45. Want a Better CV? Better See V! A Conversation With Job Search Coach Valeria Laitinen

Are you going recruiting? Is your résumé up to date? Are you prepared for your interviews? If not, maybe you’d better see V! Yes; that’s the tagline for Valeria Laitinen, an international school principal who moonlights as a consultant helping educators prepare for the international recruiting process. She can help with all aspects of the job-seeking endeavor, from A to Z. 

We covered several topics in this episode, including: 

• Valeria’s experiences as part of a diplomatic family (we are linking below, an interview she did for another podcast that goes more deeply into this topic). The process of becoming a recruiting coach
• Lots of advice for first-timers and for veterans preparing to recruit 
• The research process to learn about schools
• Recruiting fairs and making direct contact with schools
• Transitions
• Preparing for and moving into leadership roles
• Valeria’s services offered through her consultancy efforts

Valeria Laitinen is an international educator and administrator who has taught, worked, and lived in nine countries. In addition to working in schools, Valeria recently established a CV, cover letter, and job search consulting business called Better See V and has been supporting teachers, administrators, and job seekers outside of education to polish their application materials and find their next job. Valeria is married to a US diplomat, and they have two children in college in the US. Valeria is a third culture kid herself, as she was born in Italy to an Italian mother and American father and attended an international school in Milan through middle school before moving to the US for high school.

Our guiding question was, “How can international educators make the most of the recruiting process?”. 

This episode was recorded on October 11, 2023.

Contact Information: Valeria’s Better See V website; LinkedIn

Resources Mentioned in the Episode: 

George Mason University Teaching the International Baccalaureate Graduate Certificate 

Tales from a Small Planet City Reports and School Reports

TEACH-NOW Teacher Prep