Schools that Ghost: Teachers Relate Ghosting Experiences w/ Specific Schools

Failing to take a moment to respond to an unsolicited resume is rude enough. But, what of schools that interview a candidate 2 or 3 times, insinuate or make promises & then go radio silent, never to be heard from again?

Despicable behavior such as this, known as ‘ghosting,’ demonstrates a complete lack of professionalism & a complete lack of respect. Most devastating, ghosting leaves candidates floundering. Imagine rejecting an offer from your second-pick school while waiting for a decision from your top-pick school, only to never hear back after 2 encouraging interviews & the promise, “We’ll be in touch.” It happens!

Teachers are sharing recent ghosting experiences on the ISR Member FORUM. They are naming schools & administrators guilty of ghosting. Excerpts from that thread appear here with names withheld. To learn the names of Directors & schools being discussed, log into the ISR Member FORUM & scroll to Schools Ghosting Candidates After Interviews.

K »Ghosting by xxx School has become the norm – even for internal candidates. The HR department is most likely to blame: With a focus on protecting the business, and a decisive voice in who is interviewed and hired, their understanding and support for individuals is woefully lacking. Any candidate applying should be aware that no answer may ever be received…

Zulme »Four schools for me so far that have not replied. One even told me to start getting my paperwork together, unofficially. Never heard back! It’s distressing to not have any job prospects. 😦

sciteach12 »Like most of us here … I’ve had what I thought was great interviews and was told that ‘We will be in touch.’ I’ve contacted them after a week and got no response. This has happened both in Skype interviews and at job fairs. I flip it with this idea: If they don’t contact you now then what would it be like to work there?

member101 »Interviewed and Ghosted by 3 schools in my career so far: 1. xxx 2. xxx 3. xxx

Kim »Just thought I’d add here my most demeaning incidence of ghosting…Search Associates Bangkok Fair in 2018: I interviewed with xxx, the Head of xxx International School.

We had our initial interview, which went tremendously well….so much so that xxx rearranged the interview following my time slot so we could have more time to chat. The second Interview went just as well as the first, and at the end I was told… “You need to speak with my head of humanities, but if the conversation goes as I think it will, then our next conversation will be about the paperwork.” He asked me would I be in the following day, the final day of the fair? I said I had no appointments lined up but I would, of course, be more than happy to come in. He asked me to wait in the candidate’s lounge and he would make contact by mid-morning. I waited in that lounge from 8 am to 4 pm and he made no contact whatsoever either by email or in person. I emailed him to follow up and received no reply. I never heard from the man again. So yes, Mr. xxx, Head of xxx International School….if you ever read this….%#$#!# you!

readmore »Happened to me and my spouse. We both had 2 interviews and a mini lesson with the HOS and a panel interview over 3 weeks, then nothing. I emailed them to inquire 2 weeks later. Waited another 2 weeks; still nothing. I posted a review of the HOS (I just said something like ‘FYI this school/director will ghost you’). ONE DAY after it posted, he sent me a 5 paragraph email, cc’ing my spouse, his principals, the panel and his school board where he went ON and ON about how terrible he was, how much work he had on his plate, but how that was no excuse for not replying, he should be more organized, and more kind, and more professional…seriously. It went on for 5 paragraphs. Then, in the last line, he said, “But you still shouldn’t have posted on ISR.” I never replied.

Markus »Ok, just to summarize; So far we have a list of 10 Administrators and/or schools who have been named, who have willfully ghosted candidates after interviews. They are as follows:

To learn the names of Directors & schools being discussed, log into the ISR Member FORUM. Then scroll to
Schools Ghosting Candidates After Interviews.

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Ghosted

It was as if the school had literally fallen off the face of the earth. After 2 interviews at the Fair & an ongoing exchange of emails during the next few weeks, the school Director who’d led me to believe I was on the verge of being hired, suddenly & without warning, disappeared from my radar. I never heard from him again. Texts, emails & 3 phone calls were not answered. He had ghosted me!

Call it “ranting” if you choose, but soon thereafter I submitted a School Review outlining my negative recruiting experience with this Director. He can wear my Review as a badge of dishonor for the rest of his career. Thank you ISR for giving teachers a voice & holding Administrators who treat us like commodities, accountable.

As it turns out, ghosting is not uncommon in the International School arena. Although a poor business practice at best, I can almost understand not responding to every single resume/cover letter submitted for consideration. To lead a teacher on, get their hopes up & then disappear is, however, without conscience, manners or morals. Imagine passing up another offer only to be ghosted by your first choice! Do schools realize they are playing with our lives? Our careers? Maybe some just don’t care…

I read an amusing comment by a teacher on the ISR Forum who reports that after a few weeks of being ghosted he sent an effusive email thanking the school for the job offer, telling them he’s excited & looking forward to meeting everyone at the start of the school year! He goes on to say, “It’s funny how this elicited a response! Although not professional, neither is ghosting.”

Have many International Educators experienced ghosting in this unprecedent recruiting season? I reported my experience to the recruiter & could sense the manufactured tone of concern. Has COVID pushed ethics & etiquette out the door to become merely a handy excuse? Beyond posting Reviews of these irresponsible Directors, how can teachers avoid being ghosted, or what can they constructively do about it?

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