Teaching is not the safe career bet that it once was. The thinking used to be: New students will always be entering the public schools, and older teachers will always be retiring, so new teachers will always be needed. But teaching jobs aren't secure enough to stand up to the "Great Recession," as this drawn-out downturn has been called. Across the country, teacher layoffs have become a common occurrence. But teachers who are pink slipped aren't the only ones affected by the poor economy. Newly certified teachers who are ready to lead their first classrooms are also finding it hard to get hired. And even though economic experts say the recession is over, that's not too helpful for motivated new educators who can't seem to attract the attention of personnel directors or school administrators with openings. This article provides some tips that will help teachers get a teaching job.