There is a teacher shortage throughout the US that has reached critical capacity in rural areas. To exacerbate this, new teachers often face difficulties their first year teaching, causing them to leave the profession. One means to combat this growing shortage is to recruit alternatively certified teachers. This study examined the lived experiences of three first-year teachers enrolled in a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program, examining: (1) similarities and differences in their experiences; (2) how they viewed and used resources, support and mentoring; and (3) what influenced their self-efficacy and improvement. Findings indicated one teacher felt better prepared to teach, the second used supports when faced with challenges, and the third lacked efficacy and had a negative disposition.