At what point do you throw in the towel...Finding a Job.

[beowulfthehunter]

Ok here is the deal. I have messed up my life and I don\'t know how to rectify it?

For the past two years I have been trying to find a teaching job and I am still unemployed. While I have tons of letters of recomendation from past principals, co-workers, my co-operating teacher from student teaching and more I just can\'t get employed. The problem is I have these factors holding me back.

Most schools want their teachers to coach and I have no experience w/ athletics, not only have I never played a sport I am bored by them.

I have no history of school involvement. I was often teased and abused in HS and Middleschool (had a few suicide attempts but obviously they failed) so i never stayed for activities as I was prety much ostricized. Or I was working a full time job after school.

I never got involved in anything in college because I was spending my time on my studies. I had to work hard for the grades I got.

My first attempt at teaching I failed utterly. I dropped out and eventuly had to go back to Grad School and get a masters to get my teaching degree.

Most schools tend to hire teachers who have some sort of stroke or relation to the district. The two best jobs I had a chance at where given to the principals daughter or the son of the school secretary

I am limited to where I can apply to because I have an elderly father who does not have anyone to take care of him. So i am trying to look for areas where I know he will be safe. His family does not care to much about him but he wants to stay in the area and I am all he has.

So after two years of unemployment and here it is July with School staring in 6 weeks and no bite at a job I will be unemployed again and I quit my job as a Teacher\'s aide. Should I thow in the towel and consider another career path?

 

[hakoMike]

If you are in the US, consider Native American school systems. My brother worked in one in Michigan\'s upper peninsula before he got his masters degree.

Inner cities always need teachers, so maybe a city where you could mass transit in from wherever you\'d feel safe with your father to the school area.

Have you considered a pseudo-social work job? My wife has an education degree, and worked as a job coach for developmentally disabled people for a few years -- she loved it.

 

[No Such Agency]

It certainly sounds to me like you do not really WANT to teach... if you truly do, you might consider sucking it up and being more eager to help coach sports (even if you have no experience; believe me I understand where you\'re coming from with that, being a non-sporty person myself).

Do you think that school was simply so bad for you that you have a hard time putting yourself into the job of teaching there? I would have a hard time setting foot in a high school now and I only endured moderate teasing/bullying there.

As for the nepotism, it is sadly a fact of the job market in any field. I have got a few jobs based on knowing somebody, they hired me because they already knew my temperament/attitude (the plus side of nepotism I guess). But it is infuriating when it works against you, I know. You have my sympathy there!

 

[philologus]

I have to agree with NSA. Just start learning about the sports and see which would be most interesting to you. Learn as much as you can so that you could coach in a few different sports. Have you considered a job with private schools in your area? With a Masters Degree it seems like you would be qualified. As far as the nepotism angle goes; this has always gone on and always will. If you ineract with a larger body of individuals your chances of favorable action on your behalf increase. You don\'t have to \"suck up\" but being known is helpful and if you stick to your morals when you\'re in the job you\'ll be fine and haven\'t betrayed who you are. I think the downside to what people perceive as nepotism is when unqualified or lazy people get positions based on who they know. If I had to choose between 2 people who were similarly qualified but one was a known quantity I would choose the one whose performance I was familiar with.

 

[Rodnik]

There are several states where teaching jobs are in very high demand...not sure if you\'re in the states or not.

Washington for example

http://www.teacherssupportnetwork.com/corporate/TeachingTools_StateDetails.do?state=Washington


And here\'s the link to the Teachers Support Network

http://www.teacherssupportnetwork.com/Home.do

 

[airhead]

You say in your profile that you are a substitute. Network with the full-time teachers. They may know of an opening. And you want to be the substitute they ask for to replace them when they are out.

Local tutoring? We\'ve got Sylvan Leaning Centers here that are looking for good people.

You\'ve got a Masters, try the university? You can teach classes there too. The local \'for-profit\' universities are a great way to get some experience.

 

[Infidel Castro]

2 years and you haven\'t considered anything else? Blimey! I think you\'ve worked yourself into a corner there. If you had any other jobit would help your applications. Big gaps on a CV are a big no-no.

There\'s surely a job in a local factory/supermarket/office for you.