Is it possible to get a teaching job in Northern VA?! Loudoun/Fairfax Counties (McLean: school districts, university)

[marie5v]

You can still find a job in Fairfax, although it's not as easy as it was ten years ago. You will probably find a job as long as you are neat and professional in your appearance and demeanor (you'd be surprised how many people are not), and can answer very specific questions about instruction in the area you want to teach. That means you know what the latest research says about teaching your subject and are familiar with the instructional methods used in Fairfax county, including assessment. A little research should help you with this.

You didn't mention the area you want to teach in, but obviously some are more competitive than others.

If you don't get a teaching job, you can probably still get one for the following year if you take a job as a teaching assistant or sub. That gives you the chance to get to know some principals, and if you do a good job they might hire you for the next year if they have an opening.

[QuartB]

Originally Posted by tgbwc

The substitutes sub because they want to, not because they are putting in time until a position opens. I also don't feel that a Masters degree would put you at a disadvantage at all.

While I am sure there are subs near me that sub just because they want to or are retired teachers, etc., I have also met hundreds of people trying to get sub jobs just to get their foot in the door, which still often doesn't help since there are such limited openings. I went to a substitute orientation in the beginning of this year (for a school district that only had 8-10 schools total, and almost 230 people showed up since they didn't limit the amount of people that could come. Not everyone could even fit in the room and they told people they were very unlikely to get called for sub jobs since they already had almost 200 subs subbing from last year and didn't expect that turn out.

Originally Posted by CaliTerp07

Regardless, I agree with your assessment that it's not necessary to sub to get a position. I also don't think it could hurt to have that on your resume if your options are "bide time in PA and cross your fingers" or "come network in NoVA" until the hiring begins.

I have actually been substitute teaching in PA and NJ. I still consider myself unemployed since I do not have a long-term job and I do not get called to sub very often at all. Either way, I don't really feel like I am just sitting here hoping for a job. I have tried to get on every district sub list right near where I live but they are the most desirable areas to work and highest paid teachers in PA (most make between 80,000-100,000+ if they have been there 10 years or more) so they are the districts that told me they had too many subs for anyone else to even apply. So I am now driving further to the districts that would still hire subs (though the schools are less desirable to work in, I can't be picky about that either). I am currently on 5 different district lists (the districts in PA and NJ are very different from VA, they are very small so those 5 districts put together still have less schools that Fairfax County's single district).

[QuartB]

Originally Posted by imanap

Bear in mind too that it's a tough time of year to see all of next year's opportunities yet. I'm not in one of your preferred districts, but where we are, schools haven't even had their staffing meetings with Personnel yet. Most of our vacancies are posted and filled starting at the end of May at the earliest, with most hiring happening in June and over the summer. That doesn't make it easier for you now when you're anxiously wondering what will be available for you, but things being quiet now shouldn't be taken as a reflection that no positions will be opening. At least in my opinion...

It surprises me that they don't hire until June or later there! I waited until then last year to start applying and it was too late. Some of the districts said they post jobs as early as February and most March or April. I've already seen postings for next year for districts in Maryland, now that's early! What district is this? Do all districts there do most of their hiring that late? That's good to know because if I didn't find something by summer, I probably would have assumed most jobs had been filled already.

[CaliTerp07]

Originally Posted by QuartB

It surprises me that they don't hire until June or later there! I waited until then last year to start applying and it was too late. Some of the districts said they post jobs as early as February and most March or April. I've already seen postings for next year for districts in Maryland, now that's early! What district is this? Do all districts there do most of their hiring that late? That's good to know because if I didn't find something by summer, I probably would have assumed most jobs had been filled already.

APPLY in January/February...but don't be surprised if principals don't start making decisions until July/August. A few of my friends were hired the week before school started this year.

Also, be sure that when the job list is posted in July, you email each individual principal directly. At least at the schools I interviewed at, that's how they wanted to receive resumes.

[QuartB]

Originally Posted by marie5v

You can still find a job in Fairfax, although it's not as easy as it was ten years ago. You will probably find a job as long as you are neat and professional in your appearance and demeanor (you'd be surprised how many people are not), and can answer very specific questions about instruction in the area you want to teach. That means you know what the latest research says about teaching your subject and are familiar with the instructional methods used in Fairfax county, including assessment. A little research should help you with this.

You didn't mention the area you want to teach in, but obviously some are more competitive than others.

If you don't get a teaching job, you can probably still get one for the following year if you take a job as a teaching assistant or sub. That gives you the chance to get to know some principals, and if you do a good job they might hire you for the next year if they have an opening.

I will definitely do some research on the district and it's practices before going for an interview, though I haven't had interview practice in years, so I need to work on that. I think the neat and professional appearance won't be an issue but it's a good thing I don't teach high school students because I don't look much older than them I certainly wouldn't mind getting a job as an assistant, as long as the cost of living there wouldn't be a problem. I don't know exactly what area I am interested in working since I don't know much about the area at all, but I was planning on applying to any openings within those counties if it means getting a job. Are Loudoun and Fairfax counties pretty similar when it comes to the quality of the schools? Thank you for your input!

[QuartB]

Originally Posted by CaliTerp07

APPLY in January/February...but don't be surprised if principals don't start making decisions until July/August. A few of my friends were hired the week before school started this year.

Also, be sure that when the job list is posted in July, you email each individual principal directly. At least at the schools I interviewed at, that's how they wanted to receive resumes.

So, when you apply to the county by submitting all of your paper work, do you get interviewed by someone in Human Resources and then if they recommend you, you can apply to specific positions and then those principals can choose to interview you as well? Or if you apply to the district and have all the required paperwork, are you immediately able to apply to the principals directly? Some schools I know do 3 interviews before offering a job. Is it similar there?

[Carlingtonian]

Hey, CaliTerp, quick question, if you don't mind:

When it comes to subjects like English (or "Language Arts," as I think they call it now), are there so many applicants that there's a line out the door for every spot that comes open?

[tgbwc]

Originally Posted by QuartB

and highest paid teachers in PA (most make between 80,000-100,000+ if they have been there 10 years or more) so they are the districts that told me they had too many subs for anyone else to even apply.

You won't see that salary here and my guess is the cost of living is quite a bit higher. I have 19 years with a Masters degree and I'm a few grand below $80k. It's not bad, but not as good as what you mentioned so plan for that.

[tgbwc]

Originally Posted by QuartB

So, when you apply to the county by submitting all of your paper work, do you get interviewed by someone in Human Resources and then if they recommend you, you can apply to specific positions and then those principals can choose to interview you as well? Or if you apply to the district and have all the required paperwork, are you immediately able to apply to the principals directly? Some schools I know do 3 interviews before offering a job. Is it similar there?

Yes. It can work that way. It is also possible to get an early contract offer. My wife and I both had offers in the spring. We were hired by HR so we knew we had a position somewhere. We then interviewed with principals. My wife, for example, was hired by HR for kindergarten and ended up teaching 5th grade in the fall.

If you can get to one of the job fairs that FCPS will be attending that would be good. I've known people from out of the area who have been in the area in the spring. They called HR and said, "I'm going to be in the area and would like to set up an interview". If you are ever in the area you might try that.

[tgbwc]

Originally Posted by QuartB

I certainly wouldn't mind getting a job as an assistant, as long as the cost of living there wouldn't be a problem.

Cost of living would be a problem if you are single and working as an instructional assistant. The cost of living can be a problem for first year full-time teachers if they don't have a roomate.