Been Subbing since this school year.... Need a full time position

Lmc762 · 10:13 AM

Hello,
I have been subbing since October of this school year. I am certified in Secondary Special Education. I want to add endorsements in Elementary Special Education, Teacher of the Visually Impaired, and Reading Specialist as well. I completed my first year of teaching last year and it was a wacky crazy year and I learned a lot. However, I still got an Effective rating at the end of the year. I have had some crappy observations and some good ones. (Another day another story.) Anyway, I have no problem getting interviews, (I have been on interviews this entire school year actually.) but I just want to get hired! I thought Special Education was a critical shortage area. (I guess not.) I plan on attending some job fairs that are scheduled next month. (One is in a major city that is two hours away from me.) Another one is in my hometown where they will give job offers on the spot. (If you are certified in mathematics, science, or Special Education.) I just had an interview with a school district close to my house. It was for a SPED position and the teacher left earlier in the year and the students had a long term sub all this time. I just received word that they will keep the sub and have the other teachers case manage that particular case load until the end of the year. The HR person told me that it is still open and it will be posted in the spring again. I can apply again when they post it. I went on another job interview at a Special Education school and they liked my application and I did a great job interviewing, they went with someone who is more familiar with the school. Why is this happening?! I am on the verge of quitting and working in another field.

cruxian · 02-03-2020, 02:35 PM

I'm sorry to hear that you're having all these difficulties in looking for a job. Applying for jobs is one of the most frustrating and demoralizing experiences ever.
FWIW, if it helps, sometimes it's not you. Sometimes it's you but it's nothing you can control.
Other times it's something you can control though. Do you have any insight into why you're not getting hired? Have you asked for feedback on interviews?

Lmc762 · 02-03-2020, 04:04 PM

I asked for feedback on interviews and they all say I do just fine, but they go with someone who is more familiar with the school.

cruxian · 02-05-2020, 02:59 PM

I've been thinking about your response. You ask, "What could be going on?" I think a number of possibilities. One is simply that they're not picking you because they go with someone more familiar with the s, chool. (I dunno if that response is for one school or multiple.) It happens and you can't help it----except to apply to a number of schools. The second possibility is they're making crappy hiring decisions. Last year, I interviewed for a job but didn't get and I lost out to someone with the same number of years teaching, less experience teaching relevant grade levels and subjects, and poorer testing results. I was like huh, go figure. The third is that the employers are calling your references from previous schools and they're mentioning something negative. You mentioned that you taught for one year and that it was a crazy year, you learned a lot, but got an effective rating. Obviously, you didn't remain in that position. I may be inferring too much here but I'm guessing that school wasn't a great fit for you for whatever reason. Even with an effective rating, they may be doing something that's off-putting for potential employers You're going to have to apply for and interview at about 20 times the number of jobs you'd think you'd need to. I'm so sorry that you're going through this! Best of luck.

Lmc762 · 02-05-2020, 04:04 PM

I left because I wanted to move away from the area to further my education. I did not get fired or anything. I got great letters of recommendation.