Job hunt advice needed for first "real" job

rachelk456

Hello! In short, I went right from undergrad to grad school so that is why I am 25, married, and now just looking for my first real job. The job I'm looking for is a school psychologist position in a school district (or charter school, or ANYTHING really). As many of you know, it is really tough these days to get any job in education. I went on a handful of interviews over the summer and wasn't offered any of the positions. Some of the interviews were not so great, but there were some that I felt I nailed, so it was pretty disappointing when I didn't get it.

 It seems like to get a job in a school district these days, you really need to have connections. There is a part time posting for the school district that I live in. Even though it's part time, I know the full time psychologist there is older and would probably retire relatively soon. It's a really good district too, so I really want this job. I had met with the Pupil Services person and the full time psychologist about a year and a half ago because I was interested in doing my internship there. Our meeting went really well, but I ended up turning it down for a paid internship.

When I saw this posting, I emailed the pupil services person to see if he remembered me and expressed my interest in the position. He wrote back and said that he did remember me and told me when he plans to do interviews, and when the position would start. My question is, do you think there is anything else I can do to show my interest in this job? Would it be out of line to also email the psychologist to let him know I'm applying? Some of the interviews I went on had the district psychologists involved and others did not, so I don't know if he even has a say in who is hired.

 Thank you in advance for any advice you have (or any on interviewing too, for that matter!) 

snseabrook

My advisor in graduate school is well known in my profession and he always told me to use him as a reference and tell him when I am applying for a job (which you should always contact your references anyway to let them know what you are applying for).  Anyway, the point he always would make and that I am going to tell you is that there is nothing wrong with using connections to your advantage.  If you know this current school psychologist or even if you know someone that knows this individual, contact them and let them know you are interested in the position.  Just make sure that every method of contact is professional.