There were over 200 schools represented inside but based on the length of the lines behind each table, I calculated that I could visit only about 10 of them. I arrived early only to find a line of prospective teachers wrapped around the block. The hiring fair, held in a hotel convention hall, was intimidating and overwhelming. My trip to New York was my one chance, as I did not have the time or money to return that summer. I had already received a “commitment letter” from the city assuring my placement, but I had not interviewed with any specific schools. After deciding to leave Minnesota, I flew to New York City to attend a hiring fair in July 2006.