The International Schools Review Forum

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone had a fair report from GRC in Dubai earlier this month.

I heard that last year not a lot of jobs were going around (maybe it was still too early for schools?)

Were schools actually hiring this year rather than putting up tentative positions?

Speed

Heard of interviews, but nobody I knew who went got an offer.

The recruitment cycle can be summarized as below:
1. Elite/tier 1 schools either wait until the BKK / London fair to do their hiring.
2. Experienced single / teacher couples already have jobs by Nov or mid-Dec, thanks to Skype.
3. Exceptional math/sci teachers with trailing spouses do land jobs at big schools occasionally.
4. Everyone else land at tier 2/3 schools and wait for their turn by upgrading their skills/education.

The people I know who went last year didnt go this year, they were underwhelmed with the events last year and didnt see any benefit that justified the expense.

I know a teaching couple who went to GRC in Dubai. They say it was about twice the size as last year, and seemed much more relaxed than the ISS fair they went to several years ago. They accepted their #1 choice in Korea at an excellent school. There were tier 1 schools from all over they said, and offers being made to many top candidates.

fine dude wrote:
> The recruitment cycle can be summarized as below:
> 1. Elite/tier 1 schools either wait until the BKK / London fair to do their
> hiring.
> 2. Experienced single / teacher couples already have jobs by Nov or
> mid-Dec, thanks to Skype.
> 3. Exceptional math/sci teachers with trailing spouses do land jobs at big
> schools occasionally.
> 4. Everyone else land at tier 2/3 schools and wait for their turn by
> upgrading their skills/education.

From my experience, this isn't always the case anymore. I've got a trailing spouse and teach a subject that isn't particularly difficult to recruit for schools, so far I've had four interviews with elite schools and received two offers this week that we are currently deciding between.

I really think that the whole cycle is moving earlier and earlier for the whole market and if people presume that traditional timelines still apply then they could be missing out on some great opportunities.

Smurf wrote:
> fine dude wrote:
> > The recruitment cycle can be summarized as below:
> > 1. Elite/tier 1 schools either wait until the BKK / London fair to do their
> > hiring.
> > 2. Experienced single / teacher couples already have jobs by Nov or
> > mid-Dec, thanks to Skype.
> > 3. Exceptional math/sci teachers with trailing spouses do land jobs at big
> > schools occasionally.
> > 4. Everyone else land at tier 2/3 schools and wait for their turn by
> > upgrading their skills/education.
>
> From my experience, this isn't always the case anymore. I've got a trailing spouse
> and teach a subject that isn't particularly difficult to recruit for schools, so
> far I've had four interviews with elite schools and received two offers this week
> that we are currently deciding between.
>
> I really think that the whole cycle is moving earlier and earlier for the whole market
> and if people presume that traditional timelines still apply then they could be
> missing out on some great opportunities.

That was my hope (that the GRC would turn into a productive fair that actually hires people rather than interview and wait for tentative becoming definite)
It seems like a fair this early may hopefully fill that niche for schools that want to get a jump instead of waiting for ISS and Search.

@speedracer

It has nothing to do with timing, its about getting to ITs before they sign through a premium agency and the IS incurres a placement fee.