The Job Search

As most of you can attest, searching for a job in this economy is nothing short of disastrous.  Earlier, I applied for a public school teaching job in a prominent Southern city.  With an M.A. in history, I was politely informed that I was over-qualified for that particular offering.  At that time, the district in question was unceremoniously dumping high-quality, experienced teachers who had been in the district for decades in favour of younger, less-qualified (read:  'cheaper') instructors.  I worked in public education advocacy on a research project in the state in question the year after I graduated from my undergraduate university.  The state in question ranks incredibly low in the quality of its public educational structure, for several different reasons.  However, I knew damn well that they needed all the high-quality, dedicated teachers they could get.  I find it incredulous that one can ever be 'over-qualified' for any job, particularly when the educational structure of the state in question was in veritable shambles. However, I was determined that I would have more control over my life than a post-secondary academic career would allow.  In a rather backwards logical fashion, I decided to relocate to the city where I wanted to spend my life in the expectation - the rather optimistic expectation - that a job would turn up in some capacity.  I applied for a wonderful program in the community which takes underprivileged yet promising students and supply them with the additional instruction and individualized attention that these students would need to develop their full personal, academic, and academic potential.  I was one of the last three or four candidates for that position, yet they hired an alumni of the program.  I feel they went in the direction that was best for the program, and I sincerely hope the program continues its great success, but I was devastated not to get that job after coming so close.  Now, in stage three of job applications, I am applying to a private school in my new city and to my alma mater (speaking of optimistic expectations).  In my estimation, it's better to have all these resumes out there in the hope that I can serve in some capacity, even with just an M.A.  The new chair of the department was one of my old professors, whose courses I thoroughly enjoyed, and I have several great friends in the department.  However, while crafting a letter of interest for the department chair, I was dumbfounded by how difficult I found it to be.  Part of this must be the esteem which I held (and hold) for my former professors, and envisioning how amazing it would be to work with these people.  To use a baseball analogy, it would be like being in AA ball and then all of the sudden being called up to play in the MLB All-Star Game.  What do you write in that situation?  What do you do if, by some miracle, you are hired and then manage to muck something up in your new position, in front of your esteemed colleagues?  One thing I can tell you from experience is that it is maddening to submit an application and not receive some acknowledgement that the potential employer in question has received said application.  Shouldn't you have a mere form email ready for these situations?  Parents pay a significant tuition at this school; I'm certain that they have the resources to send such a letter.  Perhaps this is just a busy time of the year, or perhaps I have unrealistic expectations of said institution, but that would settle my mind if I knew they had received my application.

So, my advice?  Despite my caustic musings about my personal experience in my graduate program, I must admit that the progressive sadism of graduate school is preferable to unemployment, although I remain confident that something will eventually turn up.  If not, than I get to sit in front of my new fireplace with my beloved dog, watching the sun set over the mountains - at least until the creditors figure out my new secret location.