In a prior post, Surviving Unemployment, Part One: Purgatory, I described how to handle the seemingly endless weeks between the time that you receive your “non-renewal” notice, and the end of the school year.

But now that budgets are being finalized, you know that you aren’t going to get recalled. Or, you’ve decided to hunt for greener pastures, and you’ve got to figure out how to land that new job.

PREP

It goes without saying, get your resume in order. If you haven’t done one in a while, search out templates on the Internet, or ask job-seeking colleagues for samples. Be sure to save a finished copy as a pdf file, so that whoever you send it to will be able to open and read it.

While you are still at school, make sure to copy any of your own files (lesson plans, photos, etc.) that you have living on your school’s server onto a portable drive. Export your email contacts – you never know when you will want to get back in touch with someone.

Scan and save digital copies of all of your non-digital job-seeking essentials: state certificates/licenses, letters of recommendation, transcripts, test reports, etc. Not only will you have a backup copy should you lose them, but in many cases potential employers will want you upload all of your information. It will be ready to go.

Check your certifications. Do they expire soon? Do you live near a state line? You could expand you opportunities by becoming certified in more than one state. Check other states’ Department of Education website to see if there is reciprocity with your state. Start this process now, as it can take up to 26 weeks in some states to process new certifications. Should you go back to school to get additional certifications? Again, start the process now to take classes next semester, and to qualify for financial aid.

NETWORK

If you haven’t already, now is the time to develop a Personal Learning Network (PLN). PLN’s are a way of connecting to other teachers online to learn, share, and collaborate. ISTE Connects has handy articles for starting a PLN, such as PLN Construction Does Not Require a Hardhat. PLN’s are especially helpful if you plan on moving into a new city or state, or if you are seeking additional certifications.

Start an online portfolio. I’ve been on 10 teaching interviews in the past 4 years, and not once did anyone ask to see a physical portfolio of my work. However, I did hand over a disc of the main items from my digital/online portfolio, including all relevant links, and I was told afterward that it made a positive impression. Using iWeb (for Mac), Posterous.com or Wordpress.com, you can easily create a one-stop place for everything from your Philosophy of Learning, to classroom projects, to your resume and certifications. For a helpful article on creating web-based portfolios, please read Jeff Utecht’s “Blogs As Web-Based Portfolios”. The article was written with student portfolios in mind, but you can get helpful information for your professional portfolio as well.

APPLY

If you limit yourself to the traditional way of finding a teaching job (scanning the newspaper classifieds and mailing paper copies) you will certainly struggle with your job search. These days, most school districts are online, and have online application systems (Applitrack is the most popular one in the Northeast US). Make sure that you set aside time to upload and complete all online applications (it takes a while).

Online application systems are handy for administrators, but you want your work to get noticed, not to sit on some server’s hard drive. You might consider emailing your resume to the principal of the building where you’re interested in working. Be sure to put major relevant points in the body of your email, but keep it brief (as if it were an “elevator pitch”). Finally, be ready to “walk in” your resume. I was able to get an interview in two districts by dressing up, preparing a job application packet (in a red envelope!), and walking it directly into the Human Resource office.

Otherwise, go directly to a district’s website to review available postings. State teachers’ unions (Washington State’s job resource page, for example) and your State’s Department of Education (Ohio’s DOE has a job clearinghouse) are another venue for browsing jobs. Professional associations, such as the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and ISTE’s Career Center, are another way of discovering both traditional and non-traditional educator job opportunities. Online classifieds may be helpful in certain areas of the country. Investigate which local online newspapers carry the bulk of education classified ads.

REINVENT

Job hunting requires patience, perseverance, and a willingness to look for new opportunities. Look at it as a chance to reinvent yourself. Are there non-traditional teaching opportunities that you may have overlooked? Perhaps you could be a substitute teacher or tutor, or create classes at the local community center. The job hunting period is stressful, but being proactive, organized, and tech-savvy in your search will alleviate some of that stress.

Nancy Barlow, aka The Teacher Geek, is a teacher, blogger, unemployment survivor, runner, compulsive list-maker, coffee addict, and sticky-note hoarder. You can find her at www.theteachergeek.com, @theteachergeek on Twitter, and in her home in Ridgefield, CT, surrounded by kids’ toys, unfolded laundry, and a fully stuffed teacher bag.