OT: Life Skills 101
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"riverman" nos...@sorry.com
OK, this is way off topic, but what the hell. I think you guys can give me some insight here, and I'm very willing to hear you.
I just read one more in a long series of reports talking about how there is a huge teacher shortage in the US becuase Industry is drawing away people to work for better pay, better work situations and better jobs. The reports say how the real shortages are in Math and Science, because those people are the most wanted in other jobs. Apparently, computer, math and science teachers are leaving the profession at an astounding rate. Less than 80% of the teachers who leave the profession do it to retire: they are going into better paying jobs. The vast majority (>80%) of new teachers quit within 4 years to go into industry.
So here's my question (and I'm being serious here). How does someone find one of those jobs??? Somehow, on the road of life, I've never learned how to find a 'real' job (other than my present one). Since I was 16, I've been great at getting short-term work, at getting nontraditional work, and at pitching in where there's a need. But I truly do not know how people get one of those jobs where they pay an honorable income, where they give you retirement and benefit plans, a 401K, a Christmas bonus, where you are challenged and fulfilled.
I really want to get lured away from the cl***room, but I don't know how to do it. I'm sure I'm educated and skilled enough, but I don't know where I go to sell myself. I mean, I have a BA in Geology, a BA in Mathematics, half of a MS in Ed. Technology, College board scores in the 1350s, an undergrad GPA of over 3.8, a grad GPA of 4.0, IQ scores that regularly test out way high, I can write pretty well, I have tremendous international experience, I speak 3 languages, I have 13 years experience as math and science department heads and a very successful career as a teacher, 15 years experience working with and managing small businesses (river companies), and lots more skills and talents, and I have <<never>> felt anyone trying to 'lure me away' from the cl***room. If the stats are right, then people ought to be knocking down my door. The problem MUST be because I don't know how to advertise myself. I really ought to be able to change careers successfully, but I have no idea how to do it.
So, as ludicrous as it sounds, and as much as it sounds like I'm joking here (I'm not), could you guys share some stories about how people find new careers?
Thanks Myron (riverman: see, I'm serious enough to sign my real name!)
"Tim J." NOkpos3wtS...@comcast.net.invalid
"riverman" wrotede...
Do up a resume and put it on monster.com. You'll get a lot of non-serious fluff, but you may find the one gold nugget you're looking for.
FWIW, I think you have a real job already.
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TL, Tim
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http://css.sbcma.com/timj
"Stan Gula" sg...@bellatlantic.net.remove.invalid
I wish I could. For the past two years there have been huge layoffs in IT and it continues. The big merger between Fleet and BankAmerica will result in several thousand more IT people being laid off. I'm in the process of signing up for Ed. courses so I can try to enter the lucrative field of high school math teachering - because compared to long term unemployment, it looks pretty promising. However, at this point, there's really no market for high school teachers either. The economy has killed the State education budgets and the local tax base has shrunk also. There's still a teacher shortage, but no money to hire them. Whereas last year at this time, there were a dozen cities near me advertising for math and science teachers, there are now zero openings and there have been layoffs. So, don't get your hopes up. I hear there's a lot of hiring in the defense industry in the Route 128 corridor though... If you have several years experience at embedded programming for missile guidance systems you can just walk into a job tomorrow. The Army and Marines also call my house several times a week trying to get my sons to sign up. I doubt they would want me<g>.
"riverman" nos...@sorry.com
Hmm, nice view from the other side, Stan. And I figured you were one of the job-secure ones.
There's an old adage among students looking for a major: don't pick the currently in-demand profession, because by the time you get out, it will be oversaturated. I think IT has gotten there already. Excellent observations about education, though: districts are dying for teachers, and unwilling to pay for them. On the other hand, I wonder if a lot of other professionals are stopping into 'teachering' as a short-term fix between jobs as opposed to going unemployed, contributing to the idea that a lot of teachers are leaving. I've met a couple of them, but not that many. But I've been away..
I look forward to more discussion on this.
--riverman
"Stan Gula" sg...@bellatlantic.net.remove.invalid
Yeah, it was a big shock to me. And an even bigger shock to my soon-to-be-ex who figured she was going to be able to soak me for lots of money when she left. Living in the heart of the insurance industry, I figured I could always fall back on insurance IT, but all the mergers caused huge layoffs. The company around the corner from me laid off 800 programmers a year ago. When I was still following up on resumes, I was getting comments like, "Yes, your resume sure looks good, but we got 250 applicants and most will work for food".
http://www.i.would.rather.be.fly.fishing.than.begging.forfood.org/
Stephen Welsh st...@mail.csse.monash.edu.au
Read somewhere recently that getting ahead is 80% marketing Get thee to a head-hunter.
Steve (hoping you're still not in the congo ... )
Stephen Welsh st...@mail.csse.monash.edu.au
I was taken aback to read Stan's post too. Shouldn't be surprised though a very good friend of mine has taken just the path Stan mentioned (here in Aus) and is now teaching a bunch of ingrates at high school ... then there's the students ;-). IT Industry dried up for him several years ago, he's qualified up to the armpits one way or another but getting work was impossible.
hmmm ... should have some signs made up for Uni open days that reflect that ... not that they'll take any notice of course ;-). A comment that can be extended to higher Ed. in Aus: Dean: "Employ more full time teachers.
Oh, btw here's another 10% budget cut." High schools here simply don't attract teachers out of Uni, because there is a percieved glut, lack of regard and to top it off poor remuneration and working conditions. My friend went over to teaching in desperation - perhaps a little strong but there was an air of desperation about it.
A transient population if you will ... we see that. Causes an insidious malaise ... 'A' comes along prepares a course, 'B' gets the contract for said course the next year uses 'A's work, 'C' the next ... and so on. After 3 or four contracts the course is just about flatlined due to lack of evolution. Why would short-term contracts 'B' or 'C' put in the effort required for someone else to reap the reward. Education at all levels in Vic/Aus. is being run on (poor) business principles like the one above - cheap short term expedient solutions, that result in poor outcomes for the punters.
Education today is market driven, and the market is generally uneducated.
Steve
"slenon" sle...@tampabay.rr.com.invalid
careers I won't bother with unemployment tales or job change horror stories. We've all heard them. And we are quite likely to hear a great number more.
If you consider Florida, be aware that nearly every employer down here drug tests prior to hiring. Not that anyone in this august group would ever use illegal substances, but it is something to consider. The upside is that employers get cheaper workers' comp insurance. The downside is that even those people with prescriptions for controlled substances are excluded from most jobs.
Good luck in your search.
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Stev Lenon 91B20 '68-'69 Drowning flies to Darkstar sle...@tampabay.rr.com http://web.tampabay.rr.com/stevglo/index.html/slhomepage92kword.htm
Peter Charles minibrow...@mailhot.com
State Department -- languages and international experience plus a varied education -- you're a natural fit.
You'd also fit one of the big, international NGOs.
BTW, the good jobs never seem to come knocking -- it's all in the promotion. Send resumes to employment agencies, the government, and monster.com. Think about all the social contacts you've made over the years and let them know you're looking. Peter turn mailhot into hotmail to reply Visit The Streamer Page at http://www.mountaincable.net/~pcharles/streamers/index.html
eric paul zamora epzam...@earthlink.net
riverman how good are your contacts? networking is the key from what i've seen.
figure out what your true skills are. i don't recommend teaching for everyone, particularly for many who deem it something to "fall back on," since these are the people who train our kids when they're away from the parents. an honest zest for the teaching experience is needed. you've been there, you've done some time. you must be good. what ESPECIALLY are you good at? finding solutions? helping people find solutions? are you a team player? or a take charge, damn all others kind of person?
i know someone who was a teacher and she started a peer mediation program at one of her schools, based on another program in the system. she was good.
she was also a good teacher. at another school, she took the "leadership cl***" which before she arrived, was known to be the group of kids you went to to have banners for rallies painted. she turned it around and made it into a serious leadership cl***, teaching kids about their responsibilities and the affect one has on one's peers and they in turn go out and help their cl***mates, either through intervention or leading by example.
that led her to thinking about mediation in the corporate world (she had had mediation education while pursuing her BA). her father was a manager at home depot. that was a way to contact the atlanta headquarters and enter their training program for people who visit home depot stores to run training seminars for the employeees. even something like teaching employees how to handle consumers in a friendly way could have paid huge benefits in the corporate world. it would have meant travel and all of the benefits stemming from such a large company. big bucks for this sort of thing. hell, we have people come in to our newsroom once a year to lead little seminars on diversity and coping with on the job situations. same type of role.
she also tinkered with a role as a school administrator but didn;t like the type of people the training program drew.
in the end, she got married and is now a stay at home mother.
the former and later would have been, and was in the end, helped by who you know. also, who the hell you sleep with ;-) is north dakota a good place to be for pursuing a path you want? perhaps it would mean moving away? surround yourself with people who succeed. if you're a teacher, i know from personal experience that they may not be the best role models for you to help in pursuing a new non-education path. not all teachers i'm sure, just many that i know.
good luck in your quest eric zamora\fresno, ca.
"Wayne Harrison" wa...@triad.rr.com
no, but it's a damn good location for one of the best movies ever made.
wayno (and the fact that vang and a couple other cool guys live there, or near there, is its *only* other redeeming social value)
"Tim Carter" tcar...@columbus.rr.com
I agree....do a search for recruiting companies, send your resumes to a bunch and see what they can do for you. I've had good luck with them.
"B J Conner" oakiefis...@hotmail.coom
Working for someone else sucks. 40 or 50 years ago you could get a college degree, work for the same company 40 years and retire with a decent pension.
To quote Yogi Berra "The future ain't what it use to be".
Companies will use you until you'r of no use to them then they ditch you like a sailor getting rid of a $5 whore on Saturday night. There are not many "real" jobs left.
What ever company or organization you hook up with use the time and experience ( I don't mean not to do a good job for them ) to learn ( both the how -to and the connectons ) something you can do without them. You want to be trading ideals, experience and expertice for dollars - definatley not time for dollars. The exception would be if you can get in something like the longshoremens union ( makeing $150-200 K a year for what they do is not bad).
Try this or one of the thousands of Community Colleges around, they'll probably hire you part time but you may have to finish a master degree to get tenured.
Remember the most profitable businesses are the one's that deal in the five basic commodities of greed, sex, ego, vanity and escape.
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georgeclevel ...@email.msn.com (George Cleveland)
The community college thing is similar to what I had in mind for Myron. If the companies are raiding high schools for science teachers then why not put in a few years at an American high school? Then they'll come searching for you. Even if they don't, the wages aren't *that* bad, usually the retirement plans are fairly secure and you'll get to deal with American yob culture 8 hours a day.
And as has been pointed out, loooong summer vacations can be nice.
g.c.
"B J Conner" oakiefis...@hotmail.coom
The local CC has let people develope and teach cl***es. If the plan, subject and credentials of the instructor are good, it may be a go. I say "may" because the right wing wacos are trying to cut taxes to the quick.
Riverman would be a natural for a number of cl***es on current afairs oor the geography of Central Africa. A lot of teachers retired here ( in Oregon ) because the Public Employees Retirement system was overhauled drastically. It motivated a lot of teachers to bail out while the getting was good.
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