mamashark Posted April 13, 2017 Share Posted April 13, 2017 We are in a flux situation with DH's job and are facing a complicated issue. There are 3 options - one requires moving quite a bit away (half way across the country) from family, friends, and our church. We're actively attempting to avoid this option. The problem is, DH is a certified teacher, which is his "out" from the first option. He's applied to a bunch of school districts and has made it through the primary screening interview with several, so we are hopeful that by the end of May he'll have a position somewhere. Option 2 is our preferred option - getting a teaching job within about an hour radius of family and church so we can stay local (housing is currently temporary so we will move somewhere in the middle between the job and church/family in this situation). We have no guarantees of this working out, but have had several screening interviews at schools within that hour radius and are just waiting for principal interviews, hopefully sometime in May. option 3: There's a school district about 3-4 hours away that he applied to and they look like they are probably going to start the interview process a week or 3 ahead of some of the closer schools. This would mean leaving a church we really love and being too far from family to hop over for dinner. Although they do pay better. DH got an email yesterday inviting him to a networking event where the principals with openings will be at in the far away district. There are 2 events and DH wants to go to the latest one possible to allow other closer districts to have a chance to call him for an interview first. But we have not had full time income for the entire winter and are hurting for a job and I'm afraid it will hurt his chances to not take the first opportunity they offer (next week). That said, I get really emotional thinking about having to leave our church and totally understand the desire to allow closer districts to interview him first. We just don't have any guarantee that anyone else will even call for an interview, so I it's really frustrating trying to decide what's best. If we knew that there wouldn't be another offer, we'd obviously take the far away district, but if we just knew there'd be an offer somewhere close, we'd not even bother with the further district at all. what to do... what to do... :confused1: :unsure: :sad: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted April 13, 2017 Share Posted April 13, 2017 I would interview for the far away job. He can move temporarily while you stay put, and reapply in the near district. Just because he has a job there does not mean the entire family needs to move. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamashark Posted April 13, 2017 Author Share Posted April 13, 2017 I would interview for the far away job. He can move temporarily while you stay put, and reapply in the near district. Just because he has a job there does not mean the entire family needs to move. That is true, but we would move with him if he got the job there. Even if it was only for a year. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wintermom Posted April 13, 2017 Share Posted April 13, 2017 An interview is NOT a job offer. I'd go through all the interviews and keep an open mind. Once you have a job offer (or 2 or 3), then you can start making decisions. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyacinth Posted April 13, 2017 Share Posted April 13, 2017 (edited) An interview is NOT a job offer. I'd go through all the interviews and keep an open mind. Once you have a job offer (or 2 or 3), then you can start making decisions. This. Take the next step with every opportunity as it comes up. When offers come, he'll have some leverage to ask for more time and/or push the first choice for a decision timeline. Edited April 13, 2017 by Hyacinth 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted April 13, 2017 Share Posted April 13, 2017 Following. We are facing a move because of DH's job, but I am a teacher. One question for you: Each school district seems to want their own 3 confidential recommendations, with answers to their specific questions only. I have had to ask people to fill them out more than once now and I hate that. Now I am looking at a few more. How did your husband handle that or did the districts he apply to not ask for specific recommendations? Every single one says, "We do not accept paper applications or references, all applications must be filled out and all references must have emails for us to email our own personal questions to." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bootsie Posted April 13, 2017 Share Posted April 13, 2017 An interview is NOT a job offer. I'd go through all the interviews and keep an open mind. Once you have a job offer (or 2 or 3), then you can start making decisions. Also, with each interview, he is gaining some experience with the interview process, more insights into the process, and perhaps more offers that he can use to be in a better position to negotiate 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamashark Posted April 13, 2017 Author Share Posted April 13, 2017 Following. We are facing a move because of DH's job, but I am a teacher. One question for you: Each school district seems to want their own 3 confidential recommendations, with answers to their specific questions only. I have had to ask people to fill them out more than once now and I hate that. Now I am looking at a few more. How did your husband handle that or did the districts he apply to not ask for specific recommendations? Every single one says, "We do not accept paper applications or references, all applications must be filled out and all references must have emails for us to email our own personal questions to." He's not run into that, ironically. He's had to list references and has used the same ones each time but I'm pretty sure only a couple have required the references to respond prior to the interview process beginning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted April 13, 2017 Share Posted April 13, 2017 He's not run into that, ironically. He's had to list references and has used the same ones each time but I'm pretty sure only a couple have required the references to respond prior to the interview process beginning. HUH. In both NC jobs and in my CA applications, it is required. I haven't asked for the CA ones yet, I am waiting, but I plan to ask my AP and my co-worker before I leave this school. Several districts in CA use EdJoin.org, so I plan to get an application going there, and then I am applying to my former district. The issue is we still aren't positive which area we are moving to, so I need to be prepared. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamashark Posted April 13, 2017 Author Share Posted April 13, 2017 (edited) Usually schools don't like you to take more than a couple days to decide on an offer, So we may not have the opportunity to receive more than one offer to leverage. There's also not much negotiation at all in teaching jobs - it's all predetermined based on years of experience/level of education. This means we know going into it how much each district will pay (approximately) and the decision is ours based on location/demographics, etc. DawnM: we are in PA/MD/VA area, so that might be part of the difference. There is a lot of difference between various districts and application procedures though. Edited April 13, 2017 by mamashark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bootsie Posted April 13, 2017 Share Posted April 13, 2017 Usually schools don't like you to take more than a couple days to decide on an offer, So we may not have the opportunity to receive more than one offer to leverage. There's also not much negotiation at all in teaching jobs - it's all predetermined based on years of experience/level of education. This means we know going into it how much each district will pay (approximately) and the decision is ours based on location/demographics, etc. Although pay may be based upon a predetermined formula, there are other areas of negotiation that may come up--for example, specific courses taught and teaching schedule. Sometimes these things are subtle, such as opportunities for special assignments and training or summer teaching opportunities 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hjffkj Posted April 13, 2017 Share Posted April 13, 2017 Sorry about​ the job stress. And I absolutely understand about the not wanting to take a job far away from where you are now. I don't think I'd be able to do it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janeway Posted April 13, 2017 Share Posted April 13, 2017 That is true, but we would move with him if he got the job there. Even if it was only for a year. Maintaining two homes costs a lot. If the closer districts have a lot of openings and there is a good chance of getting hired, I might wait for the closer districts. Problem is though, with teaching, all the hiring is done at the same time. Not like there will be equally as many openings in August if things do not work out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamashark Posted April 13, 2017 Author Share Posted April 13, 2017 Maintaining two homes costs a lot. If the closer districts have a lot of openings and there is a good chance of getting hired, I might wait for the closer districts. Problem is though, with teaching, all the hiring is done at the same time. Not like there will be equally as many openings in August if things do not work out. We don't have a home here yet, waiting to get a job first, so that's not a factor. A year there means possibly renting. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted April 13, 2017 Share Posted April 13, 2017 Is he staying in teaching long-term? In VA the state teacher retirement plan is based on your last three years of pay. I'd go with the higher paying district if I could find housing close enough to commute. When you retire you can move anywhere with a higher retirement draw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamashark Posted April 13, 2017 Author Share Posted April 13, 2017 Is he staying in teaching long-term? In VA the state teacher retirement plan is based on your last three years of pay. I'd go with the higher paying district if I could find housing close enough to commute. When you retire you can move anywhere with a higher retirement draw. Interesting... He is planning on staying in teaching long term. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted April 13, 2017 Share Posted April 13, 2017 Interesting... He is planning on staying in teaching long term. Review state public school teacher retirement plans before making your decision. I don't know if new teachers get the same plan. I know some people who moved across the state and rented a room for their last three years so that ended their careers with a much higher salary. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted April 13, 2017 Share Posted April 13, 2017 Maintaining two homes costs a lot. Not necessarily. We have done long distance for many years. Several involved DH crashing on a mattress in his boss' basement during the work week. A single person can live very inexpensively for a limited period of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted April 13, 2017 Share Posted April 13, 2017 Usually schools don't like you to take more than a couple days to decide on an offer, So we may not have the opportunity to receive more than one offer to leverage. There's also not much negotiation at all in teaching jobs - it's all predetermined based on years of experience/level of education. This means we know going into it how much each district will pay (approximately) and the decision is ours based on location/demographics, etc. DawnM: we are in PA/MD/VA area, so that might be part of the difference. There is a lot of difference between various districts and application procedures though. Yeah, although NC and CA are quite far apart and do the same thing. It wasn't like this 10 years ago, when people still accepted paper copies. I have a lot of those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamashark Posted April 13, 2017 Author Share Posted April 13, 2017 Yeah, although NC and CA are quite far apart and do the same thing. It wasn't like this 10 years ago, when people still accepted paper copies. I have a lot of those. True. I think most of the apps he's filled out required all the contact info for references but nothing more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bootsie Posted April 13, 2017 Share Posted April 13, 2017 Option 2 is our preferred option - getting a teaching job within about an hour radius of family and church so we can stay local (housing is currently temporary so we will move somewhere in the middle between the job and church/family in this situation). We have no guarantees of this working out, but have had several screening interviews at schools within that hour radius and are just waiting for principal interviews, hopefully sometime in May. Having been in this situation before, I know that Option 2 looks like the most desirable. However, we have found that it to be the least desirable--If you live 30 minutes from church and family and 30 minutes from work--you are constantly in the car--only 30 minutes ends up being an hour both ways, you don't get involved in your local community, so all of your friends are a good distance drive away. I have found the "everything is 30 minutes away" driving to be much more stressful than making a 4 hour drive once a week. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamashark Posted April 13, 2017 Author Share Posted April 13, 2017 Having been in this situation before, I know that Option 2 looks like the most desirable. However, we have found that it to be the least desirable--If you live 30 minutes from church and family and 30 minutes from work--you are constantly in the car--only 30 minutes ends up being an hour both ways, you don't get involved in your local community, so all of your friends are a good distance drive away. I have found the "everything is 30 minutes away" driving to be much more stressful than making a 4 hour drive once a week. I was going to argue with you but you may be right and I don't have a lot of argue left in me. We've been living in frustrating circumstances for awhile now and our church has really rallied around us even more than family in a lot of ways. I am frustrated by the possibility of having to move away to have a job but if that's what happens than obviously God has something in mind for us. Maybe a miracle will happen and something will work out but we've been a bit short on miracles in the past few years. It doesn't help that one of our dear friends is probably moving away too. Just so many possible changes. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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