NO prospective nibbles so far …. One week after the interview and no news …. What if the school admin changes their mind? …. Schools in Sudan are not even contacting us …. My husband accidentally hit the Skype-camera button while only in his underwear!
Recruiting for International teaching positions is full of annoyances, replete with uncertainty and self-doubt that can throw even the most seasoned of us into an emotional tailspin. Are the emotional highs and lows worth it? Experienced international educators answer with a resounding YES, but going through it in isolation can be tough.
The ISR Recruiting Annoyances Blog was created specifically for sharing recruiting-related thoughts and experiences. Here’s an opportunity to “blow off a little steam” and offer fellow candidates feedback and support….and get some for yourself. Staying in tune with the progress, experiences and reactions of colleagues will help us ALL understand our individual situation and might even add some stress relief, as well!
…………..Recruiting Annoyances:
“So far, our job search has gotten us diddly squat. One ‘see ya at the fair,’ a couple of ‘your resume has been forwarded to so and so,’ and one outright rejection. In a way, I actually prefer the rejection; at least that means they’re communicating with us and our resumes haven’t just been thrown into a void. Any one else in this boat?”
“My nerves are frayed after signing a contract at the AASSA fair. I have not heard a word from anyone. People are coming to my house to buy my furniture; the realtor is listing my house, and no word. What if they change their mind? I am in a very difficult position if they do. Nothing seems to be easy, whether you get offered a job or not. Either way, we teachers seem to have to just wait, and wait, and wait. Any advice?”
“He accidentally clicked ‘camera’ and there he was in his underwear! We had our third Skype interview early this morning. Unfortunately, due to extreme time differences we needed to be up very early. My husband woke late and barely made it to the computer BUT during the interview he accidentally clicked the camera ON and there he was, sitting in his underwear!! The head of school and department head quickly excused themselves and said they would be contacting us again at a later date. Now what?”
We originally published this Article in 2013.
It will be interesting to compare teachers’ comments
from 2013 with those added in 2016.
In what ways has the recruiting process evolved in the past 3 years?
ISR Discussion Boards 
Here is a new topic for discussion and really just an opportunity to vent and hopefully get opinions, if anyone is interested. I knee jerked into my current position from a very prestigious school that, with hindsight, really looked after their staff. Due to a change in priority for my subject, a personal clash with the principal and also because I was promised solid gold toilets in this new school under the bright lights of HK. Anyway, it was not to be, lies were told, the school turned out to be a local school with delusions of internationalism and numerous other issues that made it unsuitable for me. So, having contributed well, made some effective changes and also because I still have the fibbing emails, I am prepared to move on with glowing references.
I was made two offers, one of which I felt was ideal. The other was in a school where I would be working with a friend but was not ideal for what I want. The job I was about to accept, seemed on paper the right move and so I did my due diligence (ISR and colleague opinions around the world.) The reviews here were all bad and talked about a profit motivated school that would try to con teachers, a bully boy secondary principal who would become enraged as well as mysteriously changing contracts from first draft to final. These were all red flags, but the most recent review was from three years ago and seeing as I hadn’t experienced any of this, I began to accept the offer. I realize this was silly. Then there was radio silence for a few weeks, despite emails prompting a response, then I received the final contract. Upon looking at it, the money was halved, having taught Drama for my NQT year, then running a behavioral unit in the UK, then training teachers in Malaysia, I returned to head of drama for the past three years. All other schools have accepted this as coming up to nine years teaching. They have said that they would only recognize three. The contract did not demonstrate or even mention a pay scale and there were some really draconian clauses about changing your duties, no holiday entitlement for the first twelve months etc. The behaviors that had been mentioned had begun, I emailed back to request the school policy on recognized teaching years, the pay scale and also mentioned concerns about a number of clauses that I would have my ex-girlfriend recruitment lawyer have a look at.
The principal responded immediately with an emotive and unprofessional email stating that a lawyer could not look at a private contract, that the pay scale was none of my business and that my, “dedication to the school,” was in question. The gist of this email was, sign the contract as it is or there is no job. Obviously I politely declined the bully boy and made my way back to the drawing board. The same school was one that hired a known pedophile according to ISR and one that I intend to write a 2016 review about, stating that the previous reviews are spot on.
My annoyance now seems to be, I am going for everything that matches my skill set and requirements, but like other posts here getting an acknowledgement but little else. I am signing with search but will be unable to attend any fairs. Do people think it is too late in the year for a good school? I am usually sorted by now but the lack of posts and lack of responses is making me a little nervous.
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Thanks for the comments but please let the teaching community know what country you are talking about. I understand that naming the school is not professional but the country is a great help. It will ensure that a lot of other teachers will be cautious of accepting positions there if the practices are common in that country.
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I intend to post a full review on the actual school ISR, but apologies, it was Bahrain.
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Thank you Matthew. I have worked in Kuwait several years ago and not a single word they stated at recruitment was completed once I accepted the position. I will be interested to read your review as I also had a colleague who was the inaugural Principal of a new school there and he has left the school.
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I often tell my teenage daughter: “The world doesn’t revolve around you.” Evidently, having read the comments below, people go well into life never letting go of this illusion. I’m in my 50s and was just hired after a two year search (ie, three teaching seasons). I also applied to 30 university positions after completing my Ph.D. and found that market no more willing to build their worlds around me. When a school gets 100 or 200 applications, do you really expect them to keep all 100-200 of you updated as to their moves? Consider yourself lucky if you get a rejection letter well after the process ends. I was promoted to administration this year and hired two teachers. Administrators are busy people, as are HR resources, and as much as I’d like notifications, the world doesn’t revolve around me.
That said, the international teaching job market is tough…like the job market everywhere. I got my first job because I knew someone. The pay was low, there was no training, technology was unreliable, housing marginal at best, but our students were wonderful, Then a management fight led to 75% of the teachers leaving. I stayed and helped rebuild the program, but all the while trying to find a position with upward capability. No one was interested. So I kept doing more – building my resume. I helped initiate programs of all kinds. Still no bites. I accepted a position in administration and kept fixing things. With all of this on my CV I went to the Search Bangkok fair with with teaching spouse and we got one interview. Everywhere we were told “you’re not a good match for the position,” either one of us or the other. Finally our hard work landed us a suitable position in a location we had agreed not to consider. They gave us 48 hours to decide, and the ISR reviews were bad. We took a chance.
The problem is, schools are looking for the perfect candidates, particularly early on, so if you’re part of a teaching couple, both of you have to be perfect. Moreover, if you have a child you might find a perfect school with no place for your child. That makes three perfect fits or you’re out. Even worse, if you have a family you need the security of a job before May or August. For two years we simply had to give up late in spring and keep our low pay and frustration. But rather than pout we worked hard. I had to take solace in Bangkok that, if I didn’t be a job, at least the school directors recognized me as I approached them and told me why I wasn’t a fit. My CV made an impression – wow! Make the most of whatever you’re dealt. If whining gets you anywhere, I hope it is nowhere near me.
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I think your reply to this question is bang on the money. If I meet/have to work with any more teachers who think they are deserving of increasing responsibility, without putting in the hard graft, I will scream. And yes, I am an ‘oldie’ who finds this type of attitude particularly with younger hires.
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To summarise your post:
First paragraph: sneering condescension by an academic who thinks he’s had it rough. Yes, we are painfully aware of what you are stating here. Yet I think it’s understandable if people vent their frustrations over not being able to get hired. We’ve all been there and we’ve all had them, except apparently you, of course. Should we all be as fortunate as to emulate your Zen-like calm. While I am sure you have been this way your entire life, I can certainly recall when I was younger how I used to react to adversity, and it wasn’t always good. Fortunately in the decades since I can say that I have gotten better, as I would hope and think most of us probably have. Save the lectures for your daughter.
You hold yourself up as an example of perseverance-it only took you two years to find a (I’ll assume this since it isn’t stated) tenure track position? Count yourself lucky-I personally know Ph.Ds who have spent over a decade searching with no luck and no end in sight (one landed a tenure-track job after almost 15 years of trying). You are hardly an example worth aspiring to, and you’ve certainly not had it rough.
Second paragraph: self-aggrandizing puffery. “I did this…” “I did that…” “The situation was crap but I made it better because I am an awesome individual”. Anyone who has been on the international teaching circuit for a while will have a story about how they were dealt a bad hand, made the best of it and then moved on to something better. Yet what I don’t often see are these people bragging about it on this website.
TLDR: another patronising academic who seems to think he has something of value to offer by way of personal experience, yet not realising he has nothing to offer at all.
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Have you ever met one of those people who thinks Mark Twain is a racist? It is all right there in Huck Finn, isn’t it? Let’s see, I make less than most people I know (even as my career reaches a twilight), I work nights and weekends to keep up, I’ve aged five years in the last two, spent thousands of dollars on fees and fairs, my family can’t stand where we live, and now in my third year of search I’ve taken a job at a blacklisted school in a place we want to live even less. Oh, who wouldn’t want to walk disciple-like in my footsteps? I’m so proud!
Indeed, the process is brutal – like the job search process elsewhere, and like it was in the 90s when my new teaching credentials got me nowhere in repeated searches (so I decided to do grad degrees to bolster my marketability), but it’s not going change for me. The little power I have is over myself, my job, and my CV. After 20 years trying to get a good teaching job, I for one am desperate to succeed in the few years I have left.
I must admit, however, this site is for griping. Have at it, but don’t forget which things you can control.
A.G., something seems to have left you bitter, petty, and oddly anti-academic; I’m sure that attitude will take you far.
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From the second paragraph of the blog entry introduction:
“Here’s an opportunity to “blow off a little steam” “.
People are coming on here and doing just that. Who are you to criticise them for it when it is CLEARLY STATED THAT THEY ARE INVITED TO DO SO?
If your intent was to offer constructive criticism, you shouldn’t need to be told how badly you have missed the mark. But you do.
I suppose you think you came off sounding like someone with some profound words of wisdom to offer on the subject, but instead you came off sounding like a resentful nag.
People generally come to places like this looking for a place to vent or helpful and useful advice. What you wrote qualifies as neither of the latter. If that was your intent, you could have-and should have-phrased it differently so it would have sounded less like a lecture and more like the advice I suppose it was intended to sound like.
Finally, it’s funny that you bring up my attitude-have you ever stopped and asked yourself that maybe it’s your attitude that has been a contributing factor in you winding up where you are?
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Here’s a perspective that seems slightly different yet again from those that were posted before: I’m not too serious about the job search this season. I was recently offered an indefinite contract by my current school in Germany. German labor laws are very much in favor of employees, so an ‘indefinite’ contract here pretty much amounts to tenure… Now, the pay stinks compared to many other international schools, but I’m a bit of a ‘rock star’ teacher (as someone else here called it) at this particular school, due to experience at higher-tier schools. So why not? It’s certainly a less stressful gig than others I’ve been in. And frankly: All that elitarian, nose-up-in-the-air baloney going around the international school scene? Been there, done it. It gets old. Just remember: That “top-tier” administrator has to take a shit and wipe like all the rest of us. The truly great administrators are the ones who know that and act with corresponding humility.
I guess the point to all of this is: The less seriously you take it, the more interesting it becomes. I’ve already been offered a job, and right around this time of the school year, the schools begin to contact us (I’m part of a teaching couple…) pretty regularly.That’s not to brag, by the way. It took time to get to this point, and it ain’t the top prestigious schools that contact us either…
Good luck to you all!
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For me, things this year seem about the same as what I’m reading form 2013. I never though that after all this schooling and study and experience I would be treated like a disposable commodity. I’m feeling rather down about the entire thing. But I won’t give up! It just takes one school to say YES.
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I know why no one wants me. I have 17 years experience, 10 of which in IB, including two summer workshops and setting up several programmes of English study, ESL and A and B. I have also three years experience in IGCSE and am a certified oral examiner. But I’m 61.
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Yes John, I believe that many of us are faced with this same situation. If it is not the excuse of the country/company cannot get you a visa , then its you are at the top of the scale through hard work and study, and lets face it they think they can get half a dozen new graduates to run the place. New graduates have to get a start but not all in the one school.?? The worse excuse I have ever heard is old people meaning us surely would have a lot of health problems wouldn’t they?? It is very hard these days and sometimes people write that you can get into certain countries because they are still in a place but they got there at a much earlier age.
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Know only too well what you mean! I have 33 years teaching experience (25 overseas on three different continents)) including IB Diploma (History) and IBMYP (History, Geography, English), IGCSE (History, Geography) and KS3 (History, Geography, English, Mathematics) and have also worked as an oral English examiner for the British Council. I travelled from Seoul this January to attend a recruitment conference at which I managed to attend two interviews with no reply from either. In the last 14 months I’ve easily applied for 100+ posts and can count the replies on the fingers of one hand. I’ve worked at a school before wher4e the secretary informed me that she was to bin immediately any applications from folk over 50 – I’m now 58, back in the outrageously expensive UK, haven’t worked since the end of July (a summer course in the UK) and seriously doubt if I will again.
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Shaun,
Just trying to be helpful!! ADEC are also looking for teachers who have extensive experience in English, Maths & Science and will employ if you have 2 years before 60. When they get into dire need they often go over 60 for some vacancies The British Council work all over the world and they often have vacancies in countries that are somewhat not the favorites but never mind it is paid work. January is a good time to pick up some work as there are always runners in the December/January holidays. Just trying to offer some support and ideas.
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Hey John,
Forgot, it can get even worse if you return to your country of qualification. Despite teaching mostly at British-style international schools of an academic quality equal to the best UK independent schools on agency suggested I do some voluntary work or work as an assistant teacher to gain a reference of some sort as I had not worked in the UK for 12 year4s.
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For any teacher looking at foreign employment you need to have an understanding of the work visa laws of the country you are looking to secure work. Many can’t take on applicants from 60 years of age and reluctant to take on a teacher who may turn 60 during the terms of the contract.
Then there will be schools in countries where you might meet the age limit but the school has a preference not to employ mature aged teachers. Ultimately they decide who they wish to employ so if you are faced with such a situation then you need to move on & look at alternative options.
As a recruiter for over 10 years in the international education market my best advice is to be realistic, have a point of difference and manage expectations. Align yourself with the right people who have your best interests in securing you employment and make sure your application comes from a “what I can offer you” rather then “this is why you should employ me” approach. Good luck!
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That is really sound advice, Michael. I worked at a Cambridge School in Doha and the Acedemic Principal constantly reminded the staff to offer solutions rather seek them out.
I also recommend that it is not advisable to trade on qualifications and years of experience. Sure one needs to be acknowledged for these but at the end of the day its what you can do not what you have previosly acheiev ed. New employers trust CVs, references and what they see in the interview. There is no guarantee from either side.
We need to adapt our mindset from a community of earners to that of a community doers/producers. (This mindset is all over the globe, an expectation to be employed rather than create employment).
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I hear you loud and clear. I am 64 and have run into the same obstacle. I have had one-two which have acknowledged that I am not disposable, but it is indeed disheartening. I’m still looking and hoping that my efforts and experience will be rewarded.
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My advice is to look at the local job openings in the country of your choice. Many schools do not use Search or TIE.
Also, look for immediate openings after the 1st semester as some schools have openings. I have had schools contact me mid year asking if I needed a job (as my resume was still on file there).
Oh and what is wrong with working at a non top tier school? I’ve worked at a 3rd tier school and enjoyed it.
Lastly, I have never been to a fair and probably never will. I got my last 2 jobs based on knowing admin quite well. I am 100% happy at my current school and have no plans to leave anytime soon. I think quite a bit of landing a good job is who you know. Network, network, network.
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54 is fine, terms of the various national work permit requirements. Closer to sixty and you’ll begin to experience problems, as many countries have ‘cut off’ points at sixty.
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No you are not too old.I started work in the United Arab Emirates at 57. There is a link on this site that has a synopis of age in lots of countries in the world. Or look on Teach Overseas as that it what it reverts to when you find it. Also there are lot of comments on this site about age. The best thing to do if none of that works for the place you are thinking of going to is Google the place and ask is there an age limit for Teachers in ………………..
Hope this helps.
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Can anyone share what they know about what ages schools in various areas while hire? I’m 54, an experienced teacher, married to another experienced teacher (also 54) and I’m finding all sorts of contradictory information on whether we are “too old.” Thanks,
S
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In China the cut off age is officially 60( and it is supposedly owing to high premiums for medical insurance(not really valid as the only medical insurance cover you will get is for accidents). It all depends on the schools and they usually see maturity and experience as threats, and financially prohibitive. There are exceptions though. My mentor, a geologist from Germany, started a career at the age of 63 at a famous university and has recently passed on at the age of 75, having worked most of the time.
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As someone who has been through the recruiting process three times, I agree with many of the things said above. Namely, It is very stressful, it is a full-time job, and often times, Admins simply won’t acknowledge you. Schools really should set up an email just for incoming apps, and put an auto-response on it. Honestly though, the negative admin sentiment really isn’t helpful or realistic. I believe that I’ve been around long enough to confidently say that in 2nd and 1st tier schools, admins are generally of pretty high quality, with a few outliers as the exception. Julia’s advice, written above, on how to beef up your CV is especially true, and is a must for teachers looking to move schools vertically. This is the business world, and it’s competitive out there.
Generally speaking, I believe that my experience might serve as a road map to many young and/or inexperienced international teachers. Expect things to start rough and then get better.
1st Job Fair – 2003, young, not even done with college, attended job fair not really knowing anything about the international school landscape. I loved the idea of actually living somewhere I would want to go on vacation. Italy, Switzerland, or South America would be so cool! I also heard about teachers making/saving lots of money on websites like this. No responses from anyone before the job fair. Ended up with only one offer at a 3rd tier school in Eastern Europe. Stayed for 3 years. It was a little bit like college for the second time. Lived in communal housing, drank too much cheep beer, traveled a ton, saved 10K USD. In the end, I went back home and got a masters degree in a new subject area.
2nd Job Fair – Now I knew a few things about IS’s, but I was starting fresh again. No schools would give us the time of day, before the fair, even though we are in highly-sought-after upper school positions. Landed jobs in SE Asia, at an avg 2nd tier school. Took Julia’s advice and took any leadership/service opportunity that I could get my hands on. Basically, I wanted to be a 1st tier teacher working at a 2nd tier school. Had to deal with push back from old guard teachers/sometimes admin who didn’t want things to change, and couldn’t go the extra mile. Traveled at every opportunity – over 80 days/year. Saved about 40K/yr as a teaching couple. Loved our housing. Life was very good. Maid 5X week, and gardner 1X week. After just 1 and 1/2 years, someone we networked with in the IS community suggested that we apply early for unlisted openings at our dream school. We had applied there just two years earlier, and they hadn’t given us the time of day.
3rd time – Had to fill out dream school’s extensive application, and get on Search, bleh! Applied for now newly-listed openings at dream school, and our person on the inside put in a good word for us. Got an email back from head of HR within 24 hours. Did a 1hr. skype interview in mid Nov. Did another short fluffy interview with the headmaster about 1 week later, and got contract offers in late Nov, just days before our previous school’s re-hire date. We didn’t have to give up our jobs, or even think about going to a job fair. We continue to travel all the time – getting close to 50 countries now. We save over 100K USD/Yr. We work in a school that isn’t perfect, but it’s about as good as it gets. Standards are high; Co-workers say that they were ROCKSTAR teachers at previous schools, and here they are only average. Our housing in great – valued at 5K month. We live in a large metropolitan city that offers everything, has excellent public transport, isn’t choked with pollution (but is pretty bad), but does have some drawbacks.
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Hi there, sounds amazing. What country are you in to be able to save that much a year?
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I have 3 years experience in teaching PYP. I am living in Singapore now. I have applied to almost all international schools in Singapore. Two acknowledged receiving the application others didn’t even do that. Some school do say that they are going to the recruitment fair, does it mean ‘don’t bother to apply we will give preference to candidates in the fair’. It’s frustrating and very disheartening.
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Can anyone list places to find schools that will take you with less that 2 years experience (ie. currently an NQT) please? I have been teaching 4 years and I’m desperate to go abroad and teach but my partner is currently an NQT – we keep being knocked back for interviews when I tell them about my partner…At the least has anyone worked in a school that helps you out if you take your partner with you and they have to search for a job or supply work on arrival? Any hep or advice appreciated- Many thanks!
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Hannah……there are many schools who are happy to have teaching couples, regardless of their NQT status or lack of teaching certification entirely. Mexico is certainly one of them but be aware that compensation packages are rather poor there. The American School of Queretaro is a very well run place and treats their teachers well,more or less.
In Germany, the International School of Stuttgart is open to finding work for teaching couples and is an excellent place to earn very good salaries, as well as enjoy the quality of life in Europe. The Middle East is also very easy-going about teaching qualifications and the American International School of Kuwait is among the most lenient but poorly run as it is an owner managed ,for profit golden goose school so to speak…that said the compensation package is more than adequate if you can put up with the other inconveniences in that part of the world.
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Hannah,
Do your homework before you travel abroad. In the Middle East and GCC countries eg Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain you cannot live with your partner. Another issue is many employers will tell you that they will put you through your NQT year but they do not and if your partner is currently completing his then wait until he has finished before you travel abroad. If he does not complete it and the travelling does not work out then he will be very disadvantaged by not having his NQT year completed. The salaries in some places sound good but when you convert them to your currency it does not come to much. If you have committments in your home country there will not be much to party with. So this website has a lot of information about schools and YES some of it is biased and the persons opinion only but if you read a range of views you will soon come to conclusions about the quality of the school. Some places are awash with NQT’s who have been told that schools will support/mentor them only to find NOTHING IS IN PLACE WHEN THEY GET THERE. Be Careful. Even use this forum to find out information from Teachers who are in the location or school.
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wow thank you – that was really helpful – I’ll look up some of those schools. Some people have said to me that middle eastern schools wont be interested in us/wont allow us to live together because we aren’t married. Do you know anything about this? THANKS 🙂
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Hannah….my wife and I weren’t married when we lived in Kuwait and Mexico and nobody cared BUT when we went to Germany, it became a real issue so we got married! Check with the school, and or the US embassy in the country (if there is one or the Canadian/British if there isn’t) to see if being shacked up is OK…..I’d refer to it as common law marriage rather than being shacked up:))
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oh right, I’ll do that – thanks again!
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Hannah,
I am presently in The United Arab Emirates and believe me that in an Islamic country you will not be able to live together and in fact most schools are relucant to even employ both of you and allocate individual apartments to you. So at your own peril believe Wee D and then you will have no one to blame. I am in my sixth year here and could recite to you daily incidents that make the paper and in some cases individuals end up in Jail because of their activities.
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Oh right, thanks for the warning.. I think we will stick to trying for jobs in Mexico and East Asia..hopefully they will take my less experienced partner and we wont have to rush getting hitched… literally any schools anyone can think of that we can apply to would be great thanks, I’m searching for a needle in a haystack…
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Thanks Hannah for taking my responses seriously. Have you looked up all the positons available on Times Education Supplement and has your boyfriend checked out the situation if he breaks his NQT year? There is a question regarding why one cannot live together in The Emirates in this mornings National newspaper and I can send you the answer if you are interested. Think about your boyfriend finishing his year and then the world will be your oyster or do as others here have done and come alone and their partner follows a few months later.
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Oh I think I’ve not explained myself properly sorry – he is currently in his NQT year and we will stay in our jobs until Aug when he will be finished and have full QTS status – we have applied only to jobs starting in Aug 2013 when this will be the case – the schools keep replying however saying that they would interview me but not Tom due ot a lack of experience… we need to find schools that aren’t rigid on the ‘must have two years teaching experience’ which most state on their website… does that make sense? it’s even more frustrating that he had a year as a cover supervisor before his PGCE so he has worked in schools for 3 years in total…it’s very disheartening…
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Dear Hannah,
Thank you so much for clarifying your position. Does your partners CV reflect the information that you have just written on this forum? Many many schools here take Teachers who have only just completed their NQT year but please do not be disappointed if you are looking at the ADEC positions and getting this reply as that is what they require. These positions are very hard work and the fall out rate is very high. There are many new schools opening in the UAE and other places for the next academic year and you should try Qatar as they are building capacity in all areas due to their successful FIFA 2022 World Cup bid. There are many schools who take 1 Teacher and find a position for their partner. You may be getting this response if they think that you want to live together as I explained it is a big NO NO here. The best you will get is to gain 2 positions independently for the same school and get two apartments. What you do in your private time provided you are discreet is another complete situation. One just does not go around stating that you live together in this country as it is against the law and schools in general make it their business to ensure that you obey the law as huge fines can be given to schools for not complying. I do not know if you are familar with job fairs but some of my colleagues have a lot of success at these fairs and others just put in a very well presented CV that states all that you are able to offer the school like extra curricular activities and abilities that you can offer them. Hope this helps you both. Catherine
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Brilliant – thanks for giving us some hope – I was starting to think schools wouldnt look at us with the experience he has – maybe we need to emphasise our position more on our cover letters. I hadn’t applied to any middle East jobs but will look into Qatar – thanks for the heads up about applying separately! I think I will try sending out my own feelers for a while as I think we have missed the boat on lots of job fairs and lots of people seem to be very disgruntled by them on this forum…Thanks again Catherine – best of luck in your career abroad!
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Dear Hannah,
Thanks for your response. I am not sure you have missed the Job Fairs as there is one on in London at the present time. You can Google job fairs and look at the dates and where they are being held. Go for quality not quantity if you are positive where you want to work. Singapore/Hong Kong/ Asia in general apart from many places that employ ESL staff who are not qualified are better places to go to when you are between 25-40 and then you can stay. Getting into some places once you are nearing even 50 can be difficult. Of course it all depends on what your area of expertise is and if it is highly sort after then your chances are better. Do your research on this forum as many past topics have had excellent contributions made to them by experienced educators. Cheers
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Dear Hannah and Catherine, I taught in Dubai and things are very lax there. It is absolutely no problem to live with your partner if you are not married. Although technically illegal it is not enforced. Possible not the case in other emirates. Also, my advice it to look at TES and apply directly to schools. Tier one schools in Dubai are excellent and will offer accommodation for you both. Mine did. Avoid any school in the middle east associated with the government and old apply for those that are private, non for profit schools.
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It is all about appearances and what you appear and present. Good teaching doesn’t matter not does having any sort of principals or standards. recruiting fairs are a joke and an insult. I have know many of terrible teacher get positions because they can kiss the back side, while others go un-touched because they do not play the game.
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A lovely post, William. And a perfect antidote to the ghastly post apparently written by a recruiter. More, please!
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Actually, ANONYMOUS, it was written by a a non-disgrunted TEACHER who is tired of whiners. I have landed great jobs because I did what I suggested. I put in the work in it paid off. Life is full of disappointments – why should your job search be any different? Why does this intimidate you so much? And, oh, I don’t need to go to job fairs because I learned how to “play the game” through building a CV that is taken seriously and am happily settled in my dream school. You?
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Ooh that sounds brilliant – do you have any tips/advice for cv building please? …totally new to all of this!
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Hannah – the reality is that we are a dime-a-dozen in most teaching positions (HS Math or Physics/Chemistry) might be the exceptions). If you want to secure a position at a top school (whatever that might be for you). Build genuine relationships. So many positions are top schools are filled by directors recommending candidates to each other. Secondly, and I think more importantly, is to take on leadership roles outside of your job description. Those teachers who leave when the last bell rings and spend their time socializing (or usually whining) are not the ones making any real systemic change in schools. Everyone notices them (even though they think no-one is looking). The CV writes itself after you have gone beyond the sheepish work-ethic of many teachers. This international teaching world is very small, but once you have made a name for yourself, possibilities open up. Have no fear, many good schools hire first time international teachers. If you highlight leadership roles (lead teacher, PD trainer, etc.) your CV will start standing out against the masses. Once you are abroad, the cream rapidly moves to the top. The outstanding teachers are offered internal promotions much faster than at home schools. International schools like to hire from within for leadership roles. Good luck – it is a process but well worth it. STAY AWAY FROM THE WHINERS both at school and here on this forum. They are usually the ones who leave at 3:30 and then are indignant when no-one takes them seriously. It is amazing how many international teachers feel they are ‘entitled’ to interviews and positions simply because they have taught internationally.
I am a H.S. teacher, by the way, with no interest in administration.
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I have also had my share of rejection letters, interviews gone nowhere and silent replies.
One thing that saddens me is you never know why.
Perhaps
it was filled internally,
your tie was slightly crooked or
they really need to diversify their staff demographics
You can do everything in an application perfectly, dot the “i” s, cross the “t”s and fit the job like a glove but never hear why someone else got the job.
It’s hard when you put in hours of research time, and form filling, psyche yourself up to meet the boss and have no idea if your ‘description of a difficult situation’ sounded right.
A job application is an investment of time and a job hunting season is a lot of hours.
If you pick and choose and you WILL put all your eggs in the same basket.
If you do too many applications you WILL make that typo that will mean you are completely discredited.
It’s hard to force another smile after the upteenth refusal.
As an applicant you must dust yourself off and square your shoulders each time but it doesn’t get easier with repetition.
There is nothing fun about job hunting but I promise we’re trying to solve the same problem as you. Filling a job.
Why else would we fill out those application forms, resume templates and write those covers letters?
So on behalf of job applicants everywhere to potential interviewers I apologise if we sound tired when our appointment has come.
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Some advice for neophyte international teachers. If you are committed to staying international for the long run and want to move up your perceived tiers of schools, you must be willing to take on more than classroom teaching. In many subject specialties, you are a dime a dozen. My director commented that for a High School History or Upper Elementary position, she sees upwards of 100 CVs. She simply does not have the time to interview all these people even though there are many outstanding possibilities in the pile. You may be an outstanding teacher with super references, but half of those other applicants have the same credentials. If, on the other hand, you lead the accreditation committee, took on CAS coordination, conduct PD for the staff or supplement your classroom teaching with something beyond what is expected contractually, your chances of an a successful interview and offer rise dramatically. While positions like Yearbook Supervisor and Swimming coach are noble, most people have these types of responsibilities.
In addition, you should foster international school connections. Like it or not, who you know will open doors. Don’t take rejections or lack of prompt communication personally; I have a hefty file of thank you but no thank yous.
While this might contradict my earlier statement, I think there is some value in ‘flooding the market’. While it is time consuming and soul-stealing, your CV has to be seen even if it is one of the many. Sometimes it is a matter of timing. Your CV lands on a desk at just the right time and you are just the right person. We landed our top choice school because I dragged my lazy self out of bed one early Saturday morning to complete their lengthy on-line application (despite being active on ISS and Search). Two weeks later we were signing contracts. It is a battle worth fighting.
Lastly, ignore the negativity on this site and others. People want to drag you down with their inability to deal with their disappointments. I have seen very few examples of quality people not getting the types of offers they want.
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Really, Mike? You’re “not sure how these schools are getting re-accredited with this kind of human resources” when those human resources apparently involve “hiring teachers with advanced subject degrees”? It’s not like they’re hiring hobos off the street–according to you, they’re hiring people with advanced degrees in the subject, for heaven’s sake! And Catherine…isn’t it possible that the blurb of “we only employ the best” might apply to some of these new teachers? I am absolutely floored by the sense of entitlement of many of the posters on this board. Funny how if you’re given the job offer, it must be because you’re the best! But if someone else gets the job offer, it must be because they’re younger, or newer, or cheaper, or easier “to push around,” or some other nebulous factor. Maybe, just maybe, they’re the best hire. Both of you at one time were new to the field, and I’m certain you thought YOU were plenty qualified at the time, and I’m certain you thought the HR director was making the right choice.
Newsflash: nobody owes anyone a job. If you decide you want a second career later in life, or you want to teach overseas because you think it will be fun! and exciting! and you’ll be just like a cultural anthropologist!…or if you just didn’t plan well when you were younger and now find yourself HAVING to work, or if you think it’s ethical to double-dip and take full-time pay while also getting a pension while younger generations struggle to even get a toe into the workforce…well, all those things are all on you, and it’s not incumbent on any HR department to take those things into consideration or automatically defer to what you obviously think is your superior wisdom. Being young and new doesn’t automatically mean you’re a better candidate…but by the same token, being older and having experience also doesn’t automatically make you the better candidate. Plenty of bad teachers who’ve been in the field for years, and plenty of outstanding teachers who have to get their first job SOMEWHERE.
And lest you think I’m some newbie viciously defending my turf: I’m a 52 year-old IB school administrator, looking on this board to see what are some of the perceived issues from the other side of the hiring line. Only to find myself shocked (and frankly, a little sickened) at the attitudes that some of you are displaying on many of these discussion threads. Might want to put some thought into whether that entitled, bitter, and haughty attitude is impacting your ability to find work. Yes, I understand that this board is a place to vent…but I have been on the hiring end of the search many, many times, and trust me: whether an applicant realizes it or not, the sour and entitled attitude generally comes through. And nobody wants to work with someone like that, regardless of age and experience. In case you hadn’t noticed, we’re in a global recession, with many, many applicants for every available position. Too many good and promising candidates to waste time with anyone who thinks they’re God’s gift to education just because they’ve been on this earth a little longer than some others.
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If you were current on your research, you would know that THE deciding factor in making a good teacher is experience. So not necessarily being in the on the earth a little long, but being in the classroom longer. The risk for administrators is that experienced teacher are harder to manage and just don’t go along with whatever you want, unlike inexperienced teachers. Perhaps a large group of young teachers is just what you need to worship you and not challenge you.
Speaking of being sickened, I have by far dealt with more poor, unethical and incompetent administrators than I have teachers. (in % not raw numbers) So thank you for commenting on how sickened you are by us, but why don’t you clean up your own house first, before you come to teachers’ blog on your high horse–oh of course you know better because you are an experienced IB administrators at 52 years of age which means you have been on earth a little longer than some others. There are,unfortunately, too few a good administrator for teachers to waste their time with someone who thinks they are God’s gift to teachers.
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Oh, well said. That administrator should be replaced by someone with more college degrees-who cares about his years of experience in administration. He is sickened by the complaints that administrators have no manners or sense of protocol? Oh my, I would NEVER want to work for him.
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No, I disagree. I have taught with many teachers with loads of experience but that doesn’t make them a good teacher. What makes them a good teacher is passion and making connections with students and colleagues.
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How can a teacher with a PhD in a core subject area going to assess authentically his / her students when he/she doesn’t have a clue about formative and summative assessments. You can be a Nobel laureate in your subject, but if you can’t provide a perspective on a topic or can’t keep a tab on your students’ progress, your advanced degree teacher will be of very little help to your student learning. Twenty-first century learning is not about being a ‘sage on stage’, but a ‘guide on the side.’ You might have heard this as a punch line at several of those workshops you attended. But when it comes to hiring, it’s all about economics.
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LeeX3,
I have never read such defensive rubbish in my entire life. Your references to Mike and I thinking that we were the best are certainly not true in my case. I was head hunted from Australia to fill a position in a school because they were short staffed. I worked very hard at this school for poor money and never did I think I was better than any other Teacher. I spent hundreds of Dollars and hours helping and advising Teachers how to improve their teaching expertise. As you say you are a school administrator and all most of the Teachers are saying on this forum is “”HAVE SOME MANNERS AND AT LEAST SEND A ONE LINE RESPONSE TO APPLICANTS THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED THEIR CV OR YOU CANNOT INTERVIEW THEM DUE TO THE LARGE VOLUME OF APPLICATIONS”‘. As one comment stated a few weeks ago it is a full time job at night sending off your CV and Personal statements etc only to not even get an acknowledgment that it was received. The tide will turn in many places in the years to come when there will be a shortage of experienced teachers. I love to pass on any help I can to new NQT Teachers but when administrators or HR or Management load a school with 80-90% of inexperienced teachers they are not only short changing them but the parents. Lying to parents and staff is not a good attribute and it rarely pays off. So as the season rolls on and staff in certain areas are hard to get it is not wise to employ staff on the basis that they are your sister, brother, friend, partner etc. If you are doing your job then you will be following up on selections from highly qualified management who know what the school needs and select accordingly.
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Wow–I can’t believe some of the nastiness on here, but I’m going to chalk it up to the stress of many of you being (hopefully temporarily) jobless. I think LeeX3 is giving some perspective from his view of the fairs, and I think it might be wise to listen. And (with 30 yrs experience myself), I disagree that “the deciding factor” for a good (nay, great!) teacher is years of experience. I would have to vote for passion, commitment, being a life-long learner, and truly enjoying this vocation of ours. I believe if you have those things, they come across in an interview.
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I totally agree with Catherine. Even well established schools are hiring teachers with advanced subject degrees, but with no teaching credentials and no IB experience. International schools are run like hard core business establishments these days. I’m not sure how these schools are getting re-accredited with this kind of human resources.
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I do not know which countries you are looking for work in but in the Middle East many of the school went on holidays at the end of last week. My colleagues in schools in Singapore are also on holidays so I assume there will not be much action until January. Some will try the Fairs and others will wait until much later. It is a very unsatisfactory situation for all as far as I am concerned. There are so many new teachers avaiable at low money that many schools are only employing these teachers these days. Forget the blurb about we only employ the best and our teachers are experienced it is just PR to look good for prospective parents. Cheers Catherine
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I will be attending my FIRST recruitment session on February 2013 (ISS San Francisco). I have been with ISS since 2010 and I have sent resumes, clicked the “interested” button on the ISS website, emailed the principals etc. Lo and behold, in the last 3 years, I’ve never gotten an interview in the school I prefer the most, and the ones I have no interest in, some of them emailed me but I wasnt really interested. I had one good skype interview, but it I didnt get it. So I am trying to increase my chances by attending the fair this time. With the extravagant amount Im going to pay for the Hotel, I am hoping I will get the school of my choice. But it’s really getting irritating. I have emailed the superintendent, the principal etc to get a pre-session appointment, but to no avail. Not even a response that says, “I will just meet with you during the recruiting session.” Anyway, If I dont get the school I want, I will just charge it to experience and just enjoy San Francisco. Anyone who has tips for me, I will gladly welcome them. Thank you.
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My partner and I had a similar experience but when we went to the fair, we made a beeline straight to our number 1 and 2 choices to show that we were definitely interested and that they were our priority. We ended up getting job offers at both schools. Do your research first and make sure that your top choices are good fits. For example, don’t focus on a school that only hires couples if you are single. Don’t apply to a school that requires IB experience if you don’t. Don’t stand in line for a school if there is no position there available. Good luck!
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weedonald,
It’s not difficult to be an ‘armchair recruitment theorist.’ To be in the shoes of teachers with families and kids, who haven’t heard anything from the recruiters even after two months of sending a job application is an entirely different ball game.
It’s the schools that need to be sincere, honest, and fair dealing. Teachers for most part are toiling labor. It’s the administrators who lack gratitude and appreciation and who treat their staff as a broom, even after putting in years of extra work in addition to teaching.
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Hey Mike….you did take your nasty pill this morning! I’m NOT a theorist…I’ve been overseas for 11 years, had numerous and far longer wait times for responses, had jobs snatched from underneath me when I’d signed a pre-contract agreement, etc. so I DO know what you are going through….and I’m not trying to make light of it. However, don’t expect schools to be honest or sincere. They look after their own interests and rarely yours…if you suit their needs, they’re all sweetness and light until you show up, if you don’t fufill their needs, you are on the next plane or boat or camel or whatever and they turn their backs on you completely. We are simply pegs to be fit into any hole available and who cares what happens If we don’t fit…there are lolts of other pegs out there…as I’ve often been reminded of!
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That’s a better response Weedonald. I think Mike will view that comment in a completely different light. I think it is truely disgusting that (some) schools act the way they do these days and the untruths that they put on their websites and tell to their parents need to be reported to the authorities.They are starting to check out some of these operators and when inspection time comes around they better watch out. Yes I can hear people saying and thinking they have a way around that as well but not all and not with everybody. Some people do have professionalism and ethics left in them. Catherine
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This has to be the most frustrating thing in the world to go through. Here I am, a career educator for 28 years, 13 in international schools, teaching IB HL Math, and an MA in Education Technology, and I’m desperately trying to scrounge a job with very little positive results. One Skype interview where it seemed like there was sort of a mutual ambivalence, and another coming up this week, and that’s IT!
My wife is looking for a career change and wants to move into school counseling, so maybe it’s her lack of experience in that area that the recruiters are hesitant about. But I keep telling myself these schools should be coming after us! We’re great teachers! They just don’t know what they’re missing…
So I’m trying to stay positive, and keep sending out those letters. I know it will all work out in the end, but this is starting to drive me nuts!
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Anonymouse….(this isn’t a spelling mistake but a reminder of your recruiting problem:). Try doing the following:
1)Stop sending out letters…they are rarely read…try calling schools directly and speaking with the DG or at least the level principal(s).
2) Advertise your wife as looking for work (all international schools MUST, by law, have a counselor(s) so if a school needs one, they’ll consider a teacher spouse as an advantage…but for some reason NOT the other way around.
3) IF you’ve had a good reputation and success at your previous schools, why not try and contact your former DG(s) or principal(s) and ask if they know any schools that are looking for the combination of you and your wife.
4) DON’T sound desperate but rather sincere, assertive and confident(regardless of how you actually feel) and remember Grouch Marx’s famous dictum, ¨The secret of life is sincerity,honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you’ve got it made.¨
Be a mensch not a mouse…..Mice are desperate, men are , well bigger….so go out and market yourself proactively….nice word, invented by Carl Marx who I think was one of the Marx brothers or if not, their mother! Have a great day and good luck!!
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I must ask, weedonald, to what “law” you refer when you say, “all international schools MUST, by law, have a counselor(s)”?
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The requirements for all School accrediting Organizations that I know of require student services , and in particular counseling at a school in order to meet their basic accrediting requirements. some countries DO require counselors in International schools as well (Mexico, Kuwait, Germany etc.) but perhaps a better word would be requirements rather than laws!
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“My wife is looking for a career change and wants to move into school counseling, so maybe it’s her lack of experience in that area…”
Does she have a degree and training in that field? Not all school counselors are teachers looking for a new career path. Some of us have masters degrees in counseling and hopefully a school chooses that over a person trained in teaching only. School counselors are trained in that specialty. It is not a job somebody can just hop over to.
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Three interviews with the same school and then an offer two and one-half weeks later… nerve wracking!
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Had this experience with a school in the last two weeks. Had a Skype interview which went really well. At least I thought so. We spoke for well over an hour. The Head, who interviewed me, said he would get back to me in a week but didn’t. I emailed him and asked if there was any way I could help in the process. He sent back a dead bat reply. Didn’t say anything I could follow up on. So, I asked my referees if they had received any reference requests. They had but with it being the last week of term they had no time to write them out. Anyway, bless them, they did send them off. The school I applied to said they would reply by Sunday. It is now 7.15pm and they haven’t said a word. These employers really have you over a barrel. They can keep you waiting as long as they like as they have the best hand on the table. At least some others are in the same boat. But it is so irritating when you don’t hear a dickie bird from people and there is nothing you can do. What is the general consensus ? Is it worth waiting more than a week after an interview ?
What do you think ?
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Sorry Anonymous you left out one important ingredient. Yes it is supply and demand but at a price!! The cheapest they can get you and they make it thats it and no more unless you are Senior Science/Maths or another special ability that they cannot get. No one minds supply and demand but it is the lack of manners and the lies that are told that professional educators should be commenting on. Once again the best school have low turnover. Some of my friends are offered contract renewals before the Christmas holidays and so they can relax and enjoy their holidays and come back and sign the new contract. Others fish and fish and still do not have enough staff in place when the school year starts and then the cheap new NQT’s start to arrive in droves. Nothing wrong with being a new NQT but to many in the one school at the same time is a problem particularly when the school website states things like'” Here at ………. every teacher is highly experiened and every child is given the best opportunity to learn and advance etc etc. Some of the new NQT’s have been told that Lesson Plans are in place, the school is well resourced, accommodation is great only to discover that this is all a lie and you are on your own. DO YOU HOMEWORK BEFORE SIGNING THE CONTRACT AND EVEN THEN IN MOST OVERSEAS COUNTRIES IS IT USELESS UNTIL PROBATION IS OVER!!
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Around April, when the administrators’ free business class trips staying at lovely hotels in the world’s capitals are exhausted, the phone calls and emails will start to arrive. Unless you are a maths/physics/chemistry/special ed or elementary music teacher – in which case you probably already have a job – there’s no need to start worrying until then. It’s all classic supply/demand economics, in other words: a marketplace.
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Your words to gods ears, we are special ed and music, no call backs yet.
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Special Ed here. Not a peep. But Bangkok bound…
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Some of the supposedly better and more professional schools are the worst when it comes to being considerate. I don’t mind applying and hearing nothing. They have lots of applicants to consider and applications to go through. I hate when they advertise a job at a fair which you then find out is tentative and dependent on their current teacher actually making the decision to leave. That really pisses me off. Or when they interview you and give no feedback. I think if you have made it to interview, you deserve to at least get a reply as to how successful/unsuccessful you have been. I also hate form letter rejections, ‘Sorry but we had many far better experienced and qualified candidates…’ Translation? ‘We found a whole bunch of cheap, inexperienced teachers who will actually think that our salary for the work we expect is a great one just because it is tax-free or we give them a free roach-pit to live in.’
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Just make sure you do your homework before taking a position. Go in with the attitude that you are getting the best job for you rather than just get a job. A school and a good teacher should benefit each other. If an administrator acts like they are doing you the favor, imagine how they would treat you at work. If it is the case, move on you are better off elsewhere.
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It has been my experience in the 2012-2013 academic year that many schools found out early in 2012 that there were a lack of applicants at some of the London fairs or that is what they told there present staff. Then the last minute panic when they are short staffed means they take anyone they can get. It has become common practice in the last few years to start the year short staffed and to take more and more NQT’s at the cheapest wage possible. We all had to get a start but every school needs a balance of experience versus new Teachers who need supporrt/mentoring. It is also common practice to tell lots of outright untruths to applicants about the quality of some of these schools. I believe it is unfair to expect any applicant to supply attested degrees, new police checks, medical tests, etc etc and then as some of the above comments state hear nothing for months or ever.
It is about time that now that Teachers stop accepting places and black list them because we have age restrictions, outright bias against families unless both are teachers, pay issues, air fare avoidance, no personal help with extra essential needs and in many cases Teachers are well known for bringing resources that they paid for? I can only say that the Middle East and other GCC countries are no picnic and that a revolving door attitude is firmly in place. Make any comment and someone will be happy to repeat it to the right person in management and your days are numbered. It is very unprofessional behaviour by Principals and owners and the very thing they use as excuses against staff. I will however before this sets off a avalanche of people replying as to how wonderful their schools are is the fact that the best schools retain most of their staff and look after them well. They fill their vacancies quickly and easily so do your homework by various means before just accepting any position. I see no reason why anybody should resign at this stage of the academic year for next year. One can simply refuse to reveal that they are seeking a change and should not be required to give the current employer until at least you have been short listed or offered the position. Even then it can fall over and vindicative Principals in schools will have some fun with you then. Cheers Catherine
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I have been sending letters and info to my search associates file since Sept. to so many schools. I have had two interviews so far one interested school I think so far and one outright rejection. The thing that gets to me I had to give my resignation to my present school already and they say I have a lot in my CV, but also you have three dependents (wife and 2 sons). I am stressed out without knowing how I will support my family next. I am going to the HK Search Fair, but only one school I have applied to is attending. the schools of interest are going to other Fairs (Bangkok filled so quickly) and I am worried that they will assuredly hire from there.
What are the chances there will be any good jobs left after the January fairs. I AM SCARED NOW
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I dont have the kids, but I know that feeling. I have hit application 300. If it helps, I will also be at the Hong Kong fair and we can both see how it works together.
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That would be great!! See you at the fair just look for my name on the name tags I guess
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Try connecting directly to the schools’ hiring authority, usually the director-general or headmaster (stay away from HR) but do contact principals and DO NOT sound like you are panicking….they react badly to that. Letters don’t get the same results as a direct call…you can use Skype and save yourself a lot of extra costs…it is free worldwide and most schools have Skype connections for their leaders.
The other thing you can do is contact the American embassy in the country you want to work in and have them refer you to schools they know are hiring. They keep a register so that nationals coming for employment don’t have to search for schools…which means they have a lot of pull with these same schools….often a rep. from the embassy is on one or two Boards for these schools as well. Explain your situation and they’ll usually be happy to help you.
There are also a lot of American overseas organizations in foreign countries that are there to help ex-pats settle in, and they always know about schools that are hiring….you can Google most of this information very easily….the Embassy will also have this information available. Don’t just contact the US Embassy but try the Canadian and British ones as well…they tend to work together very effectively.
Another source are Universities having connections overseas, as most big State and private schools do nowadays. Contact the Education departments and ask about overseas teaching opportunities…they usually have a great pipeline for their graduates but will often help other teachers as well…contact your alma mater as well and your spouses if she is a graduate.
Hope this helps….but be patient and remember most of the jobs ARE NOT filled at hiring Fairs, they are filled by referrals and direct contact….so up until July/august you’ll have a lot of possibilities….just be inventive and positive…no panicking.
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Thank you for the advice. It is just I am nervous having a family to support. In my 9 years of international teaching I actually know of only one person who was UNABLE to get a position when the decided to move on from their present school.
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This is the way the season starts then all of a sudden employers scramble like ur doing this moment and the offers come flying in
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I just received a reply from a school saying that they are prioritizing IB PYP experienced teachers and going to the London and Melbourne fairs… I was so confused because I have 7 years of PYP experience… Did this principal even look at my CV?
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I came into teaching after more than a decade in corporate America as a mid-level marketing executive. Honestly, the recruiting process is the same whether you are a teacher or a marketing manager. They have the power and you, as a job seeker, do not.
Not that it makes it any easier. But if misery loves company, we have a lot of it!
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I applied for a job in Thailand early this year. I had an interview. They told me they’d get back to me within the week. I’m still waiting. I figured if they can’t be bothered getting back to me, I don’t want the job anyway. My family has since moved to Singapore and we’re very happy with our jobs here.
My message to employers: Acknowledge receipt of applications and let people know when they have or haven’t been successful as soon as you can.
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I had a Skype interview few days ago. We were five shortlisted candidates and the principal told me that we would get the answer the next day. Since then, nothing! I would have prefered a polite rejection instead of waiting indefinitely for that email or phone call!
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This is not so much a reply, but a general comment and sharing of our difficulties. My wife and I are recruiting as well. And yes, as Joyce says, applying for jobs is indeed a full time job in itself. We have been actively recruiting for almost two months straight now, and have gotten a few nibbles – “come see our table at the fair”, “thank you for sending your resumes”, etc. Of the 10 or so school we applied to, about half replied with something, and the other half, nothing. The waiting game is tough, no doubt. Even with all of our International School teacher friends saying “Ah, don’t worry, you’ll get offers…”, it’s hard to wait through the uncertainty. It’s nice/comforting to know others are out there experiencing the same thing we are right now. We have found that keeping our morale up is a daily effort, and it must be done. We shouldn’t let someone else’s apparent idea of our worth dictate how we feel inside! It helps to watch TED talk videos on Youtube with inspirational speakers for a little boost. And it also helps to chant the World War II British saying “Keep Calm and Carry On”.
Good luck my fellow teacher friends!
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I agree with your sentiments above. All the effort and time taken to prepare the docs should be for a job that’s really available to the global market not dangling the carrot to us and then taking it away. I have spent the last three months doing little else other than applying for overseas teaching jobs and what i have come to realize is that looking for a job is a full time job by itself! I have come to appreciate the way the interviewers encourage you throughout the interview making you feel valued and even though you may not end up getting it you do not feel trashed.
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It’s quite annoying when schools post jobs as tentative. What’s the point of that? It’s like casting your nest in empty waters. Do they think they’re going to get many applicants spending the time preparing their docs and sending them off to an unknown element? Get rid of “tentative.” Either there’s a job or there isn’t.
Worse, are jobs that are posted then they are given to internal candidates. An applicant spends a lot of time preparing the paperwork, sends it off only to hear later that the position was given to an internal candidate. Why can’t schools just post the jobs first, internally, then if they’re filled they do not have to even bother posting them externally, this saves recruits a lot of hassle and hope.
Schools that do not have the simple decency to reply to an applicant – even an auto reply would be the most basic level of e-respect.
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Many times it is the school directors trying to give their current employees one small chance to go to a job fair to just check out their options but at the same time not wanting to eliminate qualified applicants from submitting, just in case. They will list it as “possible” if the teacher thinking of leaving is only soft searching (not going to a fair) but wanting December to look around and “likely” if there are any interviews lined up or that person that is considering moving on has been shortlisted. More of a nice way of holding a job r giving the first right of refusal just for the first fair. That is what I was told by my director. Hope this helps?
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