Applying for jobs can feel exhausting and discouraging. However, with the right plan and preparation, you can be better equipped to endure the challenges and celebrate the successes you’ll experience along the journey.
I sat down with Veronica, Goalbook’s Diversity Recruiter, to get some insight for job seekers with education backgrounds who want to continue supporting Pre-K–12 education by working for an EdTech company. Veronica, a former educator herself, shared some suggestions on how to go about the process of applying for jobs in the EdTech sector.
Suggestion #1: Search Multiple Education-Based or Mission-Driven Job Boards
“While we suggest searching large job boards such as LinkedIn, Indeed, and Monster, EdTech companies also tend to post their job opportunities on job boards that are more geared toward their ideal candidates,” Veronica says.
The following job boards are especially helpful for people with education, non-profit, or social-justice backgrounds who want to work in EdTech:
EdSurge Jobs Board
Jobskip.io
Idealist.org
edtech.com
edtechjobs.io
InHerSight
Suggestion #2: Search by Using Multiple Job Titles and Skills
If you’re still becoming familiar with the EdTech world, it’s important to understand that different companies may have different titles for their roles. Looking at different companies’ career pages can be a good way to generate title ideas. For example, one company may call members of the sales team “Account Executives” while another company may call them “Partnership Representatives.” So instead of only searching “Sales,” you could also try searching “Partnerships,” “Business Development,” “Sales Directors,” or other common titles you come across for the role you’re seeking.
“In addition to searching for job titles,” Veronica says, “You can also try searching words that describe your skills instead of a job title. Searching with words that describe skills and responsibilities, such as “create price proposals” or “attend conferences” may bring up EdTech sales roles from different companies regardless of the job title, which could help you find open positions you might have missed otherwise.”
Suggestion #3: Search by Using AI Tools for Roles and Skills
One way you can use an AI tool like ChatGPT is to ask about different roles, responsibilities, and required skills. If you have already narrowed down what type of role you’re looking for, ChatGPT can help you understand what skills are required for that role.
An example prompt is:
“What are the top skills for a Success Manager in EdTech in 2025?”
Another way you can use ChatGPT is to compare different roles to learn what may be a better fit for you. You can ask ChatGPT to compare roles based on skills, work-life balance, growth potential, and even salary expectations.
An example prompt is:
“Compare the skills needed for a role in instructional design vs. a role in curriculum planning.”
If you know you want to enter EdTech, but you’re unsure know what role you want to pursue, ChatGPT can also help.
An example prompt is:
“Here is my resume and the types of professional tasks I like doing. What EdTech roles am I best suited for and why?”
Using ChatGPT, or other AI tools, can streamline your job search by providing insights on roles and required skills that can then help you hone in on what you really want to do in your next role.
Suggestion #4: Create Job Alerts on LinkedIn and EdSurge
When you create a job alert on a networking platform or job board, their system will email you whenever new jobs are posted that fit the criteria you set up in your alert settings.
You can create job alerts for specific companies or roles you’re interested in. “Creating job alerts saves you time because the technology is doing the search for you. Additionally, setting a job alert may give you an opportunity to be in the first round of applicants and get noticed by a recruiter,” says Veronica.
To set job alerts on LinkedIn, go to the top menu and select “Jobs.” Next, on the left of the screen, select “Job Alerts.” Then select “Search for jobs.”
As another example, here is how to create an alert on EdSurge (you will need to create an account with EdSurge to create job alerts).
Suggestion #5: Start Following EdTech Companies on LinkedIn
By following EdTech companies on LinkedIn, you’ll be able to keep tabs on the industry and become more familiar with companies that interest you. Additionally, if an EdTech company you’re interested in posts a job, you’ll be in a better position to see it and quickly apply to any new jobs that may be a good fit.
Veronica says, “If you find companies that you would like to be a part of, follow those companies, then engage with their posts. Engaging with posts can simply mean giving the post a like. But it could also mean commenting on the post in a thoughtful, positive way. Doing this may help you catch the eye of the company’s team members, which could help with your application process.”
To find EdTech companies on LinkedIn, go to your homepage and search #EdTech in the search bar toward the top of the screen.
Next, do research on the companies that pop up to evaluate their mission, their work, and their culture.
Consider the following questions when researching a company:
- What is the company’s product? Who are the users of the product?
- What is the company’s mission?
- What is the work culture like at the company?
- What are the company’s strengths?
- What opportunities exist within the company?
- What value can you bring to the company?
If you’re interested in helping empower educators to transform instruction so that all students succeed, feel free to follow Goalbook on LinkedIn and stay informed with our open job listings.
Suggestion #6: Update Your Application Materials
If you update your resume and cover letter with your most recent work experience, the core materials you need to apply for a job are effectively ready for submission. Then, when you see a role you want to apply for, you can quickly make a few minor adjustments that highlight what the company is looking for in your experience before submitting your application.
“Another way you can use ChatGPT is to update your application materials,” Veronica says. “If you find a job listing for a role you are interested in and want to apply to, you can ask ChatGPT to help tailor your resume for it.”
Example Prompt:
“Can you tailor my resume for this [job description]? (Provide job description and your resume).”
Whether or not a company requires a cover letter, Veronica encourages you to submit a personalized cover letter with each application to help catch the hiring manager’s eye. She also recommends addressing a cover letter to the correct person and not just “To Whom It May Concern.”
Suggestion #7: Continually Look for Jobs
Veronica suggests you continually look for jobs because “the private sector differs from education in that jobs in EdTech are continuously posted throughout the calendar year — not just in the spring and summer. Different EdTech companies hire at different times throughout the year based on their needs and resources, so keep looking and rely on those job alerts.”
Another thing to consider is that the amount of time an EdTech company takes between when they post a job and when they hire is drastically different for each company. For some, the timeline may be three to four weeks, and for others, it may be longer. Because of this, continue searching and applying on a regular basis.
“Tracking the jobs you are applying for on a spreadsheet will help you be organized with your application materials and the time,” Veronica says. The spreadsheet can have simple headers like: “Company Name,” “Role,” “Hiring Manager,” “Date Applied,” and “Communication/Updates from Company.”
Suggestion #8: Anticipate the Journey
The process of applying for jobs is a journey that takes time, strength, and endurance. You will not always receive a reply back from applications you submit nor a clear rejection. You may not hear back from a recruiter you privately messaged, or you may get rejection upon rejection.
Veronica provides some parting wisdom, saying, “The fact is the more you anticipate the journey through being prepared, the better the journey will be. The journey may be long and difficult, but it will also sharpen your application skills and bring into focus what your goals really are for the next stage in your career.”
If you want additional recommendations on how to prepare for your EdTech application journey, check out our post, “How to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile for EdTech Jobs — Tips from an EdTech Recruiter.”
Article updated on April 22, 2025
Explore Goalbook’s open jobs on our Careers Page.
Follow us on LinkedIn to stay up to date on job opportunities.
