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Wow, I See Why You Need to Know Someone!

by Elizabeth

May 19, 2009

The good news is, there have been many openings in my husband's field, the bad news is, he hasn't exactly gotten any calls. He is LT subbing right now, so I get to make the F/U calls to the applications he sends to check to see if and when the district has started interviewing.

Some districts have been 2 hours from our home, but you know, desperate times call for desperate measures. We would move. He mentions that (not the desperate thing, but the move thing) in the interest letters. Anyway, he submitted 6 apps in southern Ohio all within about 2 weeks of each other. I F/U last week which was about 5 weeks past the first one sent. They ALL have hired already AND HE NEVER GOT A CALL!

So, exasperation and/or deperation in my voice, prompted one employee to tell me that they receive HUNDREDS of applications for one opening and every applicant is basically a carbon copy of the next. We (you) all just finished school, just did student teaching, frequently all attended the ...See More

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CB Oh man...that is just so tough and I am so sorry for you and your husband.

To your credit, though, his sounds like he is truly doing everything possible to get a job. A lot of times, people will say they are "desperate" and "willing to do anything," but they won't apply to certain districts or they have a pecking list of schools at which t...See MoreOh man...that is just so tough and I am so sorry for you and your husband.

To your credit, though, his sounds like he is truly doing everything possible to get a job. A lot of times, people will say they are "desperate" and "willing to do anything," but they won't apply to certain districts or they have a pecking list of schools at which they are not willing to work. The very fact that he is applying so far away and doing everything he can speaks volumes about him. I TRULY believe that persistence and an unwillingness to give up will result in a job at some point.

All that being said, make sure he is making contacts with other teachers. I feel like I had to do a lot of kissing up to a lot of different people to find out about jobs in districts around my area (then, I was one of those who randomly got my job without knowing anyone at the district). Some of the things I did to network were...talking obsessively to people in my classes at grad school (getting to know them, asking lots of questions about their schools), making sure everyone knew I was looking (Yes, it sounds incredibly obnoxious, and it WAS, but I got 6 calls for interviews through these contacts), contacting my professors (who would then put me directly in touch with some HR people), and sending emails to people I had met in the past to ask about the job forecast in their schools. Also (and it may be too late this year), when he subs, tell him to purchase some inexpensive business cards and leave one behind with his sub notes--the more people get familiar with his name, the more recognizable he is on a resume.

I am not, by nature, a believer in networking, and I won't deny how difficult it was for me to put myself out there like I did. But in all honesty, the summer when I finally started actively networking was last summer, and it was the first time I received calls for 2nd and 3rd round interviews (in all...I had 8 calls for interviews before I was offered my job!).

Truly, the best of luck to your husband and all of the people reading this. I remember what it was like being in your shoes, and I wish you all the best in your search this summer!

On 5/19/09, Elizabeth wrote: > The good news is, there have been many openings in my > husband's field, the bad news is, he hasn't exactly gotten > any calls. He is LT subbing right now, so I get to make the > F/U calls to the applications he sends to check to see if > and when the district has started interviewing. > > Some districts have been 2 hours from our home, but you > know, desperate times call for desperate measures. We would > move. He mentions that (not the desperate thing, but the > move thing) in the interest letters. Anyway, he submitted 6 > apps in southern Ohio all within about 2 weeks of each > other. I F/U last week which was about 5 weeks past the > first one sent. They ALL have hired already AND HE NEVER > GOT A CALL! > > So, exasperation and/or deperation in my voice, prompted > one employee to tell me that they receive HUNDREDS of > applications for one opening and every applicant is > basically a carbon copy of the next. We (you) all just > finished school, just did student teaching, frequently all > attended the same school, all come with the same price tag - > how do you narrow that down. She told me that, of course > not her district, but another one, she of course, has > heard, simply goes every tenth resume and then reviews > those first to see if they have enough applicants they like > to interview. If not, they do it again. So, something like > what, 90% of the applications don't get read??!! > > I had an Asst Super tell me that he looks for referrals > and/or recommendations by other staff, colleagues, etc. > Afterall, "how do I effectively evaluate hundreds of > resumes when everyone is basically the same on paper." > > This is CRAZY! But it certainly lends credence to the fact > that you really do need to know someone to get your foot in > the door in a district. > > With that said, I know people are going to post they got > hired and didn't....I realize that happens as well, maybe > they were one of the every 10th resume scenario, maybe not. > This is still crazy!! >

May 19, 2009

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I know just what you mean... I know right where you are coming from! My husband (4-9 math and language arts teacher) had to take a teaching job in North Carolina after trying for two years to find a teaching job in Ohio. We moved to N.C. in the fall of 2005 and have been applying for teaching jobs in Ohio since then with no luck(not even a call). At this point anywhere in Ohio...See MoreI know right where you are coming from! My husband (4-9 math and language arts teacher) had to take a teaching job in North Carolina after trying for two years to find a teaching job in Ohio. We moved to N.C. in the fall of 2005 and have been applying for teaching jobs in Ohio since then with no luck(not even a call). At this point anywhere in Ohio will work for us...as that brings us back to our home state that we love and miss and closer to our entire family that lives in N.E. Ohio. One can always hope....

I wish your husband the best of luck in finding a teaching job!

On 5/19/09, Elizabeth wrote: > The good news is, there have been many openings in my > husband's field, the bad news is, he hasn't exactly gotten > any calls. He is LT subbing right now, so I get to make the > F/U calls to the applications he sends to check to see if > and when the district has started interviewing. > > Some districts have been 2 hours from our home, but you > know, desperate times call for desperate measures. We would > move. He mentions that (not the desperate thing, but the > move thing) in the interest letters. Anyway, he submitted 6 > apps in southern Ohio all within about 2 weeks of each > other. I F/U last week which was about 5 weeks past the > first one sent. They ALL have hired already AND HE NEVER > GOT A CALL! > > So, exasperation and/or deperation in my voice, prompted > one employee to tell me that they receive HUNDREDS of > applications for one opening and every applicant is > basically a carbon copy of the next. We (you) all just > finished school, just did student teaching, frequently all > attended the same school, all come with the same price tag - > how do you narrow that down. She told me that, of course > not her district, but another one, she of course, has > heard, simply goes every tenth resume and then reviews > those first to see if they have enough applicants they like > to interview. If not, they do it again. So, something like > what, 90% of the applications don't get read??!! > > I had an Asst Super tell me that he looks for referrals > and/or recommendations by other staff, colleagues, etc. > Afterall, "how do I effectively evaluate hundreds of > resumes when everyone is basically the same on paper." > > This is CRAZY! But it certainly lends credence to the fact > that you really do need to know someone to get your foot in > the door in a district. > > With that said, I know people are going to post they got > hired and didn't....I realize that happens as well, maybe > they were one of the every 10th resume scenario, maybe not. > This is still crazy!! >

May 19, 2009

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Elizabeth Thanks, CB, I forwarded that to him. He is doing a lot, but this whole networking thing has been hard for him too. He sees it as being a PITA (Pain in the ---), but he IS trying. We did buy business cards from vistaprint. We also worked up a "thank you" sheet that he would fill out at the end of the subbing day to advise the teacher who was out wha...See MoreThanks, CB, I forwarded that to him. He is doing a lot, but this whole networking thing has been hard for him too. He sees it as being a PITA (Pain in the ---), but he IS trying. We did buy business cards from vistaprint. We also worked up a "thank you" sheet that he would fill out at the end of the subbing day to advise the teacher who was out what heppened during the day. That always went over well. He did get lots of call backs and sub work before landing this LT sub. I told him to touch base with the teachers he subbed for in the past, that's where he gets funny. I told him to call the Principal where he did his student teaching (she wrote him a GLOWING letter and performed a formal evaluation on him) to ask her if she knows of anything, again, this is where he gets funny. We have friends that are teachers, principals, superintendents, he feels funny bothering them....

On 5/19/09, CB wrote: > Oh man...that is just so tough and I am so sorry for you and > your husband. > > To your credit, though, his sounds like he is truly doing > everything possible to get a job. A lot of times, people will > say they are "desperate" and "willing to do anything," but they > won't apply to certain districts or they have a pecking list of > schools at which they are not willing to work. The very fact > that he is applying so far away and doing everything he can > speaks volumes about him. I TRULY believe that persistence and > an unwillingness to give up will result in a job at some point. > > All that being said, make sure he is making contacts with other > teachers. I feel like I had to do a lot of kissing up to a lot > of different people to find out about jobs in districts around > my area (then, I was one of those who randomly got my job > without knowing anyone at the district). Some of the things I > did to network were...talking obsessively to people in my > classes at grad school (getting to know them, asking lots of > questions about their schools), making sure everyone knew I was > looking (Yes, it sounds incredibly obnoxious, and it WAS, but I > got 6 calls for interviews through these contacts), contacting > my professors (who would then put me directly in touch with > some HR people), and sending emails to people I had met in the > past to ask about the job forecast in their schools. Also (and > it may be too late this year), when he subs, tell him to > purchase some inexpensive business cards and leave one behind > with his sub notes--the more people get familiar with his name, > the more recognizable he is on a resume. > > I am not, by nature, a believer in networking, and I won't deny > how difficult it was for me to put myself out there like I did. > But in all honesty, the summer when I finally started actively > networking was last summer, and it was the first time I > received calls for 2nd and 3rd round interviews (in all...I had > 8 calls for interviews before I was offered my job!). > > Truly, the best of luck to your husband and all of the people > reading this. I remember what it was like being in your shoes, > and I wish you all the best in your search this summer! > > On 5/19/09, Elizabeth wrote: >> The good news is, there have been many openings in my >> husband's field, the bad news is, he hasn't exactly gotten >> any calls. He is LT subbing right now, so I get to make the >> F/U calls to the applications he sends to check to see if >> and when the district has started interviewing. >> >> Some districts have been 2 hours from our home, but you >> know, desperate times call for desperate measures. We would >> move. He mentions that (not the desperate thing, but the >> move thing) in the interest letters. Anyway, he submitted 6 >> apps in southern Ohio all within about 2 weeks of each >> other. I F/U last week which was about 5 weeks past the >> first one sent. They ALL have hired already AND HE NEVER >> GOT A CALL! >> >> So, exasperation and/or deperation in my voice, prompted >> one employee to tell me that they receive HUNDREDS of >> applications for one opening and every applicant is >> basically a carbon copy of the next. We (you) all just >> finished school, just did student teaching, frequently all >> attended the same school, all come with the same price tag - >> how do you narrow that down. She told me that, of course >> not her district, but another one, she of course, has >> heard, simply goes every tenth resume and then reviews >> those first to see if they have enough applicants they like >> to interview. If not, they do it again. So, something like >> what, 90% of the applications don't get read??!! >> >> I had an Asst Super tell me that he looks for referrals >> and/or recommendations by other staff, colleagues, etc. >> Afterall, "how do I effectively evaluate hundreds of >> resumes when everyone is basically the same on paper." >> >> This is CRAZY! But it certainly lends credence to the fact >> that you really do need to know someone to get your foot in >> the door in a district. >> >> With that said, I know people are going to post they got >> hired and didn't....I realize that happens as well, maybe >> they were one of the every 10th resume scenario, maybe not. >> This is still crazy!! >>

May 20, 2009

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austin On 5/19/09, I know just what you mean... wrote: > I know right where you are coming from! My husband (4-9 math > and language arts teacher) had to take a teaching job in > North Carolina after trying for two years to find a teaching > job in Ohio. We moved to N.C. in the fall of 2005 and have > been applying for teaching jobs in Ohio...See More

May 22, 2009

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