When I was looking for teaching position I ate, slept, and
breathed the job search. I had to. I didn't have any contacts.
I didn't have any family members in education. I had to make my
own way. My thirteenth interview was the lucky one, and I've been
in the same district ever since. Here are five tips, things that
I did to help me land a job. :o)
1. Define parameters. I looked at a map and figured out how far
I'd be willing to travel. I decided an hour was as far as I'd go.
I ended up applying to districts in five surrounding counties! I
live in NJ and ruled out all Abbott districts. I would not apply
to them, regardless of the posting.
2. Keep organized. I created a coded spreadsheet. (I'm a very
organized person!) I needed to keep track of where I applied, who
I contacted, and the results. This kept me focused and helped
prevent faux pas, such as forgetting the name of someone with whom
I spoke. I divided my search into three categories: A, B, and C.
"A" districts were my top picks, high end districts where I would
LOVE to work. "C" districts were my "it's better than nothing"
places that I could see myself working in for a year. All other
districts - the majority - were in my "B" group.
3. Think input/output. I sent out between 8-10 applications a
week...EVERY week. This generated about 1-3 calls for interviews
each week. I usually just sent resumes and cover letters, but my
"A" list places might have gotten the full package: transcripts,
certs, e-portfolio, etc. Don't send the full package to every
district. It's a waste of time and postage. I began sending out
applications in March and re-sent a batch in June, and then in
early August. You don't want to overdue it, but March, June, and
August are key months.
4. Don't over analyze. Looking for a teaching position is a very
emotional process! Excitement, sadness, frustration, joy are all
normal feelings. The best thing to do is not to get your hopes up
until you're signing paperwork. Leave an interview and go get an
ice cream cone. Don't dissect the interview. There is often no
rhyme or reason for getting/not getting "the call".
5. Develop a Plan B. By the end of July I started putting
together a Plan B. What would I do if I didn't get a teaching
job? I started to jot down ideas...substituting, applying to
Catholic schools, temping, etc. What could I do if my dream job
didn't come along? It was depressing to think about, but once I
faced that possibility I wasn't afraid anymore.
I'm a spiritual person, so I prayed a lot during this process. I
know this seems like a lot, but when it came to looking for a job
I took no prisoners. :o) Best of luck!
On 6/23/09, Hopeful Educator wrote:
> Thanks!! That is really reassuring! I took a week of looking
becuase I was getting
> discouraged. Positions I applied for are closing before I even
hear so much as an
> interview. But sure enough I saw 5 positions open today. Now,
they are an hour
> away, but I want a classroom in 7 weeks!!
> Is it ok to personally take my information to schools if it does
not state on the
> website not to?
>
>
>
> On 6/23/09, NJ/4th wrote:
>> I've been teaching for five years, but I clearly remember the
>> summer I spent looking for a job. First, good for you for
>> making your job search a full time job. It needs to be.
>>
>> Although I didn't, a friend of mine sent thank you notes after
>> her interviews. It didn't get her a job, but it left a good
>> "taste" in the mouths of administration. In the note she
>> thanked the person and mentioned a few key points from the
>> interview.
>>
>> A lot of schools frown on the follow-up call. In fact, I've
>> seen postings that say, "no calls please." If you call that
>> would probably look like pestering and could hurt your
>> chances. Trust me, if they like you they will not forget you!
>>
>> I didn't get the interview that lead to my job until the first
>> week of August. Principals need to fill positions and a lot
>> of times they don't get serious about it until the end of the
>> summer. With extended leaves, job transfers, etc, principals
>> don't always know what they will really have open until later
>> in the summer.
>>
>> I'll leave you with this - it may put a smile on your face. I
>> knew a girl who wanted to teach in the town in which she lived
>> and student taught. Sometime after her interview, the girl
>> saw the superintendent's wife jogging in her neighborhood.
>> She flagged the woman down and asked if her husband had made
>> any decisions about the position yet. Can you believe it?! I
>> would NOT recommend her tactic, even though she eventually did
>> get hired in the district.
>>
>>
>> On 6/17/09, Hopeful Educator wrote:
>>> As I have been searching, applying, and burrying myself in
>>> the application process I have realized that it is going to
>>> take more than just submitting my resume to get an
>>> interview, let alone, a job. Since this is my first time
>>> applying for positions as an educator (I graduate in July),
>>> I am not sure of the proper/ right way to go about
>>> contacting employers, following up, etc. without being
>>> overbearing or annoying. As the 09-10 school year is
>>> rapidly approaching, I am becoming more and more nervous
>>> every day that I may not have my first classroom come fall.
>>> I pose the question....How much is too much. Where is the
>>> line between persistance and annoyance?
>>>
>>> Hopeful Educator
>
