I graduated college a year ago and have been looking for a teaching job ever since. Right now I tutor and substitute teach. I also have been on a few interviews but it always seems to go to people with more experience then myself. I live in the LA area which is a tough place to find a teaching job with all the layoffs. Does anyone have any tips or know of any websites in which to make me a more successful candidate?
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Being a new teacher and the job situation
Look into homebound tutoring for local school districts if you haven't already done so. This is a service that school district provide if a child will be out of school long term. It doesn't pay very well (I made @ $19.00 /hour) but it got my foot in the door.
Good luck. Remember, the market WILL turn around.
Network and Build Qualifications
Hi Heather,
I feel with you. I've got three years under my belt now and after getting a job after Labor Day and a summer of searching for a job I got a very undesirable position --undesirable because of the high needs population and an incredible overload of 92 English Language learners to serve with the help of just 2.0 FTE Instructional Assistants. Then in my second year, I would have been RIF'd or gotten the pink slip if my district didn't have a clause protecting a class of "hard" schools from loosing teachers in a RIF. (This clause was created because schools were there is a racial and SES achievement gap tend to be more impacted my RIFs because they tend to have more new teachers who get laid off.)
Anyhow, the most common way I see new teachers getting jobs right now is one of two ways or a combination. One way, is subbing, especially long-term subbing, in buildings, then getting to know the teachers and principal in a positive way. If you work hard and do well with management, while still teaching the kids so the day isn't a waste, you will be noticed by good teachers and principals. The other common way to get a job is to network with your cohorts who have found jobs. They hear about jobs AND, more importantly, they can recommend you informally to their boss, or better yet, introduce you. This is effective if the principal chooses from applicants or a pool and especially with site-based hiring.
Last, you might consider getting your master's done or adding an endorsement that might help you be more marketable -what endorsement depends on your current endorsement(s). If you're in Elementary Education, a reading endorsement or Special education endorsement would be beneficial. You can look at the kind of dual-endorsements are commonly posted, Spanish and English, English and Social Studies.
Best of luck,
Caitlin