Hello everyone, I did not think after so many years of hard work that In would ever be in this situation, but here I am and I would appreciate the experience of this forum in guiding me.
I am currently 3 months into, what on paper, appeared as the job of a lifetime. I am now in a situation where I have been forced to resign my post in an awkward "they are helping me" stance. This decision has been spearheaded by the Head of school and unsupported by the 3 other Head + 2 deputies who have been working with me since my start date. It is unjustifiable and the school has not in any way followed correct protocols. What pains me most here is not the job, it's the school place they are pulling away from my child, who left everything to begin a new school life this year and has just settled in.
I do not believe the position I applied for will exist after I leave, it was not set up properly and did not match the job description advertised. I have been working in isolation since August and every approach I've made since then for clarity has been met with "we don't know, please be patient as we are restructuring and we will get back to you."
I have endeavoured to remain positive in this situation. My SLT have apologised profusely and want to help me in securing a new job, with gushing references etc. BUT, the black and white of it remains as I'm moving mid-year and ultimately, what are the reasons for it?
Any advice you can offer me here would be much appreciated. I have sent out CVs and applied to multiple jobs with no response. I am fully aware of how bad this looks, but the reality is the school is disgraceful and I don't know how that headteacher can sleep at night.
I look forward to your replies.
Resignation and reapplying help
Response
Have you already resigned?
Whats the labor environment in your region? Are there strong labor rules/laws/unions?
No one can force you to resign. You have a contract for services and compensation that binds you and the IS. You dont have to take their poo sandwich because its the only thing they see fit to serve you. If leaderships lack of planning and design leaves you in a position where the role you agreed to doesnt exist, thats a them problem not a you problem. They can either pay you the coin to make the position happen, or assign you to other tasks and roles. What they can not do is just discard you because their idea didnt come to fruition. This is hard for ITs to do because we have a climate where youre not allowed to say no. Its insubordination, its not being a team player, and the big one, its not in the interests of the students. The reality of the matter however is that this is business and you have a contract of performance that you and the IS have to abide by. This is of course highly contingent on where you are and what protections and rights you may have. There are regions like China where this would be hard to make work, and then you have places like the WE where youre very likely to be successful. However, success might be much less than getting your position reinstated, you may only be entitled to something like 30 days comp, or something equally minimal.
If you havent resign yet and you refuse to do so, youre going to lose any good will or "help" the other leaders are offering. Its going to become a you v. them situation.
I dont feel these other leaders are really on your side. Talk is cheap, actions matter. Sympathy and an empty sack is worth an empty sack. A positive reference is just a given. No one is getting on the phone or sending off emails to find you a position somewhere else. Moreover even if they were they could make some kind of position for you where you are, even if it was something like instructional support or permanent substitute/relief IT. They are offering you consolation, nothing more.
No one cares about your child. No one cares about you either for that matter. They are just trying to discard themselves of you in the least damaging and least expensive way.
The position you were appointed to doesnt exist now. You should have not been poking the bear all this while, just sit at whatever desk/office/room you had until someone approached you. Its to late for that of course.
Youre not leaving mid-year for another job. You havent secured one of those yet despite whatever 'help' leadership is giving you. Youre just unemployed. Are they giving you any severance or is it just the reference?
First, where are you, and whats the status of your visa? It doesnt sound like you have a place to go. If you can stay where you are than start looking for whats available locally. Start with whatever ESOL might be available.
Second, as to your resume either ghost the position or list what would have been the contract dates for what the position would have been. Add a note that position was dissolved if you must. You need to explain what happened and the best time to do that is going to be at the interview, with those glowingly positive references.
At this point I would be remiss in addressing if those references really were or are going to be overly positive. You may be in the situation where their expectation was that you were going to develop the position and your role by taking the initiative. That they couldnt define the position and so you were going to define it for them. They waited three months and all you did was ask what to do. They may really feel that you lacked core competencies to make the job what they envisioned it to be. Those references may very well be a a dagger in your back.
The HOS as well as the entire leadership team sleep very well at night. If youve resigned youre not a problem competing with the real problems that havent been resolved yet. They all have other things to think about and contend with. If you havent resigned yet youre still a problem just not an overly dominate one competing with their other issues. Most people are just too busy with their own personal issues as well as other work related problems to concern themselves with you.
Whats the labor environment in your region? Are there strong labor rules/laws/unions?
No one can force you to resign. You have a contract for services and compensation that binds you and the IS. You dont have to take their poo sandwich because its the only thing they see fit to serve you. If leaderships lack of planning and design leaves you in a position where the role you agreed to doesnt exist, thats a them problem not a you problem. They can either pay you the coin to make the position happen, or assign you to other tasks and roles. What they can not do is just discard you because their idea didnt come to fruition. This is hard for ITs to do because we have a climate where youre not allowed to say no. Its insubordination, its not being a team player, and the big one, its not in the interests of the students. The reality of the matter however is that this is business and you have a contract of performance that you and the IS have to abide by. This is of course highly contingent on where you are and what protections and rights you may have. There are regions like China where this would be hard to make work, and then you have places like the WE where youre very likely to be successful. However, success might be much less than getting your position reinstated, you may only be entitled to something like 30 days comp, or something equally minimal.
If you havent resign yet and you refuse to do so, youre going to lose any good will or "help" the other leaders are offering. Its going to become a you v. them situation.
I dont feel these other leaders are really on your side. Talk is cheap, actions matter. Sympathy and an empty sack is worth an empty sack. A positive reference is just a given. No one is getting on the phone or sending off emails to find you a position somewhere else. Moreover even if they were they could make some kind of position for you where you are, even if it was something like instructional support or permanent substitute/relief IT. They are offering you consolation, nothing more.
No one cares about your child. No one cares about you either for that matter. They are just trying to discard themselves of you in the least damaging and least expensive way.
The position you were appointed to doesnt exist now. You should have not been poking the bear all this while, just sit at whatever desk/office/room you had until someone approached you. Its to late for that of course.
Youre not leaving mid-year for another job. You havent secured one of those yet despite whatever 'help' leadership is giving you. Youre just unemployed. Are they giving you any severance or is it just the reference?
First, where are you, and whats the status of your visa? It doesnt sound like you have a place to go. If you can stay where you are than start looking for whats available locally. Start with whatever ESOL might be available.
Second, as to your resume either ghost the position or list what would have been the contract dates for what the position would have been. Add a note that position was dissolved if you must. You need to explain what happened and the best time to do that is going to be at the interview, with those glowingly positive references.
At this point I would be remiss in addressing if those references really were or are going to be overly positive. You may be in the situation where their expectation was that you were going to develop the position and your role by taking the initiative. That they couldnt define the position and so you were going to define it for them. They waited three months and all you did was ask what to do. They may really feel that you lacked core competencies to make the job what they envisioned it to be. Those references may very well be a a dagger in your back.
The HOS as well as the entire leadership team sleep very well at night. If youve resigned youre not a problem competing with the real problems that havent been resolved yet. They all have other things to think about and contend with. If you havent resigned yet youre still a problem just not an overly dominate one competing with their other issues. Most people are just too busy with their own personal issues as well as other work related problems to concern themselves with you.
Re: Resignation and reapplying help
Thank you for your detailed reply, I do appreciate it.
You are absolutely right, the school doesn't care about me or my child. I am not in a country that affords my rights being upheld in any way, the school has autonomy here in this setting and there is no legal framework to enforce or support me.
I will keep applying and endeavour to be as positive as I can be.
You are absolutely right, the school doesn't care about me or my child. I am not in a country that affords my rights being upheld in any way, the school has autonomy here in this setting and there is no legal framework to enforce or support me.
I will keep applying and endeavour to be as positive as I can be.
Re: Resignation and reapplying help
I just wanted to edit and update:
Our school had an inspection this week and an unplanned/unexpected lesson inspection In happened to have impressed the panel very much. This was fed back to SLT and filtered back to me unofficially. I am clearly doing something right here, even more so in my circumstances, where lets face it, I'm not working to full capacity.
How do I put a positive spin on leaving this place to a prospective employer? They have treated me awfully, but I can't go around saying that. Normally, I would have stuck it out and put up with things for the sake of my CV.
Advice please as I'm applying now and need to land something decent for January 24!!
Thank you.
Our school had an inspection this week and an unplanned/unexpected lesson inspection In happened to have impressed the panel very much. This was fed back to SLT and filtered back to me unofficially. I am clearly doing something right here, even more so in my circumstances, where lets face it, I'm not working to full capacity.
How do I put a positive spin on leaving this place to a prospective employer? They have treated me awfully, but I can't go around saying that. Normally, I would have stuck it out and put up with things for the sake of my CV.
Advice please as I'm applying now and need to land something decent for January 24!!
Thank you.
Re: Resignation and reapplying help
So how do I explain the gap?
Also the references I have are for when I applied for this back in March 2023 so they are old now and I will need to get in touch with my ex employer and ask for them again.
Also the references I have are for when I applied for this back in March 2023 so they are old now and I will need to get in touch with my ex employer and ask for them again.
Reply
@Nangu
March 2023, thats not that old, thats Spring of this year. Youve been in this job for 3 months? You can do anything for a year and not have it effect your marketability. You were studying, taking care of a sick family member, had some crises (your goldfish died), you had to settle a relative or friends estate, you started a business (it hasnt been as lucrative as you thought), you were backpacking/traveling/holiday/vacay. It really doesnt matter. So you contact your previous employer (though you should have the letters saved).
You have control over only one variable, whether you disclose this IS or not. Once you make that disclosure, you lose all control. You cant dictate some HOS/Leader/Recruiter reaction, response, feelings, or thoughts. This employer (the HOS) isnt going to give you a positive reference, and you dont know what pressure the IS is going to put on the rest of senior leadership to tow the line, who may otherwise support you. You can whine, that the position wasnt organized properly, that it wasnt supported, that it just didnt work out, and its no ones fault, but thats just whining. Unless the IS is willing to do a 180 and support you finding another job and actually do that without sabotaging you, and they are going to say that your position really didnt materialize with your arrival, no fault on you, there just isnt really a role for you. Its not like warming a seat for a couple months is going to be worth anything anyway, why take the risk when you can just ghost it.
March 2023, thats not that old, thats Spring of this year. Youve been in this job for 3 months? You can do anything for a year and not have it effect your marketability. You were studying, taking care of a sick family member, had some crises (your goldfish died), you had to settle a relative or friends estate, you started a business (it hasnt been as lucrative as you thought), you were backpacking/traveling/holiday/vacay. It really doesnt matter. So you contact your previous employer (though you should have the letters saved).
You have control over only one variable, whether you disclose this IS or not. Once you make that disclosure, you lose all control. You cant dictate some HOS/Leader/Recruiter reaction, response, feelings, or thoughts. This employer (the HOS) isnt going to give you a positive reference, and you dont know what pressure the IS is going to put on the rest of senior leadership to tow the line, who may otherwise support you. You can whine, that the position wasnt organized properly, that it wasnt supported, that it just didnt work out, and its no ones fault, but thats just whining. Unless the IS is willing to do a 180 and support you finding another job and actually do that without sabotaging you, and they are going to say that your position really didnt materialize with your arrival, no fault on you, there just isnt really a role for you. Its not like warming a seat for a couple months is going to be worth anything anyway, why take the risk when you can just ghost it.
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Heliotrope
- Posts: 1171
- Joined: Sun May 13, 2018 1:48 am
Re: Resignation and reapplying help
Ghosting is always a gamble, and one that I wouldn't advice you to do.
They will contact your previous school -since your CV lists them as your most recent employer-, after which they might know that you moved to your current school, and finding out you've be untruthful will make almost any school drop you automatically.
I know of a few teachers who've lost out on jobs by trying to ghost their previous school, and I also know a few teachers that have just been honest about why they had to leave their terrible school and they got hired. The fact that your current school will not badmouth you makes it a lot easier to land a job.
Have they stopped paying your salary yet? And is you child still attending the school?
Perhaps you can negotiate that they will keep paying you and let you child attend the school until you've found a new school. It would make them more likely to help you as much as they can (although probably the extent of their help will be to give you a good reference). Ask them to explain to any school contacting them that it was not your fault that you've had to find a new job.
They will contact your previous school -since your CV lists them as your most recent employer-, after which they might know that you moved to your current school, and finding out you've be untruthful will make almost any school drop you automatically.
I know of a few teachers who've lost out on jobs by trying to ghost their previous school, and I also know a few teachers that have just been honest about why they had to leave their terrible school and they got hired. The fact that your current school will not badmouth you makes it a lot easier to land a job.
Have they stopped paying your salary yet? And is you child still attending the school?
Perhaps you can negotiate that they will keep paying you and let you child attend the school until you've found a new school. It would make them more likely to help you as much as they can (although probably the extent of their help will be to give you a good reference). Ask them to explain to any school contacting them that it was not your fault that you've had to find a new job.
Re: Resignation and reapplying help
Hi Heliotrope, thank you for this.
We are both still at the school until xmas and will leave thereafter. I have put forward requests for sevarance, for my child to keep attending etc and they said they would get back to me. This was 2-3 weeks ago and still not a word. I am completely in the dark about everything.
They are clearly not doing things by the book. I am keeping quiet as I need the salary payments for these next 2 months.
I don't want to ghost the school. I believe on balance it looks good on the CV, it's a top international school and I have done very well to get here. I have 2 SLT members who I know are going to give me excellent references as they are in constant talks with me about the next step and are actively supporting my me in looking for roles.
Despite the whining, the way they are handing this, dropping my child and I after we have relocated our whole lives to be here, should, on moral grounds serve to justify what an awful school this is. Fundementally messing with an innocent child's education and complete life stability. I really wish there was something more I could do about this.
We are both still at the school until xmas and will leave thereafter. I have put forward requests for sevarance, for my child to keep attending etc and they said they would get back to me. This was 2-3 weeks ago and still not a word. I am completely in the dark about everything.
They are clearly not doing things by the book. I am keeping quiet as I need the salary payments for these next 2 months.
I don't want to ghost the school. I believe on balance it looks good on the CV, it's a top international school and I have done very well to get here. I have 2 SLT members who I know are going to give me excellent references as they are in constant talks with me about the next step and are actively supporting my me in looking for roles.
Despite the whining, the way they are handing this, dropping my child and I after we have relocated our whole lives to be here, should, on moral grounds serve to justify what an awful school this is. Fundementally messing with an innocent child's education and complete life stability. I really wish there was something more I could do about this.
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Heliotrope
- Posts: 1171
- Joined: Sun May 13, 2018 1:48 am
Re: Resignation and reapplying help
You made the right decision not ghosting the school.
They're *ssholes for making you leave mid-year, as not many vacancies will have a January start. Giving you excellent references is the very least they can do, especially since you simply deserve those.
Maybe you can look at schools where those two SLT members worked at before they moved to your current school, since their recommendation might go further at those schools?
You might want to try international schools that follow the Southern hemisphere school calendar, but not many of those around (South America has a few decent options). The downside is that it's hard to transition back. Maternity cover roles or replacing teachers that pulled a runner at schools that follow the 'normal' calendar could work. With a child in need of education that would be better than waiting until after the Summer to begin a new job then.
Have you signed up for Search, ISS and/or Schrole yet?
They're *ssholes for making you leave mid-year, as not many vacancies will have a January start. Giving you excellent references is the very least they can do, especially since you simply deserve those.
Maybe you can look at schools where those two SLT members worked at before they moved to your current school, since their recommendation might go further at those schools?
You might want to try international schools that follow the Southern hemisphere school calendar, but not many of those around (South America has a few decent options). The downside is that it's hard to transition back. Maternity cover roles or replacing teachers that pulled a runner at schools that follow the 'normal' calendar could work. With a child in need of education that would be better than waiting until after the Summer to begin a new job then.
Have you signed up for Search, ISS and/or Schrole yet?
Re: Resignation and reapplying help
I'm going to tip in my tuppenny worth here....
Firstly, reading what you say, I wonder whether this is actually the decision of SLT or even of the head involved. Their actions - references, feedback to you on observations etc - suggest that they themselves know that what they are doing is wrong, but they may well be being pushed to do it from above and can't say directly to you.
Secondly, most contracts do come with a probation period, and it looks like they have essentially activated this. In any case, they can pretty much do what they like - knowing the country you're in would be helpful (don't need the school though.) They are certainly not behaving the way I'd expect a decent school to act, especially cutting you off at Christmas.
Even if it's not the job advertised, is there any way you could do something to stay on for the year - for example, a paid cover teacher, or some work which you could contribute to?
In terms of January starts, there are some advertised - SE Asia (especially Singapore and Malaysia) has quite a few schools which run on the southern hemisphere timetable.
Firstly, reading what you say, I wonder whether this is actually the decision of SLT or even of the head involved. Their actions - references, feedback to you on observations etc - suggest that they themselves know that what they are doing is wrong, but they may well be being pushed to do it from above and can't say directly to you.
Secondly, most contracts do come with a probation period, and it looks like they have essentially activated this. In any case, they can pretty much do what they like - knowing the country you're in would be helpful (don't need the school though.) They are certainly not behaving the way I'd expect a decent school to act, especially cutting you off at Christmas.
Even if it's not the job advertised, is there any way you could do something to stay on for the year - for example, a paid cover teacher, or some work which you could contribute to?
In terms of January starts, there are some advertised - SE Asia (especially Singapore and Malaysia) has quite a few schools which run on the southern hemisphere timetable.
Re: Resignation and reapplying help
Dear expatscot, thank you for your message, I really do appreciate your view.
I have been directly told by SLT that the decision is not theirs and they have fought against it. Its has come directly from the Head, a person who has never observed me or even been in my classroom. Something bigger is going on here and I, along with all other staff I've spoken with are none the wiser. I imagine SLT have a clearer picture, but are keeping professional.
I am in Thailand, thats all I'll say.
They have used the probation period as a get out clause, however with no real reason and nothing but accusations which they cannot and will not back up, they have asked me to hand in my resignation. It is essentially constructive dismissal.
I asked the Head in our one and only meeting about this 4 weeks ago if I could stay on at the school in a back of house role so my child doesn't not have disruption, they said the decision would be considered. Heard nothing yet. Also dropping me at xmas is a pretty low blow, my child is so involved in all the xmas activities and happenings inside of the school with new friends and I am trying my best to be positive and attend all the festive appointments with merriment, whilst worrying myself sick that we will actually be homeless and skint as of January.
I have so far applied to around 50 jobs worldwide with January starts and had nothing but rejections. I have a really solid CV and work experience, only thing that would count against me at this stage is this recent episode. They really seem to have no moral conscience. Like the person above said, they couldn't care less about me and my child and what becomes of us after we leave them.
I have been directly told by SLT that the decision is not theirs and they have fought against it. Its has come directly from the Head, a person who has never observed me or even been in my classroom. Something bigger is going on here and I, along with all other staff I've spoken with are none the wiser. I imagine SLT have a clearer picture, but are keeping professional.
I am in Thailand, thats all I'll say.
They have used the probation period as a get out clause, however with no real reason and nothing but accusations which they cannot and will not back up, they have asked me to hand in my resignation. It is essentially constructive dismissal.
I asked the Head in our one and only meeting about this 4 weeks ago if I could stay on at the school in a back of house role so my child doesn't not have disruption, they said the decision would be considered. Heard nothing yet. Also dropping me at xmas is a pretty low blow, my child is so involved in all the xmas activities and happenings inside of the school with new friends and I am trying my best to be positive and attend all the festive appointments with merriment, whilst worrying myself sick that we will actually be homeless and skint as of January.
I have so far applied to around 50 jobs worldwide with January starts and had nothing but rejections. I have a really solid CV and work experience, only thing that would count against me at this stage is this recent episode. They really seem to have no moral conscience. Like the person above said, they couldn't care less about me and my child and what becomes of us after we leave them.
Re: Resignation and reapplying help
Heliotrope wrote:
> You made the right decision not ghosting the school.
> They're *ssholes for making you leave mid-year, as not many vacancies will
> have a January start. Giving you excellent references is the very least
> they can do, especially since you simply deserve those.
> Maybe you can look at schools where those two SLT members worked at before
> they moved to your current school, since their recommendation might go
> further at those schools?
>
> You might want to try international schools that follow the Southern
> hemisphere school calendar, but not many of those around (South America has
> a few decent options). The downside is that it's hard to transition back.
> Maternity cover roles or replacing teachers that pulled a runner at schools
> that follow the 'normal' calendar could work. With a child in need of
> education that would be better than waiting until after the Summer to begin
> a new job then.
>
> Have you signed up for Search, ISS and/or Schrole yet?
Thank you for your reply and support, it means a lot.
I have asked the SLT to put me in touch with colleagues, I am trying everything. Some of them have. It will mean relocating again, which will not be easy as we have just settled into our new home (shipping recently arrived) and life has been up in the air since August. But if we have to do it again, we will.
I am keeping my options open at the minute, applying everywhere. Signed up to Search (lovely people!) and will attend job fairs. Schrole s is pending, haven't heard of ISS, will search that now!
> You made the right decision not ghosting the school.
> They're *ssholes for making you leave mid-year, as not many vacancies will
> have a January start. Giving you excellent references is the very least
> they can do, especially since you simply deserve those.
> Maybe you can look at schools where those two SLT members worked at before
> they moved to your current school, since their recommendation might go
> further at those schools?
>
> You might want to try international schools that follow the Southern
> hemisphere school calendar, but not many of those around (South America has
> a few decent options). The downside is that it's hard to transition back.
> Maternity cover roles or replacing teachers that pulled a runner at schools
> that follow the 'normal' calendar could work. With a child in need of
> education that would be better than waiting until after the Summer to begin
> a new job then.
>
> Have you signed up for Search, ISS and/or Schrole yet?
Thank you for your reply and support, it means a lot.
I have asked the SLT to put me in touch with colleagues, I am trying everything. Some of them have. It will mean relocating again, which will not be easy as we have just settled into our new home (shipping recently arrived) and life has been up in the air since August. But if we have to do it again, we will.
I am keeping my options open at the minute, applying everywhere. Signed up to Search (lovely people!) and will attend job fairs. Schrole s is pending, haven't heard of ISS, will search that now!
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Heliotrope
- Posts: 1171
- Joined: Sun May 13, 2018 1:48 am
Re: Resignation and reapplying help
> I am keeping my options open at the minute, applying everywhere. Signed up to Search
> (lovely people!) and will attend job fairs. Schrole s is pending, haven't heard of
> ISS, will search that now!
You could also try GRC and TES.
> (lovely people!) and will attend job fairs. Schrole s is pending, haven't heard of
> ISS, will search that now!
You could also try GRC and TES.
Re: Resignation and reapplying help
That's good news if you have successfully signed up for Search - if you have asked for references from your current school it means that they have provided ones which Search are happy enough with. Do look at TES - there are some January or April jobs on there (don't know your exact subject) and it's worth keeping an eye out for the Australian schools in places like Malaysia & Singapore which might still be advertising.