What would you do?

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Bellarex
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2012 10:39 pm

What would you do?

Post by Bellarex »

My wife and I have applied to only a dozen or so schools. We really didn't expect to be contacted by any of them for a while because, as that has been our experience in the past. If only schools would all contact me at the same time, I could really weigh our options! But, we all know that doesn't usually happen.

Anyway, we were asked to interview a day after submitting our applications to a great school in the ME, but it's probably 8-9th on our list. The interviews have gone very well, and we expect a contract offer. There are two other schools that are at the top of our list who we know are checking our references, but haven't contacted us for interviews yet. One of the reasons is that their teachers don't have to declare until Dec. 1, so they don't specifically know what openings they'll have (though I have insider knowledge that there will be room for us).

If you had a pretty good offer on the table, but high hopes that a dream job could come if you turn it down and wait, what would you do? Afterall, it's still only October.
shadowjack
Posts: 2138
Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am

Re: What would you do?

Post by shadowjack »

I would be honest. Tell the school you are very interested, but that you are waiting to hear from another school that you have tried to break into for years - and it looks promising. Give them a firm date to let them know by (the school which is going to offer you a job) and ask if it is possible to give a response shortly after your firm date. All they can say is no, and then you can move on with your life :-)

It will give the offering school insight into who you are (honest) and let them know you are interested. Everybody knows about the dream jobs that come along only once in awhile.

Good luck and keep us posted!
Bellarex
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2012 10:39 pm

Re: What would you do?

Post by Bellarex »

Thanks for the advice, Shadowjack. In the case that we are offered jobs and given a set amount of time (like a week) to respond, do you think it would be wise to contact the school that I know has checked our references to inquire about our status?

I know that schools won't outright give candidates hope by suggesting that they turn down present offers for a hope of a future one with them, but I'm just wondering if HRs will be honest about whether or not we're being looked at seriously or not. Does that make sense?
wntriscoming
Posts: 114
Joined: Mon Oct 01, 2012 3:44 am

Re: What would you do?

Post by wntriscoming »

We have done this, but only after the preferred school has interviewed us and we already have the other offer in our hands.

We have also had schools interview us and have been asked to let them know if we receive job offers so they can speed up their decision making process. Some schools prefer to hire at the fair, but if they have quality candidates and those candidates have other offers, they are sometimes willing to make offers earlier.

Hope this helps and that you land a great job!
PsyGuy
Posts: 10789
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

Response

Post by PsyGuy »

My advice is just the opposite. Even if youre the top candidate for a vacancy even the ME isnt going to wait a month or longer when their second choice will accept an offer. The reality is at this time of the year ISs arent going to drop everything to close a deal or make a decision in a week. The ME IS will say thank you, then withdraw their offer, or not offer you one.

THE GOOD:

Be honest as the previous contributors have written.

THE BAD:

Take the ME position, then wait to see what other offers you have and decide which one you want when you have other offers to compare them to.

THE UGLY:

Take the ME position, and then any further offers you have and wait until your departure at your top choice IS and then give the other ISs a story about a family emergency.
interteach
Posts: 210
Joined: Wed Nov 29, 2006 2:25 pm

Re: What would you do?

Post by interteach »

How nice, PsyCo, that you've reneged on your promise not to post in this forum any longer.

Not.

Just stop it with telling people that lying can be a worthwhile way to get a job. It's not just unscrupulous recruiters who can give international hiring and teaching a bad name. It's educators like you.

What astounds me is that you have no shame.

I"m so glad that you don't work at my school. I doubt you'd last long.
Walter
Posts: 325
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2012 10:39 am
Location: UK
Contact:

Re: What would you do?

Post by Walter »

So true, Interteach. I posted this on the other forum and had hoped that psyguy would comment:

"A word of warning about the posts from the redoubtable psyguy who, not for the first time, advises lying on your resume about past experiences, collecting false references, adding bogus qualifications and the like. I recently read a mass e mail about a teacher who was fired a couple of months into his contract and, after the fact, was found to have done exactly what psyguy had advised: mendacious claims about his university record in Texas, when in fact he'd been slung out; nominated referees who'd never heard of him; positions cited that he'd never held and so on. The teacher's name has been flagged far and wide in the international community, and he is now facing charges of fraud. Be careful!"
shadowjack
Posts: 2138
Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am

Re: What would you do?

Post by shadowjack »

Bellarex,

I would let your dream school know that you have an offer and that you have to let them know by a certain date.

If that is the case and the other school has indicated interest, then listen to the job offer from School A, contact school B, and see what happens.

Shad
Bellarex
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2012 10:39 pm

Re: What would you do?

Post by Bellarex »

Oooohh, did I create a thread with some drama? I've always wanted to be the cause of something juicy going down. Seriously though, I do have a conscience.. and integrity. I won't say never, but I'd have a hard time imagining a situation where I'd break contract. That said, I do believe PsyGuy was just giving the options. Being a crappy human being is certainly an option.

I've been thinking along the lines of what you just said, shadowjack. We have what I'm assuming is our final interview with the head of school this coming weekend. If they make an offer and give us the normal week period to deliberate, I'll contact our dream school who's checked our references and ask them what our status is. I'll keep you in the loop!
Bellarex
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2012 10:39 pm

Re: What would you do?

Post by Bellarex »

*Update.

I contacted my Search rep to ask the same question and they suggested contacting the dream school, so I did. Unfortunately, since the school is going the way of IB, they're looking for people with that experience, of which my wife and I have none. Boo. It's unfortunate that IB has to be so tricky to get into, it has cut me (and many others) off from a ton of great ISs. We'll likely take the offer from the ME school if given it, as it really is a good school, and we enjoy Cairo.

As I'm looking to get into admin in the next few years though, the possibility of ever getting into an IB school without that crucial experience is looking slimmer and slimmer. I doubt there are any credible IB ISs out there that would want to hire an admin without IB experience. Sigh..
shadowjack
Posts: 2138
Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am

Re: What would you do?

Post by shadowjack »

So expand your horizon. If you are interested in an IB school that hires the right non-IB teachers and trains them, you can contact me at expat over seas (all one word)and put the yaho and co with an m at the end. LOL

Either way, good luck!

Shad
Bellarex
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2012 10:39 pm

Re: What would you do?

Post by Bellarex »

;)
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