Tough economic times force us to make tough decisions. Being Western New Yorkers, we are all too familiar with the lack of employment opportunities. I cannot cite specific statistics for the number of Education degrees granted by the local colleges and universities. I could probably research the number of fresh faced competitors churned out by Buffalo State, Niagara, and UB each year, but I feel that it would only serve to heighten my anxiety. We send our applications, cover letters, and resumes out into the void, hoping to get picked out of a slush pile on the HR honcho's desk. Competition is high. Nepotism is rampant. Connections are important. These three factors create an intimidating atmosphere for any teaching applicant, which led me to ask the question in the title?
How far would you drive for a teaching job?
I scour the school district websites all across WNY every day looking for new jobs. I post them up for your evaluation. I find jobs of all shapes and sizes in all kinds of places, some I had never heard of until I put together this website. Geographically, I pretty much cover the Western/Central regions of NYS in my job search. I live in a first ring suburb of Buffalo, NY. I mostly look in my neck of the woods, but every now and then I have to get on Google Maps and find out where some place like Elba, NY is located. How many miles from my house to that potential workplace everyday? How long is that commute? Would I have to move? Am I willing to move?
I took my first teaching job in a little community near Lake Ontario. It was a long term substitute job, a full year commitment. I drove 50 miles each way each day to get to that job. I took the thruway from Cheektowaga out to the Darien Lake exit where I picked up a winding two-lane country road and drove through corn fields for what felt like forever until I hit something that resembled civilization. I spent about 90 minutes in my car each day. I racked up about 20,000 miles on my odometer that year. I enjoyed the job, but I hated the drive. I told myself that I would never do that kind of commute again.
Now that I'm job hunting again, I have to weigh the commute versus the job. Taking the road less traveled may end up in less competition, improving your odds of getting a job. Considering that these tiny hamlets are broadcasting their jobs out into the far reaches of cyberspace, one can assume that he or she has a fair shake at getting the job, undaunted by any kind of nepotism or preferential treatment shown to certain candidates.
I did away with the teachWNY forums because no one was using them except spammers. Thought I'd start sharing my thoughts on the job hunting process here to get a little discussion going. So, how far would you drive for a job?
Well…. I just graduated with my Masters degree and am looking for my first teaching job. I weighed this topic heavily. At first my reaction was “I will go wherever they will hire me.” But then I thought about it. Most school districts won’t even look at your application if you are a huge commute away, unless you are relocating. So my job search has been narrowed down to within a 1 hour drive (as per Mapquest.) When a job is posted in an unfamiliar location to me, the first thing I do is mapquest it to see how far it is! I figured I could handle a commute like that each day… now I’m hoping school districts feel the same way!
Best of Luck in your search!
The title of this blog caught my attention bc Ive done this…and Im thinking I may have to again. I earned my masters degree in 2005…and I said “I will go wherever there are jobs!” I was willing (and excited) to move to another state. And Va is where I landed. I was a middle school counselor there (a permanent position, w/ a contract!
) for 3 years. This time last year it seemed time to move back home to be closer to family. I did end up moving back, knowing that I would be going through this same process right now bc it was a long-term sub position for this school year.
My advice to those new to this: if you are willing to move anywhere, and are up for an adventure, apply to jobs in areas and states that you would like to live. Do your research. It’s exhausting, but it’s worth it. Check out schoolspring.com. I am so very thankful that I had the 3 years of experience that I did. I have a step above other applicants who have had little or no experience. And I will tell you, those in my graduate class who were not willing to move elsewhere…well, they either aren’t school counselors, or they are doing something that isn’t what they truly want to do with their career. That is so sad to me! I would extend your search to as far as you are willing to move to do what you truly love. It is worth it!
First of all, I want to thank you for keeping this job list updated!! You’ve done a great job!
I graduated in January 2008, I have been looking for a job for a long time. Within the last week I have found some vacancies in my subject , but all of this potential jobs require at least one hour drive. I have two young kids, less than 7 years old, so I don’t want to drive too far. I am also paying my student loan, I hate to be in debt. I think I will take a one hour commute…but no more than that, because it will imply less time with my kids and extra cost in latchkey. Also I will prefer to work at a public school instead of a charter were teachers are sometimes required to stay until 3:45.
One hour and that is it! My kids need me!
I have had my Masters in Education since 2007. I am dual certified in Business and Special Education. I finished the coursework for the 2nd certification this past January. I have yet to see the certification from Albany. I do know that it should be here soon.
When I started for the second certification, I was told that I should not have a problem finding a position in the specail education field. Unfortunately, when I applied for one special education position, at a local school district in the Southern Tier, I found out that 30 other people did so too. (I was recently interviewed for a business education position, whereby there were only 5 other candidates.)
Fortunately, there are well over 30 special education positions in the various schools in the local area. Some are closer than others. For myself, I am willing to do the necessary drive, because my children are older, and would be more understanding of the drive that I might have to make. (This includes driving from the PA border to Buffalo.)
As far as moving out of state, I agree with Kimberly. When she said that she had a good job in VA, I believe it. After reading an article the other day about the small business leaving Buffalo for FL, in the Winter time, I constantly look at my wife, and ask why I am still here. (It is because of my children.)
When they graduate, or make a decision to move with their mother to another state in the south, my wife and I are gone forever from NY. There is nothing else holding us back. That includes the lack of jobs here.
I, like Kimberly, have worked outside of NY, without having a problem finding a suitable position. I moved back 10 years ago, because I wanted to be with my children, although my marriage was shot. Now that both my children and I are older, I constantly recieve information about business and special ed jobs in other states, from the website, http://www.teachers-teachers.com. It is only a matter of time, before we leave this state, so we can make a better life for ourselves, with the education from NY. (Can anyone say “braindrain?”
I’d drive as far as an hour. That’s it. Unless you really love driving, it takes a lot out of you!
I haven’t given up on my job search, but I’ve decided that I need to change tactics. I will be going back to school in the near future for a degree that will increase 1) my marketability and 2) jobs I can apply for.
I agree that if you are able to move out of state, its a good move. But I know from experience it isn’t always possible. My husband is the breadwinner (and always will be) – he landed a great, stable job right out of college and it would have been really selfish of me to ask him to give up his career and move.
Good luck to all the job searchers!
Be careful of the drive. I have interviewed at two districts and the main reason they gave to me for going with the other person was because of my drive. They were both a 1 hour drive. Districts now don’t want to invest in you if they think you will leave in a year or so due to the drive. They told me that they had bad experiences with other teachers leaving after a few years. I told them I am used to driving and have lived in the country all my life and a trip to the store is at least 40 mins. so a 1 hour drive is not a big deal for me. Tough economic times are making things even worse to try to find a job.