If you are an occasional teacher looking to be hired permanently or looking to cover longer maternity or sick leaves etc., getting to principals is the key. They are the ones who decide who they will hire – even if they are constrained by union rules, in the end, they still make a decision. So, your goal is to get to know them better. This can be difficult as they are always busy (not to mention you may be a bit intimidated if you are just starting out). So, here are a few ideas to help you out.

1. Invite the principal to your classroom for an interesting activity later in the day.
2. Volunteer on a team or club or committee that the principal runs.
3. Tell the principal funny stories about what happened in class that day.
4. Say hello and use their name every time you see them. The first few times tell them your name as well, or if it has been a while since you have been there, remind them of your name.
5. Let them know if you had a great day or things you think are great about their school.

If you are able to do these things, you will slowly build up a friendly rapport with the principal. It is even better if you are able to do these things at a few schools. It also helps to pick a larger school where more teachers may be going on leave.