Networking

Ahhhh....Networking. This word uttered in any context is enough to send me into a padded room...okay well not that dramatic, but something similar. I just don't like it! To me, it's like, lets just call it what it is...schmoozing, butt kissing, brown nosing, sucking up, apple polisher, ass kisser, backscratcher, backslapper, bootlicker, brow nose, doter, fawner, flatterer, flunky, kiss ass, kowtower, lackey, minion, teacher's pet, yes man, yes woman......the list goes on! And the artist and...possibly anarchist? (not really...maybe a smidge) in me says "Well...I will NEVER do THAT! My talents will be apparent! My education will stand alone! My resume says enough! My teaching shows what I can do! I will NOT be a party to this ridiculousness!" Cut to me...networking....brown nosing...asking how to perform this detestable task. Asking other subs and teachers, how I "market" myself. I've realized that it's a necessary evil...yes I said it's evil...and uncomfortable, and a wee bit of an ego basher. But, alas, I find myself doing it anyway. Let me back up a bit...yeah I do that lot. I'm a social person. Meeting new people, talking to strangers, over-sharing, it doesn't bother me. I have many a conversation with strangers about the quality of different tortilla chips in the grocery store. I just like to talk! So, why not use that to my advantage you say? I would be an excellent networker you say? Well, I'll be! I agree with you, for sure. But, it's just not my style. I like my work to speak for itself, I don't think I should have to speak for it. Only, that's not the world we live in. We live in a world of "who do you know?" (which I actually didn't think was a 'thing'". Yet, it is. And I find myself doing it more and more. I've decided to suck up my pride, and network my arse off. You want my card? Well here ya go! Can I pay you to hire me? Sure! I'm starting to learn that anything goes in this cutthroat market (yeah, well maybe not anything...it is elementary school teaching after all) and you gotta do what you gotta do...uncomfortable or not!!

How do you market yourself?!

Working/Not Working....Pouting/Not Pouting....

This past week....I'll admit it...I've been in a funk!! Mostly because I've been trying to sub, be proactive, hand out my card, blog, network...phew!!! That's a lot of work for a job so sporadic! Yet, I haven't been working. I've been obsessing over how, when, why?!! Why am I not working! I'm doing a good job! I receive compliments from teachers I've worked for! Excuse me....I need to throw a fit for a second.

:|

Okay, I'm back. Although I'm not quite sure what the reason I'm not working much is, I'm hoping that in the future I will! I'm currently employing all of the "techniques" that have been suggested, and looking forward to when I can say "my schedule is full". So, for now, how do you keep your schedule full? If you're a sub, what do you do to make ends meet when you aren't able to work? Sound off in the comments below ;)

Try something new!!

I've looked at several jobs over the past week, and thought "I can't do that!! There's no way!" I took a chance today on taking a job entitled "Intervention Specialist". I've worked with intervention specialists in the past, and all I've seen of the job is the specialist pulls a child from the room. I wasn't sure what I would be in for, but I took the job anyway. I thought, I will try something new! Although, last week I passed over an ELL class, and two High School Classes, I decided to just try it...what could it hurt?! The answer is, it didn't hurt. At all. The classes were quite pleasant actually. Much like the "norm" (if there is a "norm" in Substituting!). It was an average day, not too challenging, fun, well behaved kids! And I had set myself up in my mind for some kind of disaster....psshhhtttt. :) So...try something new today, tomorrow, or next week! You might be in for a surprise! Hopefully it's a good surprise...