I think I've mentioned before that one of my kids is a teacher. When she graduated from college a few years ago, she took a teaching job at a local Catholic school. She seemed to enjoy it, but teaching at a Catholic school never has been the long-term career plan. So last spring, she declined to sign a contract for this coming school year. That was the equivalent of submitting her resignation. Her intention is to jump to one of the many suburban public school districts in this area. As a public school teacher, she'd make more money, get better benefits, and have better support for aspects of the job such as educating students with special needs.
In the corporate world in which I swim all day, it's considered prudent not to resign one's job unless/until one has the successor job lined up. But my daughter tells me that's not how it works in education. Frequently, schools or school districts don't know which teachers are coming back the following fall until after a school year ends - sometimes, not until the next school year is on the verge of beginning.
So when she left her job last spring, she didn't have another teaching job lined up. It was a roll of the dice - or, if you prefer, an act of faith. Public school teaching jobs in this area are highly desirable, and it's not a no-brainer for a teacher to get hired by one of the local school districts. Teachers who manage to wrangle a job around here often will stay in the district for their entire careers, so there are few openings, and the open positions generate a blizzard of applications.
So as May ticked into June, and then June rolled into July, my wife and I watched with mounting anxiety as a new job didn't materialize. Our daughter seemed to be diligent in sending her resume around, and she tried to work her network. Earlier this summer, she had a handful of first interviews, mostly via Zoom. One of those opportunities, with a school district in a neighboring suburb, seemed perfect - and she got to a second and then a third interview. She was one of the finalists for the position - but, alas, the job offer went to another teacher.
Meanwhile, my wife and I talked with teachers we knew - we were trying to find her a job, okay? yes, we're as much helicopter parents as any other suburban parents - and they told us she may have to settle for substitute teaching for a year or two. Apparently, that is a common teaching career strategy: be a sub, perhaps for a long assignment while a regular teacher is on maternity leave, and develop a good reputation around the district.
Anyway, not to unnecessarily prolong this post: last week, while we were on vacation, her phone finally began to ring. She actually did a Zoom interview from her hotel room last week. And then it rang some more. And then some more. She's had a raft of first interviews the last couple of weeks, and three or four second interviews. And as of yesterday, she has a job offer in hand. It's not her first choice of a district, and she wouldn't be teaching her desired grade level. So she asked them to give her a few days to respond, and they agreed. This week, she'll see if she can coax a job offer from the district in which she really wants to teach. But one way or another, she'll have steady work this fall.
Whew! Now my wife and I can worry about the other kids for a while.
Sounds a little bit like the home buying/selling market. The key to selling your house is to get some competition going. If there is not any competition buyers can wait to see if you will come down in your price or if something better turns up. Once you get several people interested in your house, then everyone feels they have to make a offer or it might be gone tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to your daughter! I will be interested to hear how she likes teaching in a public school after being in a Catholic school. I hear that it can be a very different environment. And far more resources for support.
DeleteJack, around here nobody waits to make an offer in this market. They make an offer immediately, at well over the asking price to set off the bidding war, because if they wait even one day it will be “ under contract “. Because multiple offers over ask is the current standard, some agents set a deadline - offers accepted until date, usually about 3 days after the house goes on the market. Then the sifting begins. Some offers have automatic escalation clauses up to a certain maximum. It’s the same in Silicon Valley. My son and his wife lost 12 houses in bidding wars before getting an acceptance - their initial offer was 25% over ask and there were two others at the same level. They won because of having two young children, which appealed to the sellers - a young family to enjoy the house , the excellent public schools, AND the park/ playground directly across the street.
Times change, I remember in 1995 when we were trying to sell our house in one town in order to buy one in the town my husband transferred to. It took nearly six months and lots of stress. It was expected that one would have to knock several thousand dollars off the asking price in order to close a deal. You just hoped you wouldn't end up "under water".
DeleteOut here in Northern California sellers DO NOT come down on their asking prices. They sit back and watch the over-bidding war begin.
DeleteJim, congratulations to your daughter. I hope she will like her new job. You are right about the public schools paying more with better benefits. Some people like teaching in the parochial schools though because they are smaller and fewer discipline problems.
ReplyDeleteKatherine, I have heard the same from teachers, women teachers married to lawyers or businessmen who make a really good salary and have really good benefits. They can then afford to teach in Catholic or small private schools, as one told me herself. “the he only reason i can do this is that my husband is a lawyer”. A single woman who has to support herself needs a better salary and benefits than most Catholic and small private schools pay.
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