Hello everyone, I just got called into a job interview for a public charter school in NJ. I sent them an employment inquiry back in early March, thinking they'd never get back to me. On my employment inquiry, I wrote: "My NJ license is currently being processed." Life happened, I got distracted, I didn't apply for my license. Now they called me and want to see me tomorrow. What do I tell them so that I don't come off as some kind of lying con artist? I didn't expect a call months later...especially the day after the holiday weekend! Suggestions on how to play it off cool and professionally?
Apply for it today so that it will indeed be in process...but it takes a long time to process in NJ so do it TODAY so that if you do get hired, you will actually have it in time.
That's an excellent plan...but I can't do that until Thursday morning (payday)! I will...first thing, Thursday morning. So in the meantime, I need to know how to talk my way out of this in the most professional manner possible.
This seems oxymoronic. I would get out of the mindset of 'talking your way out' of something - it comes across as deceitful. Just say it's in progress, if they need proof, send them proof on Thursday. They may not even ask you about it in the interview!
I dealt with the same issue at an interview last summer. They just wanted to make sure I knew that I'd have to be certified by the time the school year started. They also may ask for your Praxis scores. What state are you in now?
NJ takes a while...that will buy you some time...learn from this experience though...don't claim something you aren't. You lied... You are in competition with MANY teachers who have certification in hand plus experience.
Just so you're aware it's the busiest time to apply for a license in NJ so there is no guarantee you'll have it by September. My husband's standard took almost 6 months.
I agree with the others, but I would never wait again...NJ is notorious for taking their time with licenses! Also, do charters and private schools follow the NJ residency law?
I'm not sure why you would change your resume to say your license is in process when you haven't even applied yet. Anyhow, if they really want you, they can expedite the process. I've always gotten my license in time or a lot quicker than I could have on my own because the school did that for me. All it takes for them is a call to the licensing office.
My husband's does. We actually found out about it the hard way- he was told they couldn't hire him because he lived in NY.
Be sure to go over the forms carefully. My wife's application was returned because I didn't write the code for French on the loyalty oath. I'm not kidding. I'm not criticizing them. Just giving a cautionary note.
What everyone above said, apply NOW. It takes a while. I got mine at the end of Nov 2011, and I think I applied around the first week of August.
NJ schools can hire a teacher who lives out of state but that teacher has one year to then move into NJ. many schools simply choose to only interview those already living here with certificate 'in hand'
