the end
I have failed to acquire a teaching job. I have had five interviews and zero job offers. School starts back on Monday. Really, though I've been forced to decide if i want to radically relocate myself in order to be a teacher. I wasn't really planning on moving very far from where i am. The worst part is my chances of becoming a teacher in the future are pretty much screwed because i'm not going to spend the meantime subbing / interim, and that would look bad on my resume later. (ie. "you did your student teaching in oak ridge... 2 years ago?" ) The exception to this, of course, would be adding an endorsement to my teaching license for Physics, which as far as I know can only be done through UTK. My license expires in 5 years, and it is impossible to get renewed if i do no teaching before then.
So, it looks like I need to get a start on Plan B. I just have to work on figuring out what Plan B was again....
EDIT:
Thanks to everyone for the discussion. It wasn't my intent to be dramatic, but on the other hand when you think about the timing involved in acquiring a teaching job at the level I'm doing, I guess it really is. Anyway, I am not giving up. I haven't gotten definitive feedback at the interviews as to why I wasn't being hired, and I'm sure this means that I was at least being seriously considered. I'm not directly connected with many people in this profession but I do know a few people who know people etc. I know I said I suck at networking but that's really in the context of finding job prospects. In the context of gossip, it's apparent that in each case I had been simply passed over for someone else, and with one exception they declined to tell me who they chose over me and why. In my own mind, and at least from the feedback I have received at _all_ of my interviews, it would be in my best interest to pursue the add-on endorsement in Physics. The problem I had this time around was merely an abnormally high amount of competition. I heard rumors or merely speculated that there were an above average number of Math applicants in this area this year, not to mention that there was at the same time a drastic amount of positions cut (in Knox county anyway). In retrospect, I could have been a lot more proactive, sent out more apps, sent a bunch of resumes to principals, follow ups etc. but as you know I'm highly reluctant to do these things. That doesn't mean i'm going to give up however. I'm instead leaning towards the route of less competition. In this case, being a certified secondary Physics teacher (which everyone i have heard from in this profession says is hard to find). Or, as you have mentioned, willing and able to teach at military establishments in places where I would be really needed. I got the impression from what they said about Physics teachers that they wouldn't care if I did nothing but sell shoes since i finished college. When I mentioned Plan B, what I had imagined in the past when i decided to pursue this was if it didn't work out, I could apply for grad school and go for a higher degree, and at this point if I want that to happen, I'm leaning heavily toward Math.
So, it looks like I need to get a start on Plan B. I just have to work on figuring out what Plan B was again....
EDIT:
Thanks to everyone for the discussion. It wasn't my intent to be dramatic, but on the other hand when you think about the timing involved in acquiring a teaching job at the level I'm doing, I guess it really is. Anyway, I am not giving up. I haven't gotten definitive feedback at the interviews as to why I wasn't being hired, and I'm sure this means that I was at least being seriously considered. I'm not directly connected with many people in this profession but I do know a few people who know people etc. I know I said I suck at networking but that's really in the context of finding job prospects. In the context of gossip, it's apparent that in each case I had been simply passed over for someone else, and with one exception they declined to tell me who they chose over me and why. In my own mind, and at least from the feedback I have received at _all_ of my interviews, it would be in my best interest to pursue the add-on endorsement in Physics. The problem I had this time around was merely an abnormally high amount of competition. I heard rumors or merely speculated that there were an above average number of Math applicants in this area this year, not to mention that there was at the same time a drastic amount of positions cut (in Knox county anyway). In retrospect, I could have been a lot more proactive, sent out more apps, sent a bunch of resumes to principals, follow ups etc. but as you know I'm highly reluctant to do these things. That doesn't mean i'm going to give up however. I'm instead leaning towards the route of less competition. In this case, being a certified secondary Physics teacher (which everyone i have heard from in this profession says is hard to find). Or, as you have mentioned, willing and able to teach at military establishments in places where I would be really needed. I got the impression from what they said about Physics teachers that they wouldn't care if I did nothing but sell shoes since i finished college. When I mentioned Plan B, what I had imagined in the past when i decided to pursue this was if it didn't work out, I could apply for grad school and go for a higher degree, and at this point if I want that to happen, I'm leaning heavily toward Math.