The most uneasy time is that dreaded job search. There is so much competition, how do you make yourself standout? My job search started in the summer of 2009. I had missed the deadline to attend the ECAP trainings. The only thing I had was just my acceptance letter into an ACP and a passing grade on my content exam, which took 3 tries and $360. I started emailing principals and calling different schools. After sending my resume to several schools and not getting a call back, I became discouraged. I had to go back to what I was doing: Substitute teaching and waiting tables.
I wasn't able to attend ECAP trainings until the Summer of 2010. I had an entire year to gain some kind of classroom experience. Substitute teaching was going to be my only way to get myself known. I worked several school in FWISD but usually stuck to 3 main schools that I enjoyed the most. I subbed during the day and waited tables at night. I stayed very busy. So let's fast forward to the Summber of 2010. I had just finished my training and was feeling optimistic. With one month until school starts, I was making my calls, posting my resume, looking at the job boards provided by ECAP, and talking to all my teacher friends to see if they heard anything. With one week until school starts, I finally got a phone call from the principal of the school where my friend worked. I was set up for an interview. This is where I thought it had all paid off, all the tests, trainings, and time put in to get my career set. But, that was short lived. Three hours later, the secretary from the school called to cancel because they had to first move teachers around to other departments before hiring any new teachers. There were no calls from any other schools. I became discouraged again. What was I to do?
I had to go back to what I was doing: Substitute teaching and waiting tables. This was going to be my last year of this if nothing happened. I was going to just chalk all this time and effort as a lost. I continued to sub at my top 3 schools in FWISD. I took jobs at one school especially because I was on their preferred sub list. I was at this one school almost every day so everybody knew me. I even got to play in their student/faculty volleyball game the day before Winter Break. Two hours after that game, I get 6 phone calls, 4 text messages, and 2 voice mails all from teachers and administrators from this school. I find out that a math teacher quit mid year and the principal wanted me at the school. After 5 minutes of phone tag, we had a very short conversation.
Principal: Hey, a 7th grade math teacher just quit today, so there's a job available. Would you want it?
Me: Of course. That's awesome.
Principal: Alright. Report back to the school January 3rd. We'll figure paper work later. Thanks.
My job search ended there. My interview was the entire year and a half of subbing, building rapport with the students and staff. I'm glad my search didn't take me anywhere else.
No comments:
Post a Comment