For parents seeking a tutor, the quality of their child’s tutor is typically of the utmost importance. However, few parents are aware of what goes into the hiring process for a company that provides tutoring. Tutors are the face of any tutoring agency. Often times a tutor is the only in-person contact that a client has in dealing with an agency. Because of this, the hiring process for tutors is vitally important for any company that provides tutoring services. Here at Educational Connections, there is an extensive vetting process that all tutors must go through prior to being placed with a student.
The Tutor Application – Step 1
The first step to becoming a tutor with Educational Connections is filling out an application on our website. The number of applicants varies week to week, but on average we get around 35 applications every week. Once an application has been submitted, our staff thoroughly reviews the information provided, paying special attention to any past teaching/tutoring experience. At this point we might e-mail a candidate for clarification on parts of the application, ask to schedule a phone interview, or set up an in-person interview in our Fairfax office if we believe the candidate’s background and skill set would be a good addition to our pool of tutors. Only 15-20% of applicants make it to the next step.
The Tutor Interview – Step 2
This stage of the hiring process is used to get a sense of the personality and teaching style of each candidate. We evaluate how they approach both teaching in general and one-on-one tutoring, in particular, through asking targeted questions and conducting a mock tutoring session. We use the part of the process to evaluate what type of students we think the person might fit with. Are they outgoing? Patient? Structured? If a candidate is hired, the notes from their interview will guide us in determining which students to place them with. Finally, we take this time to get a better understanding of the candidate’s experience and what subjects they would be qualified to tutor. Approximately two-fifths of candidates interviewed are offered positions.
The Paperwork – Step 3
Although at this point a tutoring position has been offered, there is still a long way to go before we are ready to send a candidate to a client’s home. While reading about paperwork might seem boring, it should spark the interest of parents because this is the stage where we confirm that a candidate can be trusted to work safely with students. In addition to a complete background check, we get multiple references for every candidate and keep them on file in case a parent is ever interested in seeing them.
New Tutor Training – Step 4
This is the final step of the hiring process at Educational Connections. All candidates are required to attend an orientation prior to conducting a single tutoring session in our name. The orientation is used as a final evaluation for candidates. If an individual is late, inattentive, or does not contribute to discussions, we are unlikely to place that individual with a student. Additionally, the orientation is used to go over policies and procedures, troubleshooting various situations, and telling tutors what to expect leading up to their first session.
Customer satisfaction is the top priority for Educational Connections. Consequently, we do everything we can to make sure that our tutors are the best of the best. The hiring process typically takes 3-4 weeks because we want to make 100% sure that our client’s needs are met the first time they are placed with a tutor.
For more information about our company or to apply to become a tutor, visit ectutoring.com.