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I'll just say that in my experience with job searches in the
educational field, she shouldn't be applying for 200
positions "over the years," but, at a minimum, 200 jobs per
year. This goes for teaching, counselor, admin, and so on.

My advice would be three fold:

1: She needs to critically look at her resume. My guess is
that it is not well written if she receives no calls at all.
There are a number of resources she can use to draft a good
resume that can catch the attention of administrators. If
she has been applying for years and can't get a call, it may
be her resume and/or application.

2: It is good you're willing to relocate, but focus this
search constructively. She will need to have an educator
license/certificate in the states she is applying to. The
hiring of an out of state counselor is probably not going to
happen if she isn't licensed in the state. If she is not
licensed in several states, she should undertake that
process, focusing on a few states she is most interested in
relocating to.

Even still, you need to understand that many districts aren't
hurting for counselors. It is unlikely that a nice suburban
district will want to hire her from out of state. They
likely have a number of teachers who got their counseling
degree, so why hire someone outside. If she is applying out
of state, she should focus on the districts that... are bad.
Inner city, urban, or po-dunk rural. Places some people
don't want to go. She then can make a move to a nicer
district in a few years once she is local, if she wants to.
Typically large, inner city districts are more likely to hire
from far away. They have more need and are willing to work
with out of state people. The nice suburban districts
typically can get someone local, if not in-district, so they
won't bother.

3. Apply, apply, apply. She should prioritize, of course,
but she should be willing to send out applications everywhere
practicable. I would suggest that she focus on openings
nearby, then on districts without openings nearby (apply to a
district without openings, and then when there is an opening,
her paperwork is in the system), and then focus on states
where she is licensed/certified with the same
prioritization. In PA, she should look at neighboring states
where it would be possible to drive for an interview. She
may target other places more far afield. California, for
instance, apparently has a teacher shortage in some areas for
a variety of reasons, some of which is cost of living. I'm
not sure if that has spread to the counseling field, but it
is worth a look.

On 4/20/16, Bernard Benko Jr wrote:
> Hello everyone,
>
> I'll preface by saying that this post may seem ridiculous
or even desperate
> on my part. I'm writing to get some honest answers. I need
feedback from
> school administrators, especially if you're involved in the
hiring process at
> your respective schools, districts, etc. I'm probably not
even the first
> person to broach this subject.
>
> My wife has her Masters in School Counseling. She's been
applying all
> over the country for school/guidance counselor positions,
attending job
> fairs, etc for the last 4 years. We live in Pennsylvania,
and have a
> willingness to relocate should an opportunity arise. I'm
very supportive of
> my wife and want to see that she gets to pursue her
passions. However,
> we feel at a loss with this whole process. She's spent many
hours each
> day after work, applying even for just one position...has
applied for almost
> 200 positions over the years. Is it time to throw in the
towel? Look at other
> careers? I know counselor positions are few and far
between. Is getting a
> job really only about who you know? From what I know, the
positions aren't
> often mandated, therefore getting the ax when cuts have to
be made.
>
> I figured I'd give it a shot by asking those that are
involved in the actual
> decision making process. Is there anything to make her more
marketable
> in this field saturated with applicants?
>
> I'm not in the school system myself. I've been working in
mental health for
> over 15 years. I can only support her with this
frustration, but don't really
> know what else to suggest. I feel that she's qualified and
has a background
> competitive with other applicants. It's just that the hard
work is producing
> nothing. No calls for interviews, etc. I'm not even sure
that her resume is
> being looked at.
>
> Cliff's notes of her qualifications
>
> - Bachelors in education
> - High School teacher for 5 years at a school in an urban
setting
> - 9 years (so far) working in the MH field
> - Weekend director of a Residential MH facility
> - Dialectical Behavioral Specialist - thesis on DBT for
high school students
> - CPI Trainer (non violent crisis intervention)
> - Currently completing ASCA's College Admissions Specialist
certificate
> training.
> - More
>
>
> I know I'm probably preaching to the choir with my concerns
and
> complaints. I just feel that it's time she at least gets a
chance. Sorry to
> take up everyone's time - if you're reading this. Any
advice or a point in the
> right direction for my wife would be wonderful! Thanks!
>
> Bernie
>
>

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