I haven't found a job for September. Feeling so worthless!

[pinkrocker]

Qualified as a Primary teacher in June with a First class degree, all placements passed with a 'good' grade and out of my university cohort 80% have managed to get their first teaching job, but not me. I have had 4 interviews, all said the lesson was great, that they could 'see me in their school' but I didn't have the experience.
There's no jobs out there right now to apply for.
I'm so unhappy, I really wanted to spend this summer with my kids, and planning, making resources, getting to know the school and the staff and reading up on policies, so I was ready, excited and raring to go but now I feel adrift, redundant and that I've wasted 3 years, I really thought I'd get a job straight away.
I've signed up with a supply agency for September, but I just feel so disappointed in myself. I've found p/t work through the holidays locally, so I will still receive housing benefit, but I want to stand on my own two feet and support myself and my amazing kids who are so proud of me. I don't want benefits, I just want a job.
I think I need a kick up the behind.

My daughter was in exactly the same position as you three years ago! She was devastated, but she knuckled down, got a part-time job in a supermarket to pay the bills, and volunteered in her last placement school to do interventions. She applied for a January start in October and secured herself a permanent position in a lovely, supportive school. Your perfect fit will come soon, don't worry, four interviews is actually very few!

Use your time to think about ways to make yourself more attractive to schools... if you can, do some volunteer work - I know my daughter's school were impressed at her commitment.

Good luck!

Yes, you will get something. Sign up for sipplybin the meantime, & get applying.

Don't lose heart. The right job will come up. I was exactly in your position about 17 yrs ago. Was restricted location wise (something not a lot of young teachers are so that may account for some of them getting jobs and not you) and after every single interview (5 in total), i was told I was a fab candidate but was second choice in every single one...losing out to someone with a year or so's experience. I did exactly the same as you and was really worried. In the end I gave up and did office temping for a while. Eventually signed up to supply, did a term of moving around then got a term's supply which turned into a full time permanent post...stayed there for 4 years and have been in my current school very happily for 13.

Don't lose confidence, you are clearly a great candidate but you just haven't found the right job. You absolutely will in the meantime, keep your skills and reading up to date. Good Luck!

See it as an opportunity as at least you'll know where you don't want to work after you've seen a few schools. As a word of warning, there are lots of agencies out there. I wouldn't put your eggs in one basket - sign up to two or three as whilst some are chasing the same jobs as all the rest, others have schools that are loyal to them and you could miss out on opportunities that way.

One of the best ways to get your feet under the table in a school is by doing supply. In my last school, quite a few teachers became permanent members of staff after we'd had them in for supply. Let the schools you've applied to know you'll be available for supply work too - as they've already seen you teach you'll be further up the list for a phone call when they need someone.

Whereabouts are you? I'm still looking for a teacher for September!

I think you might have been a bit unlucky with timing. Due to budgets, I think a lot of schools out there are slimming their staff teams down. My school is losing 2 FTE posts (going from intervention) and a further FTE post gained back from all SLT receiving less release time. This has been achieved through 'natural wastage', so no redundancies, but has meant we are not taking people on this year.

Are you rural/ provincial? It is definitely a different recruitment picture to cities, where there are areas of real recruitment crisis.

How many jobs did you apply for? If you only applied for 4 maybe up your rate.

You'd get a job in my bit of the country. There are unfilled positions galore and they tend to only want NQT'S because they're cheap. It's the experiences teachers that can't get positions where I am. Go East of England, you'll be well in!

I applied for 9, and had 4 interviews, and I'm in rural North East/Cumbria area.

I think I maybe didn't apply for more positions as the job opportunities came up during my final placement and I wanted to concentrate all my energies on my planning.

I've volunteered at a school for the last year whilst in my final year at uni, and they had a job opportunity come up but I didn't get that one. I had a teaching interview at another lovely school, and they offered me two sessions of teaching PE a week and the rest of the time as a TA. I was, weirdly, really upset by that, as I'd be covering the PAPA time of their NQTs.
I can't relocate, as my two children are settled in school and both my family and their Dad live nearby.
I hope I'll get there in the end.
Thank you for your replies, much appreciated.

This time last year I had just qualified and in the last month had had four interviews. Two of which wouldn't have been right for me anyway and I had only applied out of the same sense that you are feeling now. I registered for supply and in the first five weeks was only given two half days. It seemed like there was nothing out there and all my cohort were busy enjoying their new careers. Early October I was asked to work with a class for a day. At the end of the day the Deputy explained that the current teacher could be off long term and would I take charge of the class.

That lasted the whole year. Don't expect to definitely get offered a job at a school an agency has sent you to though since the agency screw the school for a stupid sum of money if they offer you a job.

This last year I have grown my skills, gained contacts with others and got a job in a different school for the coming year.
It will happen for you too!

When I qualified 6 years ago I was in exactly the same position as you (same number of interviews too...strange!) I also wanted to give up, but I found a temporary summer job then I signed up for supply in September. I was snapped up by the school I went to on my first day and have been there ever since.

Don't lose hope, it will happen!

Thank you for the positive comments. Really do appreciate it!

I'm trying to keep my chin up, but when I claimed JSA after graduation, the Jobcentre said that because I'd "never taught professionally" I can't be classed as a "teacher" (as I haven't the experience yet) They said I would have to accept any work, in any role, in any establishment that's available & not just wait on supply agencies getting in touch from September. (Thankfully, I've found a P/T job during the summer holidays, and I'm not on JSA anymore)

How would you manage working in Tesco (for instance) and working as a supply teacher, as well as going for interviews? This would be from September.

If I'd found a job I could sort my finances out for September, I am sorry to ramble on, I'm just so sad and disappointed with myself.

I did supply and am now happily FT perm in one of the schools I originally did supply in - so it really does work. And supply lets you see schools 'under the bonnet' so you know the ones you do ( and really don't!) want to work in.

Apply to all the supply agencies and get as much experience as you can as supply teacher. Get your friends who work in schools to let you know of any opportunities too.

Thank you. I've applied to 3 supply agencies and have two interviews with them within the next 2 weeks.

Go on to the TES supply teachers' forum where you will find a wealth of info on how to avoid being fleeced by agencies. You need to keep your wits about you and use them, not let them use you.

It's not much help but I was in the same situation when I finished uni. I did supply for a term and got a maternity cover which started in the spring term. I've been at the school 11 years now.

Have you contacted the local council too as they often have supply lists. Our school also has a good relationship with a few teachers who we use consistently for supply without going through an agency. You could always try dropping off a cv & cover letter to local schools in preparation for next term.

Good luck with it all

I've been in your position too, it's lousy. I suggest that you really refine your interview technique - there are about eight themes on which questions are asked (although they can be worded very differently) and knowing broadly what your response would be to each will help.

Supply isn't my thing at all; I worked as a TA for a term and got my foot in the door of a school and some experience. I picked up so much practical information I got the next job I went for.

Thank you!
I had one interview question which did totally throw me: "How would other staff in the staffroom see you" - that one really got me.
I'm now on the books of 3 supply agencies and working p/t over summer as a receptionist, so all is not lost

When I applied for a post in Cumbria, there were more than 450 applicants! It is a VERY popular area and posts there are in very high demand so think yourself lucky you have had interviews!

If you are asked the same question again, think what you would want your colleagues to be like-passionate about the children in their care, committed to being the best teacher they can be, realistic to know that they can't do everything and sensible enough to know that they have a life outside the school!

How would other staff in the staffroom see you?

On your placements, have you never got a sense of what other colleagues probably think of you?

Eg. for me I get a definite sense of people thinking: "100% reliable/always does what she says she's going to do"

but for other people I work with, I might say things like:

or "bubbly outgoing personality, always brightens up the room"

or "takes criticism well, always takes on board suggestions for improvement"

or "builds up lovely relationships with the pupils"

or " really kind, caring person, always prepared to put herself out for pupils or work colleagues"

etc. Which one are you, or do you get the feeling they would say something different?
It needs to be very positive though and if you can use this as an opportunity to tell the interviewer about what amazing things you do for the pupils, then even better! - in fact, do what politicians do, and use every question to tell the interviewer about what an amazing teacher you are, how good you are at getting the pupils to learn, how easy you are to work with etc.

Have you thought about working abroad? In Dubai for instance, there are loads of British/International schools who employ teachers from the UK. It's a nice safe place to work and would be an adventure. Just an idea...

It's really not that common to land a job straight away. It's the lucky ones that do. There are more trained teachers than there are jobs for them, even taking into account the big numbers leaving the profession. In my area they've had to suspend teacher training at my local uni as there are far more teachers than jobs.

Twenty years ago it was still the same. I did supply and considered myself lucky to land a single term contract in the summer term the year after I finished. Luckily for me it turned into a permanent position. What I found really useful was being able to draw on my experience in lots of different schools and different set ups to answer the questions at interview.

Good luck. Something will come up.

Just a thought, and this might have been auto correct not you, but it is there are no jobs, not there's no jobs. Always triple check your covering letters and job applications, and get someone else to check them too!

You sound brilliant. I'm sure it's a matter of time, and try to be really positive about your achievements. Being a mum and doing all you've done is no mean feat. You will find a post but perfect positions take time and faith to wait. Don't give up (I know the feeling) think long term