a goal, a purpose in our lives. If you don’t know where you’re aiming, you don’t have a goal.” ―Mary Kay Ash
15. “When you stay on purpose and refuse to be discouraged by fear, you align with the infinite self, in which all possibilities exist.” ―Wayne Dyer

Last words

You’ve already won half the battle when you take the initiative to change your thinking. Thoughts are really powerful. It’s possible that you can change the world if you believe you can. However, purpose must be followed by action, and action must be carried out with faith.

As usual, feel free to contact iSchoolConnect if you need any assistance with your career or educational options. Or even if you’re in need of some inspiration!

After applying for a German student visa, international students desperately want to keep track of their visa status to be assured about its approval/rejection. Applicants may check the status of their visa application by visiting the VFS Global website. In this blog, we have provided you with the steps to check the status of Germany visas for students. 

Steps to check the student visa status in Germany

• Open the VFS website on the search engine

Applicants need to visit the official website of VFS Global using their desktop or personal laptop. The window will provide various options, such as ‘apply for a visa,’ ‘book an appointment,’ ‘find a centre,’ and ‘visa at your doorstep.’ Applicants can also apply for premium services based on their needs.   

• Choose track your application tab

After opening the official website of VFS Global, applicants need to choose the ‘track your application’ tab. Clicking the option will direct applicants to a new page where they will find the whole page dedicated to finding the visa application status. On the ‘track your application’ page, applicants will find a drop-down menu on the right-hand side. Applicants can click on the option to select their preferred language.

• Insert application reference number

Now, it’s time to enter the application reference number. Applicants can find the application reference number on their visa fee payment receipt. The file number will be in this format: SING/DDMMYY/XXXX/XX. Here, applicants require to fill in their Date of Birth.

• Fill in the last name

Once applicants have fed their application reference number in the given box, it’s time to fill in the last name in the following box. Please remember that applicants just need to write their last name, not their full name.

• Enter the captcha code

The final step involves entering the captcha code shown in the image beside the vacant box. The captcha code could be in the form of words or numbers. If applicants go on typing the wrong captcha code, they can refresh it for a new one. After filling all the compulsory boxes, applicants must submit them to get the desired results.

While applicants can check the status of their visa application using the reference number given on the visa fee payment receipt, it is noteworthy that the authorities send the status of the application on the given mobile number and the email address. The SMS service of VFS Global notifies applicants automatically when the application reaches the Embassy/Consulate, is processed, reviewed, and ready for collection. Applicants also receive a notification via SMS if the application gets rejected.

Please note that the German Embassy/Consulate in India takes around 15-30 days to process a study visa after the interview. So, applicants are advised to apply for a student visa when they receive a letter of admission from a German university. So, enrol in the course of your choice in a top German university for a bright future ahead. Do not forget to be an early bird in applying for a German student visa upon receiving the admission letter.