Job searching is a job within itself.
I spent on average four hours a day, looking on Monster, Careerbuilder, Hotjobs and the like, not to mention Craigslist postings, Idealist.org, Bookjobs, and Mediabistro. Sometimes I would skim the international job postings at GoAbroad.com and I even found a website dedicated to boarding school jobs. I thought I wanted something in publishing. Or newspapers. Anything writing related. Then I broadened the field to nonprofits and finally - putting my Peace Corps teaching experience to good use - I applied to a couple of school listings (only at boarding schools).
I applied to over 100 jobs in the past four months, and within the past week, received two job offers. 2% is not such a great number - and when I think of all the work it took to get that 2% acceptance - it makes me feel like I should get a bonus from my future employer. Do they realize the months of dedication I put in to be hired by them?
Not to mention the months of dedication I have YET to put in.
Receiving two job offers simultaneously isn't as delightful as I thought it might be. I didn't think it would ever happen - that I would get to have a choice.
First, I interviewed with an educational publishing house for the position of Editorial Assistant. I met with three senior editors and the hour-long interview went exceptionally well. They loved my resume - its variety and uniqueness (from waiting tables to interning at a newspaper to volunteering in Africa). I took an editing test and did well. Then I wrote a sample passage with questions (for a 6th-grade level standardized test) and they liked it.
I stepped out of that interview feeling confident. I liked the editors that I met - sure the company is in a warehouse in the Industrial Court of an Iowa city (not that I want to be close to home either) and it's a 9-5, which isn't really me, and I would have to wear pantyhose on a regular basis. I like to dress up, but not if it's required.
The following week I had an interview with a small Quaker boarding school. I applied to them on a whim. The opening position was for a Humanities teacher (a broad term with a not-quite-defined job description). I was surprised and excited that they offered me an interview. [My teaching experience with the Peace Corps was unsatisfactory. It was difficult, draining and overwhelming. Little help, few resources and students who fail to understand or can't stay awake in class doesn't help much. I loved my students dearly, but being their teacher was consuming and burning me out. I didn't want to relive an experience like that anytime soon. I thought I was through with teaching. FOREVER. But...]
I fell in love with the school the moment I walked into the Main Office. Everyone was friendly and wanted to know if I was the prospective teacher (they had even created a Welcome sign for me!). Students and teachers alike came up to me and introduced themselves. They were curious, but open. I had three separate interviews that day - one with the administration, one with a small group of students and the final one with two teachers. Throughout the day I learned that I would get to choose what I taught (so if I wanted to have a class on Southern Lit. or Speech or Short Story writing, I could!) I also found out that I could teach yoga, which many of the students wanted, and could be a girls' dorm sponsor. I would serve as a student adviser, could help out on the school's organic farm and even plan and lead annual trips. The job seemed to put all of my skills and interests to use: writing, English background, yoga practice, love of travel and community-living.
At the end of the day I met with the Director again, one on one. She said, "I don't normally do this this soon, but I usually go with my feeling and my feeling is that you'd be a perfect addition to our community."
I got the job the same day! I didn't accept right away. It's good to have some time to mull over a big decision like accepting a job! And a few days later I got the publishing job offer. Even though I thought publishing was what I wanted to do, i went with the boarding school job.
Plans don't always get carried out the way we intend. A whim can turn into an ideal next step. Teaching in one part of the world might not be the same as teaching in another.
And when all else fails, listen to your inner voice/your heart/your gut. Mine told me to do what would make me happy - I love to write and to share writing with others, I want to be a yoga teacher someday and I love communal living (I can't explain it, but I get sheer joy from sharing my space and time and things with others. Odd, some might say, but I love it). So maybe I thought I would never teach again. But I've always said I would never work a 9-5 office job either.
I didn't consider money either. Being a 20-something means making the most out of these years - personally, professionally, socially, mentally, physically, etc. It means taking chances and exploring possibilities. Do I want to be a young, eager, curious 24-yr-old who takes a safe, dull job? Or do I want to be that same 24-yr-old who sees a new way of living, a new adventure, a challenge - both frightening and exciting - and grabs it?
I think the answer's pretty easy.