Surviving Job Search Anxiety
By Michelle Drake

Two months have passed since college graduation and you're waiting by the phone to hear from the school district. "What are they doing?" you grumble to yourself. "Why haven't they called?" "Didn't they get my resume?" Another week creeps by.

For many recent graduates, this scenario is all too common. You spend one year going through the student-teaching and certification process, and then at the end of May, you're told to "hang tight" until August because some schools don't hire until the week after school starts. "What am I supposed to do during that time?" many teachers ask. One piece of advice stands firm: don't let the district's hiring practices ruin the start of the your first year. You need a jump-start to escape the summer anxiety that accompanies the teaching job search.

Worth the wait. During my job search, I did everything by the book – I attended job fairs, sent out resumes, applied to several school districts and followed up with phone calls. Even though I ran home to the answering machine every night for two months, I still consider myself one of the fortunate few.

Receiving a job offer in mid-July as opposed to early August allowed me two weeks to relocate to a new city. I retained my sanity by attending two three-week workshops and picked up effective reading and writing strategies. Surrounding myself with experienced teachers reminded me why I chose this profession, and I met many relatively new teachers who were more than happy to share stories of their first year crashes with me. And of course, I had the rowing support of 21 college classmates in the same boat. What can I share from this wonderfully frustrating experience?

Words of advice. First-year teachers must keep themselves afloat during the summer transition by preparing for the profession, both physically and mentally, with or without a contract. Attend workshops, keep in touch with mentors, stay abreast of educational research and anticipate summer-reading books. A teacher veteran recommended that I take the time to learn about my legal rights with a professional service organization. You never know when you may need it. If you have time, volunteer at a crisis shelter or homeless facility; you'll become more aware of social issues.

"The more planning, the better," many often say. "The more planning, the less time to stress over actually finding the job," is more practical advice for starting your career and for salvaging your long-gone summer.

Michelle Drake teaches at Stephen F. Austin High School in Sugarland, TX.

April, 2005, Vol.35, No.7