I'm a recent college graduate applying for my first teaching job and after my first interview, I was offered the job! I was really excited but I have yet to receive an official offer or much information at all from the district. That was about a week and a half ago. In the meantime, I read that I should keep interviewing until I have an official offer on paper so I did and I was just offered a second position in a district I am less interested in and I am not sure what to do. I am just wondering how long does it take after a principal offers you a position to receive an official offer from the district? Should I decline the other position and how can I do that in the best way without looking bad to the principal or district? or should I wait until I hear more from the first job? Being a first-year teacher I feel a little lost in this process and don't want to do anything wrong so any advice you have would be helpful!
If you don't have an official offer on paper, I wouldn't offer an official decline. So you have an official offer on paper from the second position, or is it another verbal? It's a bit nerve wracking, but I'd delay until I got the max info I could.
Both were just verbal, that's what makes the situation so confusing. I'm leaning towards declining the second offer because it's not in my preferred location, but I know as a first-year teacher I should be thankful to even have offers from 2 schools, so I don't want to decline the position and then possibly end up without a job at all.
First of all congratulations !! Second, I would wait. If the first one turns out not going through, would you take the second job? If so, just wait. You don't have to tell them anything since it's not an official offer, so just wait it out.
In my district, you can't get anything official until you are board-approved. Sometimes that can take up to a month, depending on when the interview was and when the next board meeting is. Usually, if something official is needed sooner, a candidate can contact HR to get a letter of intent to hire, pending board approval. This is often used for purposes such as proof of employment that is needed for apartment rentals. In your case, I would reach out to HR and/or the principal who offered you the job and be honest with them. I'd tell them that you received a second offer (you don't have to say that you interviewed after accepting their offer... you can pretend that it was from an earlier interview). Explain that they are your first choice but that you'd feel more comfortable turning the other down if they can give you something in writing. Likely, they will. They just don't know that you need it right now.
Thank you for the advice! I'm having trouble getting in touch with HR due to COVID-19 and no one being in the office but I'll try reaching out to the principal to see if she can help! Thank you!
We only have board meetings once a month, so if you were to be hired right after a meeting, you're waiting an entire month.
