HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Applying for jobs

Support Forums
>
Fibromyalgia
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 8/6/2013 4:09 PM (GMT 0)
I am getting discouraged. Lots of no answers, or no thank yous. No one seems to want to take a chance on a middle-aged college professor.

Just sent in my application for substitute teaching. Also applied as a county prison librarian, which would have been neat.

I am afraid that I get a job 'down the road' as we call it here, in the DC metro area. I don't think I can do the commute. I would rather make less and stay local.

It's funny-money has never been a motivator for me. Now, satisfaction and health-tolerant are my touchstones.
Posted 8/7/2013 2:23 AM (GMT 0)
I hope you find something soon. It really is hard to commute. I commuted 40 miles for three years and the locals kept asking me how I did it (this was the early 1990s). I told them if I thought about it, I'd call in, but if I didn't think about it, everything was fine. Well, that was 23 years ago, and I know I couldn't do it now.
Posted 8/7/2013 4:54 AM (GMT 0)
That's too bad. And it's not like you don't have experience, too...well, at least you know what your priorities are.

The county prison librarian position does sound interesting. You said "would have" - I take it that was also a no?

Have you ever subbed? It's stressful, but short. Well, unless you're a long-term sub, in which case you have to plan the lessons....I've never done that.

Debbie
Posted 8/7/2013 4:27 PM (GMT 0)
Never subbed, but been in front of classes for 20 plus years.

I just sent in my adjuncting applications to local community colleges. I taught at all three before my PhD. Honestly after the last three months, it feels good to be sending applications for something I really understand.
Posted 8/7/2013 5:45 PM (GMT 0)
I don't know how much you've been keeping up on the state of higher ed (from a profession perspective) lately, but it's pretty grim. There are a lot of stories of people like you with years of experience who aren't able to get positions that they are more than qualified for. There is a huge problem of too much supply/not enough demand.

I agree that it's probably best to keep it local. If you can get into the Montgomery College system, they are a fantastic community college. Also, all the UMD universities (College Park, Towson, UMBC, etc) teach classes at Shady Grove, so you could also look at opportunities there. There's also UMUC, which is almost all online classes.

While I don't have to drive to campus every day, I spend anywhere from 1-2 hours each direction battling DC-Baltimore traffic. This area has some of the worst in the country!
Posted 8/7/2013 7:38 PM (GMT 0)
Vitaka, I have, indeed, been following as well as caught up in current trends in hiring. I am in humanities, so my area has some of the worst cuts as well as super-excess supply.

I had to giggle when I read your post--were you looking at my CV? I am up in Frederick, so am more limited than when I lived down in Takoma. My worst year (a while back, now, 2006) was Takoma to UMBC to PGCC and then back home, two days a week.

I chose to leave a TT job in another state due to health, as well as dissatisfaction with the school. For the past few months, I have been applying outside of academia with no luck. I was hoping for insurance, but now adjuncting and applying for Obamacare would be acceptable.
Posted 8/7/2013 7:51 PM (GMT 0)
Ahh, I assumed you were in MoCo with your "down the road" reference. Yeah, Frederick is a bit harder to stay in academia when you're trying to limit driving (at least your choices are more limited).
Posted 8/7/2013 8:09 PM (GMT 0)
Traffic bites baby penguins around here.
Posted 8/7/2013 11:41 PM (GMT 0)
Wishing you the best of luck! My philosophy seems to be..."If it's meant to be, it will happen." Each job teaches us something and you are one wise woman. Who ever ends up to be your employer will be lucky to have you, :)

Hugs, Robin
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply