Contributor: Mike Lee, Co-Founder, EdShelf

Are you interested in hiring an educator to your staff?

There are many benefits of having an educator on your team, especially if you weren’t an educator yourself. They can provide subject-matter expertise, insider knowledge of the school system, potential sales contacts, potential network of educators, and credibility.

So how do you go about finding one? Here are some options to consider:

Your own users

If your product is already available, then try your own users first. Someone who already uses and likes your product may be a great candidate.

Job listings

Post a job ad in a vehicle that targets educators, such as SchoolSpring or one of EdSurge‘s newsletters.

Twitter

Reach out on Twitter using the hashtags #edhire and #edjobs. Some tech-savvy teachers monitor these.

edCamp

Go to a local edCamp meet up. These are not that frequent, but if you are lucky enough to have one nearby, these free “unconferences” tend to attract progressive and tech-savvy educators.

Blogs

Check out the many edubloggers out there. Reading their posts is a great way to see if they may be a good fit. Some, though not all, also offer ways to contact them directly on the blog or via another form of social media.

Craigslist

Though quality can vary, some educators look through Craiglist for potential openings. Some may even see an opportunity and pass it along to a colleague they know is interested.