The Job Hunt - Always a Fail!

Few years back, when I did not have a child yet and a problem about the future, I could easily be accepted in many private schools because I was a fresh-grad or I had a backer at least. I had so many job opportunities lined up when I was in my 25 or younger. I did not grab all opportunities because I thought of “yeah, well, I do not need a job right now. Why do I work when I can just work from home and earn money in an instant? And I do not need to work because there is no one I will feed daily and stuff.”

However, things have changed when I have a child and my time is limited. I can no longer teach from home as an online English teacher full-time because I have a child who needs my care and attention every minute of the day. If I can teach, it will be at night because my child is asleep but the bed with those tempting pillows make me want to lay and sleep. I am always exhausted every night because I work during the day as a full-time mother.  So I cannot teach every night.

 If you want to give me an advice like getting a yaya or a helper so I can work, I cannot because I do not have savings or money yet to pay. My online teaching is only good for like 6k per month, which cannot pay all the expenses I need for my baby and other stuff. Baby is shouting all the time too!

Thus, I am on a job hunt. If only I accepted the job offer way back -- I was being referred to one of the most prestigious universities in Cebu but I denied it because I was just not ready -- then I would not need to hunt a job right now. Like they said, regret comes at the end and it is true. The job hunting is real and the ones who told me that looking for a job is hard and challenging, I would say, it is effin’ real!

I can work as a call center agent or an English as a Second Language Teacher, but I would like to teach again at a private school because I miss teaching. Before when I applied, I would always be called but now, it’s “one of the chosen few”, which means if I get contacted, it is either there are few applicants or the school is not popular or there is a backer.

Actually, there are better applicants out there (fresh-grad with fresh knowledge) than me (what do they expect from a graduate of 2011?). I am so outdated already!

Well, I had one call and I got hired and was about to sign a contract. But I hesitated because it is far and I have to travel for two hours or more especially when there is traffic congestion. I event went on two days of training for computing grades and stuff but then I kept on coming in late or worse, absent. Then, I was given days to sort out things at home because I had problems with my child and family here. I told the school admin that I would be back but a few days later, I said I would discontinue. I know, it is so unprofessional but I had reasons – because it is far and the salary does not compensate all the expenses I would need to spend in a month, such as the fare for a total of 6 rides going back and forth, milk and diapers, foods and important stuff. Plus, the salary comes out once a month! Four hours or more in total for a commute with serious traffic every day! This cannot be.

And so I resigned. I also passed my applications and went through interviews, demo, and exam to get ranked into a public school but unfortunately, I was not included in the rank. There was a recalibration but I did not re-submit my applications because I know in my heart, I will still not be called for the rank because I do not have a training certificate which gives 10 points to help reach the passing 70 points.

So I passed applications from the month I resigned from Convergys last year up to now to many schools. Just recently, I had my interview, demonstration, and exam and everything went well. I answered the exam with a serious face and forced concentration and then I passed. I focused on the questions during the interview and I passed. I was then scheduled for a demo a day after. I bought instructional materials for it and prepared very hard for it. I told myself not to get nervous and think positive. That moment was the most successful demo I have ever had because I was not nervous and I think I nailed it. There was a minor problem though with the lesson planning. I expected a lot at that time but after my demonstration, the English coordinator told me that they will just call me since they will still have a deliberation with the school administrator and the principal who observed and evaluated me as well.

 I asked him how long will I have to wait and he said “a month” and I told myself in silence, “I surely failed the demo!” I do not know exactly what they are looking for and I do not know what “special” rubrics they used to assess me but I gave all during that demonstration and for that demo! When I did the demo at the school who contacted me first but I denied the offer, I was not serious at all but I passed and was praised! However, this school which I applied recently was a total fail! Oh well, the school is prestigious and of course, they want to make sure that they will have the best among the best. Also, it is a Catholic school and I was not married yet so it could be the reason for a deliberation and there were also other applicants. A deliberation is understandable. But God, please help me get the job.

Apart from the fact that many said the school offers reasonable salary for the teachers, which is one of the reasons I am interested, I also like the students, the environment, and the school itself. Additionally, the reason I wanted to apply in a school is that I miss teaching very much! The school is also near, like I will just need to spend 30 minutes or almost an hour with traffic. But if by motorcycle, it is just 15 mins!

I was happy that I was called by them because they said they need an English teacher since one of the faculty members just resigned for work offered abroad. I was told I would start immediately if I got hired but then again, I was told by the English coordinator that I will have to wait for a month. If they were indeed hiring for an English teacher, they would offer a job off the cuff if they like an applicant. But maybe they do not like me and my style so I failed but I expected a lot because I gave all.

This is life in a private school. Fresh-grads are prioritized because they are very hard-working; they obey rules and regulations seriously, and get paid low because they do not complain. They have no idea of the real workplace just yet and so many schools would choose fresh-grads. Also, they are fresh – have fresh knowledge and know all the latest teaching methodologies but I hope they will not be overcame by their fear when they teach the future students. This is a very long story but I am glad I have vented out my emotions and what I am eager to blurt out since last week!

God, please give me the job I just applied recently at the Catholic school. Please enlighten their minds to try me and I will promise them I will do my very best even if I HAVE to stand for hours to teach, as part of their school policies and culture. God bless me and my baby.