Job rejections AIBU to be upset?

[IGiveUpp]

I have a BA Hons English and PGCE. Struggled to find a long term teaching role in my area so I worked on supply. No work since the start of December so I’ve applied for admin and shop jobs. I haven’t heard anything back. I’m worried jobs think I’m using them as a stop gap.

I’m fed up of sitting at home or going for walks. I’m used to being productive so all this unproductiveness is making me feel really uneasy and on edge. Feeling really down. All my education and hard work for nothing.

AIBU?

Yes - there’s nothing wrong with staying home.

No - I am (or would be) feeling the same.

This must be so frustrating.

But surely you are using them as a stop-gap?

Can you do some tutoring? Maybe via an agency?

Have you tried NHS? Locally we are desperate for admin posts for the mass vaccinations. Definitely worth a try!

Also look up jobs for the Census which is this year.

Has your agency not furloughed you? I was furloughed last year and have had an email in the last few days to say we will be furloughed again.

@GoldenLabbie

Has your agency not furloughed you? I was furloughed last year and have had an email in the last few days to say we will be furloughed again.

No furlough even though I’ve worked for them for months. It’s frustrating.

I was going to say tutoring too. I'd certainly consider live online tutoring atm if mine was older. Some schools are not providing much content beyond twinkl worksheets. As concepts get harder it is harder for parents to explain them.

@HelloThereMeHearties

This must be so frustrating.

But surely you are using them as a stop-gap?

Can you do some tutoring? Maybe via an agency?

Yes I am using them as a stop gap but I still don’t want to be unemployed.

Then get tutoring. There are loads of agencies, and increasing demand in lockdown.

@HelloThereMeHearties

Then get tutoring. There are loads of agencies, and increasing demand in lockdown.

I signed up to Tutorful, but they still haven’t reviewed my profile. I’ll have a look at agencies.

Advertise online tutoring on local fb groups. Ds has been looking for over a year and even entry level jobs are competitive and go to those with experience. Few retailers and hospitality have been recruiting and those that did advertise soon cancelled seasonal work due to covid closures

@IGiveUpp

I have a BA Hons English and PGCE. Struggled to find a long term teaching role in my area so I worked on supply. No work since the start of December so I’ve applied for admin and shop jobs. I haven’t heard anything back. I’m worried jobs think I’m using them as a stop gap.

I’m fed up of sitting at home or going for walks. I’m used to being productive so all this unproductiveness is making me feel really uneasy and on edge. Feeling really down. All my education and hard work for nothing.

AIBU?

Yes - there’s nothing wrong with staying home.

No - I am (or would be) feeling the same.

Why don’t you register yourself as a tutor or approach schools directly to see if they need supply teachers to help with online or onsite learning?

With an English pgce you can rake it in at the moment! You happen to possess a very desirable skill/qualification for the lockdown.

I'd skip tutor companies completely - I'd go to schools directly to ask about the national tutor program, to ask if they want to employ you directly to do catch up work (not sure schools got the money for this yet? I keep getting emails from NTP companies asking me to join - I'm maths). I'd also put an advert on fb, or fb groups, or neighbourhood app, directly to parents. I've also seen someone in my local fb group advertise small targeted online classes. So like 10-11each day it's ks3 maths, 11-12 foundation gcse maths, 1-2 higher gcse with groups of 6-8 kids.

If I was looking for work at the moment, I'd be offering small group online lessons for primary and exam group tuition. For a wage similar to retail that you've applied for, you could teach/nanny a family and I bet you'd find someone to bite your hand off.

A lot of people feel like this right now, I apply to roles and get rejected a lot at the moment as there’s on average 200 people applying for the same role. You just have to keep going.

There will be a waiting list to upload new tutors in my experience (especially now in the current climate!) but once you are established online you should be ok for work. I have offered free half hour ‘trials’ to see where the student is and what they need to cover (I appreciate that may be more difficult for English, I’m Science).

I also commiserate with you on the lack of job front. Admin jobs etc may feel you are overqualified and they do not want to keep the recruitment drive going longer if you then leave when you can use your qualifications. That’s not my opinion, this was from a Jobseekers support advisor who told me this was likely to be the case. Have you tried applying for jobseekers? If they don’t help you financially, they are very well connected with local businesses which may help you find a role.

You don’t mention how long you have been qualified but I think money is a huge factor in school employment at the moment and suffice to say NQT’s are cheaper and will do the same hours. Try not to take it personally.

Please keep the faith, the agency I’m with are really supportive (TeachActive) and they are setting up their support staff online ASAP so there is work there. Hope this was helpful x

Join local parenting Facebook groups and offer online tutoring. Start at a lower price, as you're new.

Think creatively. Don't just answer job ads. Do as some other PPs have suggested and contact schools direct. Start a website. Start a Facebook page. etc etc.

Try tutorhunt too. Proved very lucrative for me.

What work experience do you have other than supply work? Did you have any jobs whilst at school or uni? It's quite unusual to walk into a job without any experience. Unfortunately a degree isn't enough anymore really.

My friends son does tutoring on line. He loves it.
Lots of work is available apparently through an agency : a quick google might throw up something or on the indeed website?
Might be worth a try? He isn't a teacher, but does have a degree.