Matchmaker for Educators Many of us are familiar with how a dating website works. Plug in your hobbies, interested, and preferences and then the software matches those qualities with a partner that has similar interest. So what if you could use that same method when applying for a job in education? This is essentially what Selected is doing. Co-Founder and CEO, Waine Tam, says they originally built the software to match tutors with parents. Three years ago, Tam was sharing his tutor matching software at a job fair. A representative from an elite private school in New Jersey asked if they could use the software to help find quality teachers. Tam knew that schools could use some assistance finding great teachers, but he didn't realize that teachers had a difficult job finding schools. "The kind of light bulb was when we started talking to teachers, and the teachers said we have a hard time finding jobs," said Tam. "These are teachers that are certified. These are teachers that have a tremendous amount of experience." Tam was surprised to learn that teachers, which are in high-demand, were under-supported when it came to looking for a job. Tam says Selected's mission is to improve teacher retention. The platform, which is free for teachers, requires teachers to list their experience and then Selected asks the applicant a few questions about desired pedagogical preferences. Schools have to reach out first, and on average, a candidate gets contacted by five schools in the first week. To learn more about Selected listen to Episode 75 of the Class Dismissed on your favorite podcast app or iTunes. Other Links From Episode 75 Why Are So Many People In San Jose Fighting Housing for Teachers? 'We are better than this:' Idaho teachers get paid leave after dressing as border wall, Latinos for Halloween All Rights Reserved. Class Dismissed Podcast 2018