Hit and Miss
I used to post regularly but with all my moves I got out of the habit and have not gotten back into it except occasionally...this is one of those occasionally times. I think today I want to talk about jobs or...my lack thereof. Take me for example, I'm beginning to feel cursed if that's possible because no matter how many places I apply or even if I do get an interview, nothing goes right and I don't get the job. Why?
I have several theories. One is that because I taught or worked at the college and university level for the last 10 years or so, public education (I was an elementary teacher for 7 years before that)sees that on my resume, sees my references from all over the world and United States and someone on the committee thinks, "Oh, why is she applying for this job", this job being elementary teaching. Why do I think this? Because someone on the hiring committee ALWAYS asks me that question or will even go as far as to say, "Well, with all your experience I'm sure you'll get on at a college" and then invariably dismiss the idea of even hiring me. HELLO...PEOPLE...I am here aren't I? Please don't decide for me where I should be!
The problem with this idea is that Oklahoma is not overrun with colleges! They are few and far between. Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania and blah, blah, blah, the other states I've lived in are run over with colleges within twenty miles or less of each other so yes, in those places some college would hire me but in Oklahoma, college jobs are very competitive due to the lack of colleges. See how it goes?
Along with that goes my salary. I have seven valid years of elementary teaching. I would not fall into the highest category of salary but not the lowest either. So, here is my second theory...they begin to think hmm, seven years of teaching amounts to blah, blah dollars...we can hire a first-year teacher for less. Well, yes you can but do they have the experience I have? I taught student teachers how to be teachers, I evaluated them and taught them how to manage their classrooms. I taught early childhood classes and elementary education classes. I could show you ways to raise your test scores, manage your classrooms, and act as a standby principle because I have an elementary administration degree oh yeah, and a Master of Ed. all for the reduced price of blah, blah, blah. But, the powers that be don't seem to think of any of that, that being what bang they could get for the buck!
Now for the Oklahoma college take on all this. They see that I taught one year in elementary back in 2009 and dismiss the experience I have in college teaching. They also have questions they ask online when you apply such as, Have you taught or been involved with infant to 3 year olds in the past 6 months? (Not someone else's, but do my family members count?) In the last 6 months have you had any experience with people with disabilities? (Uh, not in the last 6 months but I have had children with severe disabilities in my classroom in the past..does that count?) And, on and on it goes.
I have applied outside education too. I applied at a military commissary which paid 17,000 but due to the "knowledge questions" I didn't make the cut. These questions included, In the last 6 months, what experience have you had using a register? (Come on, I have experience in that, like 20 years ago but how hard could it be...yes, I have experience, just not in the last 6 months.) In the last 6 months, what experience do you have in lifting 40 pounds or more? (Does a kid count that weighs 40 pounds or more? I have experience in that.) In the last 6 months, have you used a forklift, (no but I have lifted an empty 500 gallon hot tub with a service dolly, will that work?) and on and on the questions go.
So I will end my little tirade with this, I had one guy who told me during an interview that the only reason I got the interview was because I had a Master's Degree and if not for that, they would not have even looked at me. I wanted to yell "For Pete's Sake Man! It's a typing job! I can type 90 words a minute. I can file documents! NO, I have not done it in the past 6 months but I KNOW HOW TO DO ALL THAT! Give me a frikin' chance, would ya!
I have several theories. One is that because I taught or worked at the college and university level for the last 10 years or so, public education (I was an elementary teacher for 7 years before that)sees that on my resume, sees my references from all over the world and United States and someone on the committee thinks, "Oh, why is she applying for this job", this job being elementary teaching. Why do I think this? Because someone on the hiring committee ALWAYS asks me that question or will even go as far as to say, "Well, with all your experience I'm sure you'll get on at a college" and then invariably dismiss the idea of even hiring me. HELLO...PEOPLE...I am here aren't I? Please don't decide for me where I should be!
The problem with this idea is that Oklahoma is not overrun with colleges! They are few and far between. Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania and blah, blah, blah, the other states I've lived in are run over with colleges within twenty miles or less of each other so yes, in those places some college would hire me but in Oklahoma, college jobs are very competitive due to the lack of colleges. See how it goes?
Along with that goes my salary. I have seven valid years of elementary teaching. I would not fall into the highest category of salary but not the lowest either. So, here is my second theory...they begin to think hmm, seven years of teaching amounts to blah, blah dollars...we can hire a first-year teacher for less. Well, yes you can but do they have the experience I have? I taught student teachers how to be teachers, I evaluated them and taught them how to manage their classrooms. I taught early childhood classes and elementary education classes. I could show you ways to raise your test scores, manage your classrooms, and act as a standby principle because I have an elementary administration degree oh yeah, and a Master of Ed. all for the reduced price of blah, blah, blah. But, the powers that be don't seem to think of any of that, that being what bang they could get for the buck!
Now for the Oklahoma college take on all this. They see that I taught one year in elementary back in 2009 and dismiss the experience I have in college teaching. They also have questions they ask online when you apply such as, Have you taught or been involved with infant to 3 year olds in the past 6 months? (Not someone else's, but do my family members count?) In the last 6 months have you had any experience with people with disabilities? (Uh, not in the last 6 months but I have had children with severe disabilities in my classroom in the past..does that count?) And, on and on it goes.
I have applied outside education too. I applied at a military commissary which paid 17,000 but due to the "knowledge questions" I didn't make the cut. These questions included, In the last 6 months, what experience have you had using a register? (Come on, I have experience in that, like 20 years ago but how hard could it be...yes, I have experience, just not in the last 6 months.) In the last 6 months, what experience do you have in lifting 40 pounds or more? (Does a kid count that weighs 40 pounds or more? I have experience in that.) In the last 6 months, have you used a forklift, (no but I have lifted an empty 500 gallon hot tub with a service dolly, will that work?) and on and on the questions go.
So I will end my little tirade with this, I had one guy who told me during an interview that the only reason I got the interview was because I had a Master's Degree and if not for that, they would not have even looked at me. I wanted to yell "For Pete's Sake Man! It's a typing job! I can type 90 words a minute. I can file documents! NO, I have not done it in the past 6 months but I KNOW HOW TO DO ALL THAT! Give me a frikin' chance, would ya!
posted by Mines Broken @ Sunday, September 11, 2011
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