I have been working at this same school for about 6 years. I have done it all: started as a sub, took pool sub role, and took ESE teacher assistant position so I had benefits and because the principal had asked me to. I also work in athletics namely basketball and football. I have also worked graduation and chaperoned every event possible. I have 4 endorsements: ESE, Language Arts, ESOL, and Social Science. I am also adding Reading. I am beloved by the staff and fellow teachers. I have also got exemplary scores especially in knowledge of subject area on my evaluations. I mean one vice principal even nicknamed me The Mayor. Sounds like I should be the ideal candidate, right? Well 3 Language Arts teachers retired and they all recommended me for their individual job. Yet I was passed over for teachers with more experience. Fine, but then an ESE teaching job came available and I went on a virtual interview. I nailed it and I know I did as they even said I interviewed very well. Then I discovered I got passed up again. And I don’t understand why. Now another school wanted me but it required me to move across the state in less than a week. I couldn’t do it. I don’t understand how a rather prestigious school could want me, but this school doesn’t. I don’t know what to do at this point because people on other interviews ask me why this school won’t hire me despite my great resume and references. I need advice.
Any chance you can ask the principal directly? Seems like the people who interviewed you would be the only ones who would know…
I’m going to talk to the AP today. I’m a bit emotional right now, but I want to talk to him. And I know it’s not because I have bad references because the AP over ESE and even Principal himself are my references. They’ve given me good reviews
You are too good at whatever position you're in now and they don't want to give you up to another position. You're somewhat typecast it seems. I would definitely start looking in other districts.
That is my fear. I think I saw the girl they hired over me. There’s no way she has more experience than I do in terms of ese. I have other options, but I want to understand why I didn’t get these jobs
Just don't expect a straight forward, 100% honest answer. Any response will be geared to cover their behinds about any hiring decisions. I suspect that you are either too experienced, meaning a high starting salary, or older than they want. Either of these reasons means they will likely hire someone with less experience to keep salary costs down. Hard to prove, so covered up with a lot of excuses, intended to muddy the water. The one thing that is clear is that you may need to look elsewhere for a full time job.
Do some research, find interview questions about your gaps and topics in your field. Prepare your answers positively, just tell the reasons genuinely. Take professional CV writing help to rewrite your CV or resume. All the best!
When I reread this thread, this sentence jumped out at me - missed it the first time around. Probably using admin from where you work as your references is not as good an idea as it may seem. Other applicants might find out and accuse the district of being biased. Along the same vein, these same admin may work so had to appear NOT to be biased for you that they bend over backwards to prevent the possibility of it seeming as though they were "stacked" in your favor. I would try to come up with some references from multiple school districts if at all possible. This would allow you to share strong references without those references having to be concerned that their references could actual prevent you from getting the job due to suspicions of bias. I have been working in school districts for the last 25+ years, and I have cultivated relationships with teachers, supervisors, and admin in almost every district where I have spent an appreciable amount of time. This has allowed me to acquire a portfolio of references, which I revisit every couple of years to reevaluate and update as their rank, or mine, has changed, making the reference current, and more likely to incorporate skills and job titles that may be of interest to potential employers. It also lets me update contact information, including cell phone numbers, job titles, and other tidbits that make the reference relevant and impressive. The one thing I said in my first response, however, is often true, but not often stated as a reason either to support or hurt you going forward in your job search - the more experience you have, the higher the expected opening salary that is offered is apt to be. Virtually all districts will consider a high starting salary a strike against you, through no fault of your own making. Avoiding the use of references that come from high on the food chain within the district where you are applying can be a negative instead of the positive that you may initially anticipate. I would file this as sad but true . . .
I feel your pain. Before I came to my school now, I applied for a transfer within district to a school to teach technical theatre. They had been searching for a year for a teacher. I met with the other theatre teacher at the school and talked to her about what they needed and she and I were already planning what we'd do the next year. I went to the interview with all the facts, long range plans, etc. I also know I was the only other certified theatre teacher in the district at the time and I have professional and educational experience, as well as contacts throughout the local theatre community. My transfer was denied because my principal at my school didn't want me to leave the program I was in with him - DE English and AP. They "magically" found someone in that building who could teach tech theatre. The other teacher called me in outrage afterwards, knowing that their hire knew nothing--their tech theatre experience was making costumes for their children and they ran a spotlight once (I'm not kidding). Meanwhile, here I am, who worked building sets in NY for two years. And guess what--my principal lost me anyway-I was hired away to a better district, teaching theatre and making more money. It's clear that your current admin doesn't value your other experience and they are not looking at what's best for you, or the students. Find a new district!
I have seen situations like this before. When say a para pro working in a school earns their teaching credentials and tries to apply for a teaching job and gets denied. It almost seems like the admin sees support personnel as “lesser” individuals and can’t fathom seeing them in a certified position.
I wish you not to get dissappointed anyway. Your first message made me understand that you're rather experienced and skilled professional regardless of your age. We all aren't ideal, so it's okay you may not know something. I don't know what's wrong with these schools, but I believe that you'll find the job and it'll be better than all you've considered before.
