I am having the WORST time finding a head teaching job. I am at the end of my rope here, so any advice is welcomed. I have been teaching for over 6 years and left a school I loved...now I'm thinking that was a big mistake because I have applied to over 20 schools, and only one has gotten back to me (it didn't work out). I have a headhunter with Carney Sandoe, and I also have amazing references. Both do not seem to have made any bit of difference. I've been told my resume and website look great by several people...is it me, or is the job market bad right now? I don't want to go back to being an assistant or become a sub. Help! Why won't anyone call or email me back? Do I smell? : (
Honestly we need more info as TrademarkTer pointed out. Can I ask why you left a job that you loved? Seems silly to me this day and age to quit a job you love without having another lined up. What is the reason you list for leaving your last job on your applications?
I would *never* quit my current job unless I had a better one already lined up. I don’t understand why people do this...
I'm looking in Danbury, CT. In my cover letters I state that I was ready to leave the city life and settle down with my fiance in a more suburban environment. Ready for a slower-paced lifestyle. I left on excellent terms. FYI I never thought I would leave without another job lined up- it just panned out that way. I have been sending out applications since January and my lease was up at the end of the school year, so I had to go. Never thought I would be in this position.
Just a hunch but oversharing about your personal life in your cover letter may be a reason. As unfair as it sounds one of my grad school professors who is a superintendent warned us against this. The person reading it may be wondering things like when you are getting married, will you need time off during the school year, insurance for a married person costs more than a single person, and finally will you be having kids soon because of having to find a sub and taking family leave. He also advised taking engagement and wedding rings off in interviews to avoid these things running through the interviewers head. All of these things costs the district money and may get your application skipped over if money is tight in a district because the sad truth is sometimes the best person doesn’t get the job, they person they can afford does.
I've done this before - twice. I did it because I was miserable in my job, I was reasonably certain that I would find a job before the next school year began, and I had a safety net if worst came to worst and I found myself without a job. Both times, I did find a job before the paychecks ran out.
I've never met you, Bella, but I'm pretty certain you interview well and your love for teaching shone through.
Part of your problem may be your personal information. I'm not sure I would want to hire someone who was looking for a slower-paced lifestyle. To me that says burnt-out. I know that wasn't what you meant, but it could be what others are reading into it. You also don't say what level you teach or what subject if you are upper level. It could be a saturated area.
I agree that you probably shouldn't share your desire for a slower-paced lifestyle in the suburbs. Whether true or not, that may lead others to believe that you can't "handle" the population of students at their school.
Though, you had a safety that could probably pay at least 3-6 months of expenses (i.e., an emergency fund). I’ve read and seen people on here and elsewhere who quit their jobs with virtually no money in the bank and find themselves unable to find work afterwards. My thoughts are these: How are they supposed to pay their rent? Their mortgage? What about, you know, eating? Having electricity? They don’t qualify for unemployment if they willingly quit, so it makes no sense. To me, financial obligations outweigh individual happiness. Even if I was miserable at work — I’m totally not, but I would still be happy at home and in my private life and so I would be content.
Then at least I could still pay my bills and continue my existence. You won’t be happy very long without adequate shelter, heating, and food.
True. I'm of the mindset that sometimes, when life is getting you down, you just have to take a leap of faith... but that you also need to be willing to do whatever it takes when things don't work out the way you hope they will. So, while it didn't come down to it either time for me, I was willing to work at a challenging school, sub, do temp work, or just work at Starbucks, if that's what I had to do.
A little off the last few posts, but I have a question I've been wanting to ask. Do teacher candidates normally have "headhunters"? It was something in OP's first post that kind of seemed so out of context with all the other job seeker posts we normally see. I would love to know more about what they do for you, since apparently OP hasn't found a job using them. Just call this idle curiosity.
