No job, feel like I've failed

[MissPrimaryCrafts]

This year I've been doing my primary PGCE and I've just finished. I haven't secured a job. I've applied to loads and had 5 interviews, there are now no more jobs in my area to apply to.

Staff I've worked with are saying I have a lot going for me, I got grade 1/exceeding feedback on my placements, I've been told by most interviewers that they are sure I'll get a job because I'm clearly a great teacher it was just a tough call, my class mentors have always given me great feedback.

But, no job. I'm going to do supply. I know a lot of people are in this position, there are fewer jobs than normal, loads of trainees in my area, it's a difficult year for recruitment. But I just cant help feeling like a failure. I dont know how I'm going to do supply with confidence, let alone apply for more jobs in future. How do I pick myself back up?

This has been the worst year I have ever known for recruitment, and I have been in teaching 38 years.

I understand how devastating it must be not to have got your first job yet, but it really is a numbers game. So few jobs this year; so many disappointed trainees.

You need to believe everything you have been told. It is just unlucky that you haven't been offered a post...YET. You are getting interviews - very positive. You have been graded highly on your practice - very positive. You will get your job, just later than you - and everyone- would have expected.

Deep breath before walking into that first class on supply. You know what you're doing, and you will be fine. Your confidence will return as you do supply, and the first time you are asked back to the same school, you will begin to believe in your abilities again.

Supply is brilliant for honing your skills, for really narrowing down where you want to teach, and for showcasing your talents to headteachers in the local area. When the first jobs start appearing next term, you will have an enhanced cv, and have built a reputation you can confidently offer at interview. Your job will come.

You will learn way more on supply than any of your classmates who have found a more permanent role. Try and see it as an opportunity. You will see lots of schools, make lots of contacts, work across all key stages, really hone your behaviour management, practise thinking on your feet. All positive stuff.

@MissPrimaryCrafts - Please don’t feel despondent. Supply seems rite of passage where we are, and many move to permanent contract eventually. Look at it as something in your favour - try before you buy so to speak….and you get the opportunity to prove yourself far beyond the constraints of an interview. Good luck

It took me 12 interviews to get my first job. It was a 2 term contract... I've now been there 17 years!

Thanks for the support, I am just so gutted. I wanted to spend summer getting ready for my class, making displays, planning lessons. I've already bought a few lovely books I wanted to plan literacy around. I just can't get over the disappointment. I worked so hard

Would you consider moving areas?

@MrsHamlet I can't right now, I live with my partner so they'd also have to relocate and we currently rent a property from my parents and not really in a position to move financially as I've just spent a year not working since I was training to teach.

Potentially in future I could, if after doing supply I still can't get a job. I'm not sure how I'd find out which places would be good to move to, in terms of where there are teacher shortages?

I think I'd look at areas where you'd like to live and take it from there.
You've not failed although I do understand why you feel like that. This is a very odd year.

Most people I knew in training, myself included, moved for our jobs. Staying local to a small region with limited jobs is a luxury if you want to advance your career and need the actual income. Supply is usually a bad idea and a dead end, and from everything I've heard from people, usually is a massive loss of momentum. I'd keep applying for job, particularly if your income will be higher than your partner's once you get an actual role or your partner can also earn elsewhere.

I qualified in 2006 and couldn't get a job then, supply was difficult at times but a fantastic experence and made me a teacher that can absoultely deal with anything.

Started in suppy (primary) as a newly qualified teacher which led to me only working at two schools which in turn led to a permanant job. I am now an experienced teacher with so much experience but had time out with chidren.

I have recently returned to supply teaching and just been offered a contract for a year in one of the schools I supply in. It has been a postive experience for me then and now.

Supply is NOT 'a bad idea and a dead end'.
Over the last two years, every one of the (very few until this year) trainees from our course who had not got their first job by the end of the summer got their first post within the autumn term, from supply. Every one.

And while I completely agree that potential vacancies are usually greatly limited if you cannot work more than an hour from where you live (unless you live in the centre of a large conurbation), that does seem to be the reality for many people undertaking School Direct, in my experience. If our trainees could /would move 1.5 - 2 hours away, I am pretty confident that they would have jobs by now. But many of them have families settled in school, informal childcare in olace, partners whose salary is necessary etc. If you are young, free and single and newly qualified, that is one thing. But many have lives enmeshed in the local area and can't move immediately.

You just need to continue to be positive and seek out all the opportunities available.

for you. I can understand your disappointment but you most certainly haven't failed. Sometimes, when schools interview, they have to pick from a very strong field -any one of the candidates could do the job and they have to pick.

Do keep your eye on vacancies even at this stage. Occasionally, maternity covers etc. will come up and can be a good way in.

Register with a few agencies- you will learn so much going into different schools and adapting to the class you have.

You will become known in schools and if you do a good job (which you will), it will be noticed. I'd bet you have secured a post by January.

FWIW I know someone who did get a job for a September start (albeit secondary) and for various reasons,it really wasn't the right school for her. She did two terms of NQT, resigned to leave at the Easter with no job to go to.

She signed up to an agency and was asked to go to a school straight after the Easter hols. She was apprehensive because it was an inner city school in special measures. By the May half term, she had signed a permanent contract and was absolutely loving it! Still there 5 years later.

So, supply can be great!

Supply is usually a bad idea and a dead end, and from everything I've heard from people, usually is a massive loss of momentum

Supply is what you make it. I did it to get over a particularly difficult period of my life when I felt the school where I was on a permanent contract wouldn’t be supportive of my situation. I have absolutely no regrets. Learnt loads. Have spent time in all local high schools and a significant number of primaries. And a 6th form. Turned down several temp to perm positions because I knew they weren’t right and finally settled in a lovely school where I knew I was valued. More importantly, I have suffered two major life events there where time off was never queried and cover was sorted for me. Certainly wouldn’t have been like that where I used to work.

It’s not helpful to have a negative view of supply teachers who are walking in blind, knowing no names and probably 50% of the time have no work to give a class. I have done day to day in many schools and can count on one hand the number of times someone bothered to point out the loo, where I could make a drink and checked in on me at lunchtime to see if all was OK. You should try it! It is an amazing opportunity if you take it and run with it.

I totally sympathise op. I haven't secured a job either - having just completed my NQT year. It's been tough everywhere in my area with around 80 applicants per role.

I have secured a HLTA role but debating supply over this due to the massive pay cut!

I think you've dodged a bullet TBH. I teach a shortage subject, so get jobs anywhere dead easy, but I ended up working in a succession of shit schools. On paper some were meant to be amazing (outstanding, over-subscribed etc), but in reality they were either chaos, or there was bullying management or behaviour was appalling.

I took some time out, did supply for a couple of terms, and I'm now working in a lovely school, which on paper is not a good school at all, but the kids are lovely and management are sensible, so workloads are doable.

On supply, you can get to know lots of schools and choose to avoid the horrible ones.

I’m sure it’s been covered on your course but are you checking all the places schools advertise? TES, eteach, supply agencies & as some schools are in big trusts they advertise through that. Good luck-at least you’re getting interviews!!

There's also a government website, which is free for schools to advertise on, so a lot of schools are starting to use that now:

teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk

Our school only advertises on the above website.