Another unsuccessful interview. .

History Queen

I am looking for advice, i am after failing yet another interview and just don't know what to do...

I only had a handful of interviews this summer and none were successful. I don't know what I am doing wrong. I was told today that I scored 5 points less than the successful candidate ( what does that even mean?) In another interview during the summer the principal told me that I was beaten on experience (successful candidate had 7 years experience, I have 2). I've been getting positive feedback from Principals but keep being told that other candidates have more experience. Are principals genuine when they say this or is it just a platitude they use to let the unsuccessful down gently?

I feel like such a failure. I feel panicky about my financial situation and don't know what I can do to improve it. I have been looking for work ( outside of teaching ) all summer but any employer I have spoken to haven't been willing to employ me as they feel I would leave if a reaching job arose.

So, I suppose what I am asking is do I stay plugging away and hope I get a teaching job or just work harder at getting a job outside of teaching?

sorry for the long winded post but I am just so dejected

smallgarden

I think they're genuine. there's no need for them to bs you. There's a lot of experienced teachers out there so I think that's a definite reason for others getting jobs. If you're concerned you can request official feedback to see where you are doing well/need to improve. I'd guess 5 points is a small margin but have never been on a teaching interview panel. There should be some maternity leaves coming up in October/November as it seems to be a popular time based on previous years. I'd keep applying to both teaching and non teaching jobs.

History Queen

smallgarden wrote: »

I think they're genuine. there's no need for them to bs you. There's a lot of experienced teachers out there so I think that's a definite reason for others getting jobs. If you're concerned you can request official feedback to see where you are doing well/need to improve. I'd guess 5 points is a small margin but have never been on a teaching interview panel. There should be some maternity leaves coming up in October/November as it seems to be a popular time based on previous years. I'd keep applying to both teaching and non teaching jobs.

Thanks small garden for the reply. I know you are right. I'm just finding it difficult getting rejected over and over again... I spoke to the pricipal of a school i taught in before and he said he has been called several times for references for me and couldn't believe that I hadn't got a job yet. He went through my CV and letters of application with me and couldn't spot any problems. He also looked at the feedback sheets I got from interviews and said I was scoring well across the board with no obvious areas of weakness ( as in all the scores were more or less the same and high).

I nearly wish he had found a problem as at least then I could fix it... I just feel now that any interviews I get from here on I will be going in defeated as no matter what i do I cant get hired.

I know I am moaning, I know I'm not the only one in this situation and I know I need to cop on.

Does anyone else get this down over the job situation or do I just need to toughen up?

Teddog

Like you, I am also qualified since 2012. But unlike you I haven't been called for one interview! I honestly believe that these jobs do not exist. I've been applying all summer and got just one reply back. It chips away at your confidence. Had hours in the same school for previous 2 years but they decided to pair my subject with another that I'm not qualified to teach this year. I was gutted. I'm now back there subbing when the need arises. Subbing is not the same. Your relationship with the other teachers changes as does your relationship with the students. Or maybe it is because I feel such a failure!

RealJohn

I would say the important thing here is not to look at it as a failure or that you've been rejected. There are a lot of candidates going for a small number of jobs. Being called to interview at all is a small victory and shows you have something to offer. Another candidate had more this time but your time will come. Try not to let it get you down. Most teachers struggle to get jobs early in their careers but if you keep your head up and keep trying you'll get there in the end.

Monotype

The failure at interviews and lack of responses doesn't reflect on you as a poor candidate; it's a product of the times that we are in. If there's 50 applications, it can be very difficult for the interviewer to choose which candidate when so many of them are trying hard. 50 can be generous as well! With rising costs and budget cuts, the time and resources needed to reply has been curtailed also.


Keep trying and make use of any time you have to bring up your skills in any way that may be of advantage. Don't let yourself degrade into a rut and depression. Keep moving, get up and have a walk in the morning. Apply for everything you see in a mechanical fashion, don't worry or think about them unless you hear it.
Good luck.

kronsich

Hey. I sat on two interview boards this year and it's crazy what goes on. I am just a teacher myself and got called in because the Principal was unwell. I am on the BOM so was asked to fill the vacant seat.

Anyway, for each job we got stacks of CVs. To be honest, getting an interview these days is a victory. Recently graduated teachers are all very innovative and enthusiastic, interviews boards are looking for more. Make sure you have something else to offer the school. For example, we hired an English teacher because she brought us in samples of creative writing and poetry that her past students had wrote in an English club that she had set up. We hired a girl to teach art that also coached hockey.

When called to interview, look at the school website. See what they haven't got and if any of your interests or experience could fill these spaces. I'm no saying make things up but it's a start.

Good luck

gaiscioch

History Queen wrote: »

I am looking for advice, i am after failing yet another interview and just don't know what to do...

I only had a handful of interviews this summer and none were successful. I don't know what I am doing wrong. I was told today that I scored 5 points less than the successful candidate ( what does that even mean?) In another interview during the summer the principal told me that I was beaten on experience (successful candidate had 7 years experience, I have 2). I've been getting positive feedback from Principals but keep being told that other candidates have more experience. Are principals genuine when they say this or is it just a platitude they use to let the unsuccessful down gently?

I feel like such a failure. I feel panicky about my financial situation and don't know what I can do to improve it. I have been looking for work ( outside of teaching ) all summer but any employer I have spoken to haven't been willing to employ me as they feel I would leave if a reaching job arose.

So, I suppose what I am asking is do I stay plugging away and hope I get a teaching job or just work harder at getting a job outside of teaching?

sorry for the long winded post but I am just so dejected

Sorry to hear this, HQ. I went through similar times - actually, I got called to very few interviews despite sending well over 100 cvs (what a waste of money) and I also left teaching (or, rather, not teaching) for an unpaid back-to-work style thing but was fortunate to be called mid-year for a teaching interview and to my surprise I got it. I'm a big believer in knocking on doors and one will eventually open so I'd advice you to keep sending cvs and let people in your circle know you're looking for a job and expand that circle.

Do you have at least two decent subjects? At that time I didn't, and that was definitely my biggest problem. If you don't, now is the month to sort that out by contacting the university department directly about doing the night degree/higher diploma in another subject.

History Queen

Thank you everyone for the responses and advice. I am now sitting down to apply for more jobs. Have picked myself up and am moving on now... just need to stop taking things so personally I think.

Thanks again to all especially those in a similar situation

Siobhan_d13

History Queen wrote: »

just need to stop taking things so personally I think.

Hi HistoryQueen, I'm in the exact same boat - only I'm not even getting called for interview! We can't take it personally - it's the state the industry is in - and that was confirmed for me today by a deputy. She said it's just the way it is at the moment. There are LOADS of us all in the same boat at the moment. I spoke to another sub today who didn't have one job to even apply for this summer - music and RE - so it could always be worse! Best of luck with the search!

Alqua

Siobhan_d13 wrote: »

I spoke to another sub today who didn't have one job to even apply for this summer - music and RE - so it could always be worse! Best of luck with the search!

Just curious - is your friend restricted by location? - coz I saw a couple of those!