Want to apply for a new job but should I tell my current principal?

sitstill

I'm just finishing my third year working in a school. I've seen a full time job advertised in a school I'd love to work in and with a better combination of subjects for me. I'm thinking of applying. But, do I need to tell my current principal that I'm applying for a job elsewhere? The principal of the school that I'm applying to might ring him before I have interview (if I get called for one obviously). How would I approach it with him without him thinking that I'm not committed to my current job??

dory

If you're not on full hours then any principal would understand why you would want to apply, especially if this new job is permanent.
From what I've heard, employers only ring for a reference when they're about to offer a position. So they shouldn't ring before the interview.
Out of courtesy I would tell your current boss, he really should understand.

sitstill

dory wrote: »

If you're not on full hours then any principal would understand why you would want to apply, especially if this new job is permanent.
From what I've heard, employers only ring for a reference when they're about to offer a position. So they shouldn't ring before the interview.
Out of courtesy I would tell your current boss, he really should understand.

The advertised job is not permament but is full hours. My current job is neither. I'm just worried that I wouldn't get the job and my boss would be aware that I've been looking elsewhere and it might go against me when he's dishing out hours for next year.

TheDriver

or your boss will be aware that you're looking elsewhere and realise he can't mess you about if he is serious about your talents. I would go for it, don't bother telling him for now and see how it goes, every man for himself and all that.

ytareh

Dont tell...

patann

It's a tough one. If you are not on full hours you have every right to look for full hours. Some schools deliberately keep a few teachers under full hours - perhaps to have more "bodies" on the staff or something. But this is unfair on those teachers. They should try to fill up part time teachers to the 22 hours first if at all possible. In this way they will have continuity and loyalty of staff. I know in the current situation this might not be possible but if teachers are kept under the 22 hours for a few years they will get "pissed off" and of course try to move, especially if they feel that hours are being given to newer teachers - provided all teachers were qualified to do those hours etc. They might also feel under appreciated and that they are being taken advantage of. As effectively it's costing that teacher a few grand each year not to be on full hours. The principal probably was never in that situation. They probably always had 22 hours.

In relation to your posting I would say it to your principal, that said if you don't have your current principal down as a referee, then the school you are applying to cannot then ring your current principal.. so it's catch 22

implausible

I wouldn't bother saying it, your principal will know soon enough if the other school asks for a reference. It might even prompt him/her to up your hours.

Two things though: if you're finishing your third year, is there a chance of you getting full hours for your fourth year and getting a CID based on these hours?

Is there definitely a job in the other school i.e. are they advertising because they have to and there is someone in place or could you be covering a career break?

I'd just be wary of changing school just as you're hitting the stage where you may get a CID, God knows permanency is now the Holy Grail.

dg647

patann wrote: »

It's a tough one. If you are not on full hours you have every right to look for full hours. Some schools deliberately keep a few teachers under full hours - perhaps to have more "bodies" on the staff or something. But this is unfair on those teachers. They should try to fill up part times teachers to the 22 hours first if at all possible. In this way they will have continuity and loyalty of staff. I know in the current situation this might not be possible but if teachers are kept under the 22 hours for a few years they will get "pissed off" and of course try to move. As effectively it's costing that teacher a few grand each year not to be on full hours. The principal probably was never in that situation. They probably always had 22 hours.

In relation to your posting I would say it to your principal, that said if you don't have your current principal down as a referee, then the school you are applying to cannot then ring your current principal.. so it's catch 22

When I applied for a job a few years ago I did not have my then current principal as a referee but they still rang him to ask about me. It all worked out fine and I got the job but they do ring even when they are not a referee.

patann

That's interesting DG647, thanks for that,

myself I always prefer to be honest about things like that - saves any worrying etc so then the op is better to be honest about it and say it to his or her principal - in my opinion!

rainbowtrout

deemark wrote: »

I wouldn't bother saying it, your principal will know soon enough if the other school asks for a reference. It might even prompt him/her to up your hours.

Two things though: if you're finishing your third year, is there a chance of you getting full hours for your fourth year and getting a CID based on these hours?

Is there definitely a job in the other school i.e. are they advertising because they have to and there is someone in place or could you be covering a career break?

I'd just be wary of changing school just as you're hitting the stage where you may get a CID, God knows permanency is now the Holy Grail.

+1 on everything.

How many hours are you on anyway, because if you're on 18 it might be worth holding out. If you get 18 hours in your fourth year you will get the 18 hour CID which means you can be paid for 22 whether you are timetabled for them or not. I wouldn't tell your principal until you have to. If you don't get the job, it won't matter and if you do get the job you will be leaving anyway. I would echo what deemark said though and try and find out what the situation is with this job. Jobs advertised with full hours are rare enough.

sitstill

rainbowtrout wrote: »

+1 on everything.

How many hours are you on anyway, because if you're on 18 it might be worth holding out. If you get 18 hours in your fourth year you will get the 18 hour CID which means you can be paid for 22 whether you are timetabled for them or not. I wouldn't tell your principal until you have to. If you don't get the job, it won't matter and if you do get the job you will be leaving anyway. I would echo what deemark said though and try and find out what the situation is with this job. Jobs advertised with full hours are rare enough.

Thanks for all the opinions. I considered just not putting him down as a reference, but as someone noted above they may call anyway. But, do principals look for references before or after an interview?

The job that I'm looking at basically lists a load of subjects in different combinations. So I think they are actually looking for teachers and not just advertising because they have to.

Maybe I could speak to my principal and try to suss from him what the situation is with next year and decide then?

patann

not necessarily, i think a lot of voluntarily secondary schools advertise all their "temporary" jobs even though they are "gone" to the existing teachers in them.. Generally jobs that are "gone" are advertised between now and may/june. That said not all the jobs advertised between now and june are "gone"