How I Landed My Dream Job After College

Before I begin talking about how I finally landed my dream job after months of failed interviews, I want to tell you a little about myself. I recently graduated from Texas Tech University in May (BEST SCHOOL EVER). While at Tech I majored in Marketing and minored in Advertising. Even though I majored in Marketing I have always wanted to become an elementary school teacher. I knew that I could gain my teachers certificate in other ways besides majoring in education so I decided to get my bachelors degree in business. I also chose a different major just in case I didn't like teaching and I didn't want to be stuck in one career. I liked having different options. This led to me getting an assistant manager position at a company and I would begin working in August. I was thrilled to have a job lined up but this was not even close to the career I had hoped to have. Seeing that I had three months to land my teaching job I wasn't too worried at the time. Then the struggles began to start....

Once I graduated college, I got married to my high school sweetheart and headed off to the Bahamas! Once we returned from our honeymoon I was so determined to get my first teaching job. I had never wanted anything so badly before. Just thinking about getting my first job, my first classroom would cause me to tear up. I applied to every school district up to an hour away hoping that I would get a call. Weeks turned into months, I heard nothing. By this time it was the month for my first career expo that was strictly for teachers only. I had talked to many schools at their booths and finally heard some exciting news! One school was deciding between myself and another candidate. The location of the school was thirty miles away from my apartment and not in the best area of town but I didn't care. It was a teaching job and that was all I ever wanted. I left the expo so hopeful that I had gotten the job. Days passed and those days turned into two weeks, I heard nothing. At this point school was starting in a month and I knew I needed to find something, especially since I started my management job soon. I finally got calls for several interviews which all ended with "don't call us, we'll call you" situation. I was heartbroken. I would cry every day thinking that this would never happen for me. I second guessed my major, thinking I should have just stuck with education instead of marketing. All of my friends were setting up their classrooms and announcing that they had gotten the news of getting their dream grade. By this time it was time to start my assistant management position. School had already started and I really lost hope in finding a teaching position for the school year. I figured I would stick out the management position until I got my teaching job. I had several interviews lined up but they all fell through. I got response 'we are no longer have the budget for that position' or 'we decided to not hire anyone'. This process was an emotional rollercoaster, by this point I had been through phone, video, and in person interviews 8 times.

Finally in October, two months after school had started I got a call. A director had called me asking if I was interested in a PreK position, of course I wanted to yell YES but I tried my best to stay calm haha. We conducted a phone interview that went well but I wasn't getting my hopes up again. Two days later I got a email saying that I GOT THE JOB! I couldn't believe...I finally found my dream job! I thought the hard part was over but I was wrong. They asked me to come in the next day and fill out paperwork and begin work on Monday (which terrified me to only have a few days to prepare for a classroom of 3's and 4's!). As excited as I was to fill out paperwork that meant I would have to leave my management job. I didn't love my job and I knew it wasn't for me but I did love the people I worked with. Leaving that job was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I cried all day because I was so sad to say goodbye. Once I said my goodbyes I then began to feel excited again! I couldn't believe I finally found my teaching job after 5 months of searching. I began my teaching career the next week and I have never been happier.

My point of this article is to not give up and don't lose your focus on the things you want most. Even though it took me so many failed interviews and so many applications, I never stopped trying and you shouldn't either. If it takes you an hour to apply to a new job, do it. If you have to use your sick days to get time for an interview, do it. If you think you're wasting your time interviewing, you're not! Think of everything as practice for when you do land your dream job! Everything happens for a reason, in the end your effort will be worth it! Don't give up on yourself or your dreams. Your dreams are worth it!