Job Search - 2007

I have been doing this since 1994. Then I was doing the official MLA Job Search. That is the Grand Inquisition of all job searches, as any of you who have or tried to have college teaching positions well know. The first year, I got one interview; the second, a job at East LA College, which I took. I thought that job would be my last, since it was supposed to go to a tenure track position, but the gods or my karma or just pissy department politics got involved, and I was burped out on the job market again. The years ensued and--geeze, haven't I gone into this a million times before? Suffice to say, I am, once again, doing a job search.

And loathing it. Okay, loathe is a bit strong, maybe. Distasteful better?

I am applying for two kinds of jobs, naturally, to match my two kinds of Master's degrees. The Marriage and Family Therapist Intern jobs, of which there are few to none, at least that aren't the same job that I just left. And, yes, the English Lit teaching jobs, which devolves to composition in its various guises.

I've been out of that job market for over ten years, so I'm somewhat queasy on details like, oh, recommendations from former colleagues or department chairs. This is why I find the task so distasteful. Why do I have to jump through all these hoops? Why can't they just look at my resume and see that I've taught a shit-load of comp classes of all levels (and speak so nicely, as well) and wave me over to the In pile?