I have a job! From January 3rd, I will have my own little handful of twenty-five 9 and 10 year olds at our local Junior School.

Back around February and March 2006, it seemed like everyone on my PGCE course, bar myself and one of my friends, started applying for jobs. We both decided, being career changed teachers, and having experienced our fair share of 'crap jobs', to hold back and wait for something we really wanted. By May many of my friends had applied for 20-30 jobs, and eventually I found one that I kinda fancied. I was one of 8 chosen for the teaching task (our of 91 applicants, can you believe it?) and then one of 4 who got through to the interview. I came 2nd in the end, and got the "there's nothing you could have done better, it was a very hard decision" spiel. I was a little disappointed at the time, but quickly became aware that it wasn't the right school for me - very successful and high pressured; one of my friends did a placement there and found it very stressful. I applied for one more job, but the school decided they didn't want an NQT for that post as it was a 'tough class'.

So, then came the summer - some of my friends, having put in many many applications, had jobs. Some were in the same boat as me. At the start of September, job adverts started appearing, mostly for maternity cover posts. I waited, and waited....

.... and then it came up! A year 5 maternity cover post at our local Junior School. Perfect! I visited the school, and the as I was the only one going round that day, chatted with the head teacher on my own for a while. She invited me back to spend a morning with a class, and I jumped at the offer. I had a great morning with a year 5 class, and became convinced that I wanted to work there. So I put together a killer application (tailored everything possible to the school) and on the afternoon of the closing date last week, got a call inviting me for interview.

The interview was on Tuesday, and 8 of us were called to do a 15 minute teaching task. It had to be based around 'sharing a story', and most people read a bit of a book to the class, then asked them questions. I made mine into a mini-lesson, with a starter, an extract from 'George's Marvellous Medicine' then an activity based around the characters, which ended with a freeze frame (complete with shawl for Grandma and cap for George). I was so pleased with it, and I don't think it could have gone any better - and one of the best things was when I walked into the room, it was the class I'd been with 10 days before, and they all recognised me! I was one of 3 called back for an interview in the afternoon, which was pretty relaxed and informal - just the head and deputy. I hung around in the staffroom to hear the result, chatting to one of the other girls who'd got an interview (the other one went home). Eventually the head and deputy came into the staffroom - and offered us both jobs, and the other girl!! There were 2 jobs going, but they decided to pull out of advertising a TLR post, and take on 3 NQTs instead.

And the really cool bit? I'll be teaching the class I spent the morning with, and did my interview lesson with. They're a lovely bunch and I am very very chuffed.

Well, that's my huuuuge job-hunting story. I thought I'd pop it down in case it helps anyone in my position next year. The moral of the story is: be choosy, and the perfect job will come up - don't settle for anything less than exactly what you want.