Step 4 in a Career Pivot – The Job Search – Part 1

I made my course correction and I was enrolled in a Alternative Certification Program at my local community college. I was taking classes at night and working as a consultant for my previous employer 3-6 days a month.  This continues until the end of June.

During the month of July, we had three full weeks of classes that will supposedly prepare us to take the certification exams. The adjunct professor who developed the curriculum and was preparing to teach the class was suddenly not available to teach the class.  The college was being audited by the certification body and it was found that many of their adjunct faculty did not meet the certification criteria.  The professor was now taking a graduate level math education course instead of teaching us. We were given a replacement who was not able to teach the class. In the end, we ended up organizing our selves to teach ourselves and we demanded a refund.  What a disaster!!

Most of us ended up passing both certification exams but we were woefully prepared to teach high school math.  We knew the math but had no experience teaching it. I had taught adults in 40 different countries around the world and I knew we were in trouble.

After we passed the certification exams, we were eligible to be hired under a probationary teaching contract.  We would continue to take night classes over the next year and if we complete our first year of teaching successfully, we would be issued a full teaching license.  It was our task to find the teaching position, interview and get hired.

What was the problem?  I did not a clue on how hiring occurred in school districts. I assumed it was like finding any other job. Boy was I wrong!

Schools are very closed tight knit environments.  I pulled every trick out of my hat in to get interviews. I applied to around 40 different middle and high schools in the area. I met every principals secretary and made sure I handed my resume to them in person.   I pursued this all summer. Until the week before school started, I had not gotten a single interview.

I had no idea how to find a position at a high school.  My resume was filled with corporate experience but nothing that a high school principal cared about. When making a career pivot you need visibility.  I should have substitute taught at the school where I wanted to get hired during the spring. I needed to network!

Networking is key in a Career Pivot! Previously, I stated that I had not networked enough to research how pursue certification.  Now when I wanted a teaching position, I had not networked my way into the schools so that the principals knew who I was.  Without that personal connection no one was going to look at my resume until the last minute.

I will tell you how I actually got hired in the next post. It was through a personal connection.

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Marc Miller Career Design Specialist