Visiting a school during the Summer for a tour?

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Heliotrope
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Visiting a school during the Summer for a tour?

Post by Heliotrope »

This Summer I will be travelling, and will also visit a city where there's a school where I would probably love to work at in a few years. I'm quite curious to see the campus.

I was thinking about emailing the school asking if I can have a look around the campus.
Might this work against me getting a job there?
(it might make me look desperate / like a stalker / unprofessional)

Or would it work in my favour?

This is assuming leadership would even hear about the request of course, and then remember my name a few years down the line.
It would be two weeks after their academic year ends, so not sure if someone from leadership (or anyone else) will even be there to show me around.

Can anyone share experiences/thoughts about doing this, and the effect it might have on my eventual application there?
And who should I email for a request like this?
sid
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Re: Visiting a school during the Summer for a tour?

Post by sid »

It would be fine, but probably not relevant to getting a job unless your visit was a lot closer to when you would want the job.
You may or may not get a yes, but probably yes. For a short tour, with whomever is around. Probably not a principal, but you never know.
I've met several interesting people in a similar fashion. Some turned into lasting connections and could potentially lead to jobs (for me or them, who knows) if we're ever both in the right scenario, right time. Others vanished into the night and I can barely remember they existed, much less their names.
teacher tan
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Re: Visiting a school during the Summer for a tour?

Post by teacher tan »

Many moons ago, when I was new to the international circuit, had a chance to attend a workshop at a top-tier school in SE Asia. Walked around during the coffee break, had a chat with the principal, exchanged business cards (with links to my blog and website), and got a job offer after 8 months. For a little background, I teach two of the high needs subjects in high school. Call me lucky, but attending PD at these schools or even presenting at EARCOS might give you a chance to leisurely introduce yourself and your work (unlike the stressful job fairs). Obviously, it comes down to how well you fit into their scheme of things at that point of time. If aiming for Europe, there are tons of similar opportunities from CIS, ECIS, AAIE etc.. I say lead a session or two, and let the word of mouth do the talking.

Another idea would be to work at their summer school (sport, STEM-related, creative writing, college essay, SAT prep etc.), do hell of a job, and the rest should be history.
Alternatively, you could connect to a teacher or office staff at your target school on LinkedIn and ask them if they would be willing to give you a guest tour. BTW, what region are you aiming for?
Thames Pirate
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Re: Visiting a school during the Summer for a tour?

Post by Thames Pirate »

We did tour of schools once (hitting several schools in a region over a few days since we were in the region anyway), and while one school on our list was not able to meet with us, the head did remember our reaching out the previous summer while we were at the job fair. We ended up with jobs there. It was also a valuable experience as we got to meet with two HR people. Neither school had jobs, but just talking with them and seeing the schools was insightful and, in one case, the HR lady actually said that if, on the off chance a job opened up, there was a key phrase she asked us to put in our application because she liked us so much. Sadly, nothing there, but we were still quite pleased with the results of our tour. Another remembered us several years down the road--and that's where we are now.

Talking to HR instead of HODs also gave us the chance to see what they look for in a CV or a cover letter, though meeting with HODs when they were a bit more relaxed in the summer was also helpful. Touring facilities allowed us to see the difference between a website image and reality. I really think that, even though many of those people would not remember us now (this was 8 years ago, and many people have also moved on), it was worthwhile for the intangibles if nothing else.
PsyGuy
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Response

Post by PsyGuy »

If you just want to see the campus and get a feel for it than present as if youre a parent and are considering the IS for a potential student. ISs do these kinds of tours all the time, no need for any recruiting drama. If your trying to angle or leverage it into a job than it depends on a lot of factors, could go either way, depends on the leadership, time of year, and a lot of other factors. Could go great could go not so great. If youre there I feel its worth the risk, your more likely to get a positive or neutral outcome than you are to get a negative one. The positive outcomes could well be an offer for early recruiting or first night recruiting and could even lead to an offer. The most probable negative outcome is they arent interested in your candidacy and your wasting their time on a tour.

If you just want a tour, contact the admissions office from their webpage. If your following the recruiting pathway your going to want to contact leadership, someone in senior leadership, contact the ISs general inquiry email and ask to have your request forwarded to the HOS, then wait for a response. You want to do so about a month before you want to visit.
Thames Pirate
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Re: Visiting a school during the Summer for a tour?

Post by Thames Pirate »

I would not recommend lying to admin if you want a job at that school. That should be common sense. Also, what is the benefit to presenting as a parent? If they have time for you as a teacher, great! Lucky you! If you make a poor impression during a more relaxed (on their end--you should treat it reasonably formally) tour of the school, you probably would have made a poor impression during a more formal interview. If they don't have time, you are where you started. So regardless of how it pans out, you are no worse off, but you could be better off. Coming as a parent means you get the admissions officer, which has no value at all, and it could be detrimental if you are caught in a lie. So no better off, but you could be worse off.

Why would anyone take that foolish advice?
PsyGuy
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Post by PsyGuy »

@Thames Pirate

Because you dont read well. As I wrote, "if you ONLY want to see the campus", an IS will make the time for a prospective parent, even if it is only an admissions officer you will get a tour, where as a potential candidate, an IS is more likely to decline (theyre busy, etc.).
wrldtrvlr123
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Re: Reply

Post by wrldtrvlr123 »

PsyGuy wrote:
> @Thames Pirate
>
> Because you dont read well. As I wrote, "if you ONLY want to see the
> campus", an IS will make the time for a prospective parent, even if it
> is only an admissions officer you will get a tour, where as a potential
> candidate, an IS is more likely to decline (theyre busy, etc.).
====================
I don't have any reading deficits. You literally wrote, "present as if you're a parent and are considering the IS for a potential student". Whether they only want to see the campus or not, it is still a misrepresentation that could bite them in the ass or at least be awkward/embarrassing down the line.
PsyGuy
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Post by PsyGuy »

@WT123

So what if its a misrepresentation? You have consistently held the position that subterfuge and deception are in of themselves bad and you consistently fail to demonstrate these wrongs or harms while engaging in them. Your interested in touring the campus for potential student, take tour, go home, how does it possibly "bite them in the ass" or in any way be awkward or embarrassing? Dont have kids, your looking for a friend who is relocating in X time for their child since you will be in the area. Nobody cares about a a parent tour.
shadowjack
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Re: Visiting a school during the Summer for a tour?

Post by shadowjack »

<rifles through the cupboard for another pack of popcorn, puts it in the microwave, and after, opens it up and sits on the couch, munching away...>
teacher tan
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Re: Visiting a school during the Summer for a tour?

Post by teacher tan »

Nice improvement, no butter this time. I say avoid microwaving, too. Carcinogens, mate. Google it up.
PsyGuy
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Post by PsyGuy »

More an air popped popcorn person myself with a little spray of EVO and then salt and pepper, shake to distribute.
Thames Pirate
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Re: Visiting a school during the Summer for a tour?

Post by Thames Pirate »

So lying is okay if you only want to see the campus? I got what you said, but why would you want to see the campus and not take advantage of potential networking? Why shoot yourself in the foot (admin move, you know) for any future jobs and peg yourself a liar? There is literally NOTHING to be gained by presenting as a parent.
secondplace
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Re: Visiting a school during the Summer for a tour?

Post by secondplace »

I'd have thought it was quite obvious not to misrepresent yourself or lie to somewhere you may have an interest in working at.

Actually, I'd have thought it was obvious not to lie, deceive or cheat in life.
PsyGuy
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Post by PsyGuy »

@Thames Pirate

Maybe you only want to see the campus, your not looking for a position right now which is years away. Maybe you want to get a feel about the IS without committing to a conversation with leadership.
Your just assuming your shooting yourself in the foot, "Hi want to tour your IS, as a potential student", admissions officer or someone gives you the tour, you lave, leadership isnt even likely to know your there, and even if somehow down the road they are, you were looking for a family friend who was relocating to the area, and you were in the area, so they asked you to take a look and take some pictures.
Why would you go that route and not just present as an IT angling for a job, because they are more likely to say no to an impromptu job interview vs. a parent interest tour, so yes there is something to gain, and nothing to lose.

@secondplace

Right, so does Diogenes have you on his short list?
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