How to land a Teacher Job by Buddy

I landed my first teaching job by…

I did not start out wanting to be a teacher. I got a job in a hospital lab while I was in college. I majored in Biology and got certified as a Medical Laboratory Technician. I continued in this position after I graduated.
I married before I graduated. My wife taught kindergarten. We rarely saw each other. I was working full time and taking classes at night. After I graduated, things were better but I had to work weekends and some nights. I also had to be on call several nights a week.
My wife kept telling me she thought I would be a great teacher. At her urging, I went back to school and got certified to teach. I was immediately offered a job at the junior high level. No way! I knew that was not what I wanted so I turned it down and kept working at the hospital.
Two years later, a month after school had started, I got a call. The Chemistry teacher at the high school was leaving for a college position. I was offered the job. I took and and 27 years later I am still glad I did.
It is rewarding to have students come back and tell me how well-prepared they were for college. I am thrilled when one of my students decides to be a Chemistry major.
If you know what you really want to teach, hang in there. Opportunity does come knocking!

Buddy is a high school Chemistry teacher in rural South Carolina. He has two sons and is married to a kindergarten teacher. This is his 27th year teaching.

This post is part of the Teaching Jobs Portal: “How to land a Teacher Job”. What was your journey like to become a teacher? If you’d like to share your experience with other aspiring teachers please see this post for more information