Have you passed those states teacher exams, checked on reciprocity, or set things in motion to acquire the required certificates in those states? You will shell out money for all of these things, but it will probably make a difference in whether or not you are considered seriously. Know going in that you have a ton of competition for those elementary positions. Recommend getting all tests and acquisitions of teaching certificates in order, then applying. If solid interest, make the trip, perhaps after a Skype interview. Nothing says I want the job more than making yourself available to interview in person. Went through this with my son, so know more than a little about what may tip the scales in your favor. Yes, he was hired out of state, and sealed the deal by going there for 5 days to interview. He had his choice of three offers at the end of that time.
I moved from NC to WA in the summer of 2017. My new district had a job fair, it is actually coming up again in a couple of weeks. They allowed me to do an online interview and I had an offer letter later on that day. It was nice to be hired early, so we knew exactly where to look for a house and it gave me time to work on certification. I did have to take the WA certification tests because they did not accept my Praxis, but they gave me a year to do so. For my interview, there was a panel of admin, and they asked me the typical questions. I believe it was recorded. They were able to interview me right through the Applitrak system- it has a video interview component. I think if you are seriously considering coming out here, you can start looking at districts now. There is somewhat of a teacher shortage, at least in the area I am living in, so my guess is you would not have an issue finding a position. Especially near the military base, teachers will already know or will be finding out soon if they will be relocating this summer, thus creating openings districts will want to fill.
Hi there! Would you be able to PM me (is that a thing on this site?) more details about your area? My top district has a job fair in April but I certainly can’t afford to fly across the country for a job I may not even get. My salary in NC qualifies me for food stamps y’all. I’m broke.
Everyone I’ve talked to that has been hired out of state just begins the process to get that states license after they’re hired. I can’t afford to get licensed in 5 different states (that’s how many I’m applying to) because of all the tests that are required, that would be thousands of dollars. I’ve looked into reciprocity and getting licensed after being hired is not a big deal.
How did he afford to take 5 days off of work and fly across the country as a teacher?? I do not have a spring break this year. The plane tickets to the areas I’m looking at are like $600+ round trip. I don’t have that kind of money just laying around. I work two jobs right now just to make ends meet.. I have a little bit of savings but will need that to actually move!
I applied to a job out of state and got an interview before being certified. I had to fly out there, and personally, I’m glad I did so I could get a better idea of the school, environment, people, etc. I got the job and began the cert transfer right a way. It took a while though. And I applied to a state that is supposedly over saturated with teachers, however I’m in a harder to fill content area. It can be done but I’d say be at least willing to fly out there if it’s a school you can see yourself working at and/or pays well. And for me, I interviewed in June when my school was out for the summer and my current school was still in session, so I didn’t have to take time off. I also stayed with someone.
Save your personal days, realize that you may be interviewing through the summer, put aside money for airfare. Sorry, just being a good interviewer won't help if you can't find time to get to the interview to wow them.
I disagree about having to fly out for interviews. I've been hired over the phone twice. Once was actually my current job. I was already local, but happened to be out of town when they called to schedule the interview, so they did a phone interview instead. From the interviewer's perspective, Skype seems like it's just as good as being there in person. Any disadvantage is all on the interviewee's side, since you don't get to see the actual building or anything like that. Personally, I'm not sure how much information you really get from that. I accepted my first job over the phone having never stepped foot in this state, and it ended being the best job I've ever had. I've also been to many interviews where it was immediately obvious that I didn't really have a chance (there was an internal candidate) or once I heard a little more about the job it was immediately obvious I had no interest in that specific job. For example, I interviewed for a couple of "resource" positions that I found out in the interview were actually self-contained EBD positions. I also interviewed for what was listed as "primary teacher" and ended up being a 2nd year Kinder class comprised completely of kids with academic and behavior needs with no models. I'd hate to pay hundreds of dollars to fly across the country and find that out. If the school seemed really great and they were absolutely insistent, I might pay to fly out as a "final step" kind of thing where they'd already determined I was the top candidate and the flying out was more to sign paperwork and things like that. I do agree that if applying out of state, you need to have that state's license in hand. That shows just as much commitment to actually moving there, but is significantly cheaper. Pick one or two states that you don't need to take additional tests for. Many states have reciprocity where all you have to do is pay for the license. When I was first looking, I was applying to states supposedly desperate for teachers and getting no bites, even though my state's license was clearly completely reciprocal with them. My friend actually drove 14 hours to a job fair in NC, where they were supposedly desperate for people, and you'd think driving that far shows you're serious, and they wouldn't give her the time of day. As soon as she got home she applied for her NC license and got 20 interview calls in ONE WEEK. She had a job within the week, from a phone interview. I did end up getting hired without having my license first, but the only reason is that my principal at the time wasn't great with details/paperwork and just assumed if I was applying I already had the license. She later told me she was glad she didn't know that, because she would have never hired me. I went and applied for my license the next day, thinking it was no big deal since my home state's license had come in 3-4 weeks. This state's license took over 6 months and I didn't get it until December of my first year of teaching. Thankfully, my principal/district knew the department of ed was slow and let me continue working. Had they been sticklers, they could have paid me a paraprofessional salary for the entire first half of that year since I had no license in hand. I wouldn't wish that stress on anyone!
I am with those who believe that you need to have your state license first. It may not be a requirement, and you will certainly hear from people who didn't need a license in the state they were applying in. Even so, I think that it will be helpful. Some states have a very long licensing process, and some states require a full, clear license in hand before you can even step foot inside a classroom. If you wait to apply for a license and then your application won't get processed until October or something, the school is in a pickle. Why give them a reason to not hire you? Make it easy for them to want you.
I am sure there is a way to message-- but it is not letting me start a convo with you. I have no idea why or how to fix it! Maybe you could try to start one with me? I have a bunch typed out for ya!
You'll need to have a license, as others have said. Normally the process to apply involves filling out an application through the district's website. Look to see if there are job fairs you can attend too. If you can take a day or two off, that could be the most effective way to talk to multiple districts in a short time. Also, many places will be hiring in the summer.
There are plenty of high paying teaching jobs here in CA. My district in particular starts out newbies (fresh out of college with no experience) at 58k. Teachers with experience can start out at 68k (again, this is specific to my district; however, I'm certain that nearby districts are similar). If you're planning to come here, though, I'd recommend looking into taking subject matter exams ASAP: https://www.ctc.ca.gov/credentials/out-of-state-ged
Okay I can definitely get at least my WA and OR license started, I had no idea it could take up to 6 months in some states. Here in NC I was licensed within 2 weeks after graduation, that is CRAZY to me. I definitely can not "take a day or two off" to fly from NC to WA/OR/CA for an interview for a position I don't even know much about...that's honestly crazy that someone would even do that in my opinion! I would never waste my money on that... I will be moving this summer regardless of if I have a job offer or not to the WA or OR area, so I will hopefully be able to interview all of August while I nanny or wait tables (both of which I have extensive experience with and will be fine financially). Also feel like some commenters didn't even read my whole post, because I already talked about applying through Applitrack for individual districts and how I wouldn't be able to attend job fairs in person..
First, you don't fly out for one interview, but schedule multiple interviews while in the area. How things are done in NC is not the "set in stone standard" that most other states follow. The Pacific Northwest is a destination desired by many, so expect stiff competition. Best of luck
Ditto on the bird in hand worth more than saying, "I'm gonna get my cert. as soon as I can." I left IL to teach in CA and they had testing nearby before I moved. Once I was hired, they gave me a year to finish getting my credential completed. Get in touch with some AtoZ members in the area and get specific guidelines for applying in all the states that you are willing to teach. Yes sometimes things are a lot simpler where you are and totally different somewhere else. Dare I say, getting a driver's license is a nightmare in CA that makes DMV a four-letter word. Do you have any relatives or friends in those states?
I've just started the process myself, with an extra layer of complexity - trying to get an interview from out of country. I've had my credentials reviewed and I'm now waiting for my initial one-year teaching certificate to come through for teaching in TX (Math 4-8 and 7-12 certified). Ditto to one of the OP's questions - what is some advice for getting interviews/noticed without being able to physically attend job fairs and schools in person?
People feel more comfortable with locals and/or people who are highly recommended. You want to avoid being seen as an outsider. Go out there for a few weeks. Get a p.o box, because now you can use the post office street address, and that looks more professional. Then open a bank account. Maybe a small store credit card. Then when you move out this summer, you will have an easier time getting a job & apt. Once you are established as a resident, you’ll probably get more responses. Don’t underestimate the power of networking. And yes, nepotism. Ask around. Start building or re-building relationships. If you have a distant aunt or cousin out there, call ‘em up. My brother-in-law helped me. It was a win-win proposition. Their school district needed teachers and I needed a job.
Hopefully having your credentials for you state of choice will make a positive difference in your favor. At the very least, you will know if there is more testing in your future, which is good, because that can be a stumbling block simply based on the time factor. If you have your ducks in a row, apply and make sure that you play up your credentials - it indicates that you are serious about the move. In possession of your credentials, you would be on better footing to ask for Skype interviews, since it isn't possible to leave your current placement at this time. That shows you are committed to your job and have your priorities geared towards doing the job at hand to the best of your ability. Best of luck!
Your post made me sad that you have struggled so much in life. I really hope that you find that teaching job you want and pass all of your certification tests. I also hope that you find that special someone and can start a family that you so desperately deserve! I’m rooting for you! I wish you the absolute best of luck. This world needs more passionate teachers like you. Cheers!
Please don’t take offense to her post. Vickilyn provides clear, concise, and straight-forward advice. I’m certain she didn’t intend to upset you. We’re all rootin’ for ya! Hugs!
I'm sorry you took offense. The advice to GO to the interview(s) was the same that I gave my son (subbing) when he had exhausted all avenues in our state. Granted, going just a few states away made driving reasonable, but I know that after applying for a year and getting no where, he needed to be proactive. He had done Skype interviews to no avail, and the people who were seriously considering him were not gung ho to do Skype interviews. They wanted to meet him. He went for a single interview, but when the district found out he had made the trip, all of a sudden, it grew to 5 schools in the same district. He ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, slept in his car for all but one of the nights, and ended with his choice of jobs. I'm not sure you can make less than subbing, but he also wasn't going cross country. Honestly, I don't know much about NC other than teachers seem to want out. Applying for a job is selling yourself and your abilities. In your case, you couldn't go. I have a good sense of the "hiring season", which lends a sense of urgency, but the truth is that teachers are hired year round somewhere. My only desire was to point out that credentials in hand will be beneficial, and interviewing face to face will give you the best chance of success. If you can't, then you can't. Best of luck in future endeavors.
I'm in the process of creating a digital portfolio where I will showcase my teaching through photos and video. I don't know if that's something you can try and include when you email? I'm really not sure. I'll be trying to land a job while out of country, but our teachers do it all the time (so that gives me hope). Remote interviews are becoming more and more common. Best of luck to you!
I was hired out of state after having only done a phone interview. It's possible to get a job this way, but it's not easy. I had a few things that worked in my favor. For starters, the district I was applying to had a lot of open positions. In fact, the year I was hired I think they hired 3,000 other teachers. That helps. You can't control how many openings a district has, of course, but you can take some time to research districts where you have a better chance of getting a job. Besides that, the other things I had were an excellent resume and cover letter, as well as exemplary recommendations. Having these things helped move my resume to the top of the pile, landing me an interview. I interview pretty well, so I knew that my chances would be good as long as I could get that interview, even if it was just on the phone.
