How to look for teaching jobs?

Question

My friend just graduated with a masters degree in elementary education and he's looking for a teaching job. He's only licensed in the state of MA for right now. But I was wondering if anyone has any kind of advice for someone just starting out in the teaching world? He's sent tons of letters and resumes and applications out and has only heard back from one school district. Any advice or any leads I could pass on to him would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

The masters degree is the problem, no one wants to hire someone off the back with a masters, cuz they have to pay them more. Anyway, try, www.teachers-teachers.com.

Answer 2

I, too, am a teacher in MA for the last 8 years.

Two words, used together in your question should mean success for your friend - "he" and "elementary." I know these two traits together are in demand in my area.

Best advice is to network. ANY connections he has to a school, he should take advantage of. Sometimes, just getting someone in the buildling to say, "Hey, I don't know Bill Smith myself, but a friend does. Maybe you could at least give him an interview" is enough to get a foot in the door where it will be your friend's job get the job.

Getting the job means doing your homework (pun intended) about the school - what are its goals? with what does it struggle? how are its test scores? what is its population like? It also means presenting onesself well, and maybe being able/willing to take something less than full-time to get started.

Best wishes.

P.S. I disagree with two earlier comments - 1) Subs are not hired in my experience. Kids have a negative view of them and the transition is difficult. Subbing could help get one principal to put in a good word to another, though. 2) A Master's degree in MA is required, so it is not a hindrance to hiring. A teacher with only a BA/BS must earn his Master's within 5 years anyway, a cost the district will often help wtih.

Answer 3

He also needs to know when teachers are hired! Towards the end of the school year, but also during the two weeks before school starts, or so. Schools try to fill their needs as soon as they know them in the spring, then the dominos fall as teachers get new positions and resign from their former positions.
Yes, a master's makes you more expensive, and therefore less likely to be hired, but the panic for teachers as empty classrooms loom may get him a job days before school starts.
Subbing was suggested, and is a good way to get known, or he can try to be hired as a 'building sub.'--he would have other duties is no subs are needed, but he is available for emergencies. The building sub is our favorite sub because he knows the kids and the policies and we know him. Another route is to take a maternity leave position (from 6 weeks to a full year). All these things get you known, and, while it is really not that 'political', it is 'who you know'--as in all professions, most jobs are filled with networking. So, the more you are known, the easier it is to get a job. He should get on a listserv or chat board for elementary teachers, as working teachers often post jobs they know are coming before the official posting. Attending conferences (join organizations--there are reading teacher orgs and math teacher orgs etc.), which also have job boards, and try to go to conferences and meet people (jobs are listed). If possible, he could volunteer to work at a conference. He will then get to know the other teachers, and, again, we always talk about what jobs are coming open and what school systems are better to work at, although beginners tend to get the harder jobs--they are referred to as 'sacrificial virgins!'

Good luck!

Answer 4

Your friend needs to contact all the school districts in his area and apply as a substitute teacher. Many, many subs are hired by the district as full-time teachers. Plus he can get some real world experience.
He'll need to get out and introduce himself to the scheduler for each school. And don't forget the private schools.

www.usajobs.gov has teaching positions for the federal gov't

Good luck, from a 20+ yr subsitute teacher...

Answer 5

Your friend needs to realistically know the employment situation in his area. For instance, in many Northern states, teaching is a union job. Typically, therefore, there is a correlating high salary and considerable competition for jobs, which means those who get selected are quite experienced or political. Since he is not experienced, I would suggest the political route -- it's thus in "who you know." Sending out resumes in such a market is fruitless ... too much competition. Instead, he should be pounding the pavement, speaking to principals and administrators to impress upon them how well qualified, even if just newly minted, he is for the job. Good luck to him --

Answer 6

Get the email address of the school or schools you are interested in. Email the principal or even go there with resume in hand and request to talk to the principal. Face to face works very well. If worse comes to worse, get on the substitutes list. Many school hire someone they can see can do the job well.

Answer 7

A professor once told me a "sure fire" way to get a job. Get a map and draw a circle around your home city that shows a radius of 400 miles. Send applications to every school in that radius and you're sure to find a job. I don't know if it works, but you should apply to every school you can. Education goes by state, so it may not do you any good to apply to a school out of state unless it's private or parochial.

Answer 8

Start in the urban districts where noone wants to teach. The burnout is high and the pay is low. But once you do a couple yrs in an inner city, you can pretty much teach anywhere.

Answer 9

Try the school where he student-taught. There are usually good connections with the principal. Also call people he went to college with. They probably have jobs and might know of something. The best way to get any job is by connections and networking.

Answer 10

Go to www.victoriaadvocate.com they have opening in their district...in Victoria Texas its a cute town..and about 2hours away from major towns like Houston.. Austin... SanAntonio and Corpus Christi..Texas..So check out and call if they need teacher i know they do..

http://www.visd.com/VISD_Main.html