The International Schools Review Forum

When applying for a position would any of you email the head of the department directly if you found their email through a Google search in addition to emailing the one listed on their jobs page?

Thanks for any and all feedback.

I try to find it on the school's website first, then google if necessary. I email the principal a week after applying.

Not sure if there is much point in emailing the HOD. If anyone, you should email the building principal.

I'm curious about emailing the principal. Does it actually work? Surely this would just annoy him/her, as it is unsolicited? Am I wrong in assuming that schools have created specific channels for job applications, and attempting to circumvent these will at best cause annoyance?

Any principals care to comment? I just can't imagine that a principal will read through your email, and then go out of his way to flag your application, especially seeing as his secretary would probably screen his email anyway.

Or am I being naive?

I have had two interviews so far where I only got them because I emailed the elementary principal directly. In those situations, the elementary principal did the hiring for the elementary, but the director was listed as the decision-maker on Search.

I have had three interviews for and two of them came from emailing the principal directly, including the job I accepted. Like Bellarux, I wait about a week. In the email, I introduce myself and let them know I have officially applied for the position. I also attach my CV.
Good luck!

Do not email department head. They rarely have input in the hiring process in international schools.

Emailing the principal is fine particularly at large schools. The schools receive a large amount of applications and catching the attention of the principal through an email may get your application out of the pile.

I've emailed a principle a couple of times with no response. But hearing the positive responses here I will give it a try again in the future.