For those of you who got their job doing this, or happen to know otherwise, when hand-delivering resumes to principals at schools should you ask personally for the principal or just deliver to the front desk asking them to hand it over? I imagine speaking with the principal if they are available would be the better thing to do, but what should you say to them? I'm going to be doing this when elem schools let out for the yr (I've been emailing thus far but I think it's too early based on the "we don't currently have openings but we will keep your info on file if anything changes " replies I'm getting). I know a lot of new grads will be flooding schools with their resumes too come mid May so I don't want mine to get lost in there...as I assume it will by email and sending in too early.
Do you know anyone who has done this in your area? In my area, this is an absolute no-no. It's just not allowed. I've heard success stories from other regions on this board, though. It's really a local culture kind of thing.
I think most principals would be way to busy for that. Anyway, in my district everything is done through HR except for the final interview. I could imagine the secretary at my school throwing resumes in the trash because it's not protocol in my district.
You should hand-deliver resumes. Even if they say that everything is done through HR. I don't push to hand it directly to the P. And actually, I was fine with not meeting the P (a bit awkward scenario). All I would say is that I am going around visiting schools, introducing myself and handing out my resume... usually the secretary would be happy to tell the P if they were available. I got interviews specifically in one or two seasons I did this (visited probably 20-50 schools in two years). I got zero interviews, submitting 100's of resumes in the "preferred method".
Yep! We are far too busy for that. We've been given the directive (from our Superintendent) that if anyone drops off a resume, send them downtown to Personnel. Even if someone gave me a resume, I wouldn't be able to do anything with it unless they gave me a completed application packet. If they did drop off a completed application packet, though, I'd direct them to Personnel. Bottom line is that we (in my district) don't want hand-delivered resumes. That's what EdJoin is for.
It depends on where you are. Dropping off resumes would be a no-no in my area. Most times, you are not to even contact admin by email. It all goes through HR.
It is a no-lose situation. Are they going to disqualify me, for showing initiative, looking nice, and being cordial? And if they do disqualify me... well, I wasn't going to get the job anyway (as evidenced by my 0-for-500 batting average on edjoin).
In this area, when they specifically tell you it's not allowed, it's not really a no-lose. It's not a good idea to disqualify yourself for not being able to follow simple directions. I'm sorry you haven't had better luck on EdJoin. I'm not a fan either because of how impersonal it is, but I'm going to follow the districts' instructions. Around here, all hiring starts at the district level. Maybe it's time to rework the resume or letter of introduction. I've had many failed applications as well, but also a number of successes.
You'd never get in the door in my school. If you hit the buzzer and told the secretary you were here to deliver a resume, she'd tell you to go to the board office. They might accept the resume at the board office, but you'd only make it as far as their secretary. However, I'm pretty sure that all candidates have to go through Applitrack anyway, so I think the hand-delivered resume might end up in the trash.
Well said. Not following simple directions could most definitely cause an application packet to end up the trash or do not call pile!
Hand delivering or emailing in my area is how most people get their jobs. You do have to go through the NYC DOE application first to check your credentials, and produce a writing sample. Once you pass that stage and are accepted you will have access to our not ever really updated "new teacher finder". It's better to email principals or hand deliver resumes after that point. Once you are hired, which is solely the P's AP's or hiring committee (admin, teachers, parents) decision (no superintendent interviews here) then you finally deal with HR regarding salary and such. So find out what the norm is where you are applying.
It's just hard for me to imagine that any person can just walk into the school to drop something off. Big country though, so lots of variation I guess.
We have your typical school safety situated at the front door making people sign in with ID and such. People drop things off and visit schools often around here often parents, people from the district, deliveries, etc. The most recent person that was hired at my school walked in their resume and was pretty much hired on the spot as a sub and will be appointed to the open position we have pending a formal observation.
I suppose I should've clarified this, but you can (I use that loosely) do it where I live. It's a big district, over 70 elem. schools alone. You apply through HR to the district, not ever knowing which schools will be hiring or are in need. There are thousands of applicants, so they only thing they say for this district is not to contact the principal to set up an interview. Otherwise, every principal is different...some will take emails and hand delivers and they only hire that way, and others do not and will turn you away and only go through the system...but I would say the latter is likely not the majority. It's principal preference, therefore, I'll take the risk! I know about 5 teachers in this district and they all got their job by emailing or hand delivering while others that didn't do either or didn't know someone, didn't get a position with this district. Also, our public schools are open door...
