My Cambridge Fair Diary

[PsychBean]

Hmm interesting concept. I have only gone to one fair but have landed 2 jobs without them. What I did like about the fair was the availability to meet with a number of schools face to face all in one location. How would you propose we are able to do this without a fair? Just curious...

[newchapter]

calciodirigore wrote:
> As soon as we all say no to the fairs and refuse to work with agencies such
> as Search Associates, then the recruitment process will become a more level
> playing field.
>
> Although I am very happy that some of you have been offered jobs at this
> most recent fair, I can't help but feel that what you have gone through is
> genuinely pathetic.
>
> Please stop to think about the alternatives. Please do not attend another
> fair.
>
> Good luck in your new postings.

I understand what you're saying and you're entitled to your opinion, but I don't think what I just went through in any way is pathetic. I loved the fair! I met so many amazing people from all over. I've made great contacts in fantastic countries and schools. You sound like you have an axe to grind or have some issue with interviewing face to face...just MY opinion - which I'm entitled to! ;)

[calciodirigore]

A twenty minute face to face interview sitting on some head of school's bed is pathetic. Speak to your friends who work in other fields. They will agree with me when I say that the fair experience is preposterous.

Lengthy Skype interviews with a head of school followed by in depth conversations with heads of sections and heads of department make quite a bit more sense to me. This is not the norm at a job fair. My Skype interviews over the last two recruitment seasons lasted well over an hour (the most recent one was two and a half hours long); these extended sessions allow recruiters to ask me any and everything they feel they need to ask in order to ensure they are hiring the right person. It also enables me to properly discuss matters with prospective schools without silly schedules to deal with. I am making a life changing decision, why would I do this after a couple of short interviews amid the incredibly hectic and altogether crazy environment of a fair?

I do not see the logic of flying thousands of miles to speak briefly with schools. With so many genuinely amazing options available online (Skype conversations, MA degrees, MOOCS, IB Workshops, Online Panel Discussions, etc.), the concept of meeting with schools face to face is really irrelevant. You will not actually be in Sri Lanka or Munich or Bangladesh or Rio. A brief conversation with someone at a hotel in Bangkok or London or Boston doesn't make for a more meaningful exchange.

I have been working internationally for quite a while. I have been to several fairs and have landed great jobs. I have also been hired by great schools outside of fairs and the Search database, too. So, no axe to grind - just using reason to try to stop an unreasonable process.

[shadowjack]

My current school interviewed myself and Mrs. S (the trailing spouse), the first time for about an hour, the second time for about two hours.

My friends were just interviewed - skype interview prior to the fair, an hour at the fair, and then another 45 minutes to an hour before the deal was sealed.

Usually the first interview is either long, or, if short, they call you back again for a longer one.

I know many schools that will not hire you without a F2F interview - and not because the director loves to travel and life the good life - but because this is an industry where personality and personal touches make a huge difference.

Would you hire a nanny to look after your kids with just a Skype interview? Seriously?

[buffalofan]

I agree with Shadowjack. Personally, I don't like skype interviews. I find that I cannot get a very good "read" on the principal/director via skype, not to mention that if the signal cuts out for even a moment you end up having to repeat yourself. As an initial contact or screening skype is fine, but I don't want to make a decision that will affect the next 3 - 5 years of my life through skype. I will take two 30 minute F2F interviews at a job fair over a 2+ hour skype interview everytime.

[Flyingpigs]

Like so many things, this is not an EITHER OR decision. It is AND. If you dont want to go to the Fair--dont go. If you want to go to the Fair AND do SKYPE interviews..then do that.
But I think its unnecessary to make a big judgement on the Fair Process and SEARCH ( or any other recruitment agency) . Bottom line....f you dont want to go/join-- dont.
I dont see the point of making it seem like some big moral issue--as it was presented.

[newchapter]

I guess I had a different experience. I had 2 Skype interviews with my school and was 'hired' before the fair. However, I went to the fair to meet face to face. I didn't sit on a bed in a hotel room. I sat down with the director and had lunch and then signed the contract. I agree with Shadowjack, too. Maybe smaller schools that can't afford to go to the fairs will hire via Skype. It does work to a certain extent but, I still see the value of the fairs. I thought Search Associates was very supportive and did a really good job. I love having access to the data base and doing research using their site. I'm not affiliated with them in any way - just had a great experience. Again, my opinion!

[exnewyorker]

I thoroughly enjoyed both of my fair experiences. I liked having the opportunity to talk with multiple schools at the same time. Not least of all because the offers come together around the same time frame so you have the chance to compare options and choose. If I had gotten an offer in November but wasn't sure I would get any more down the road I feel like that would have been MORE pressure to accept than in the fair environment. Also, I really enjoyed speaking with all of the teachers at the fair. I met teachers who had worked in the schools I was considering and could get their opinions and hear their experiences. It was also great to catch up with former administration and colleagues. I would certainly go to a fair again. If I happened to get a job through skype in the process, then fine, but I won't ever swear off job fairs.

[calciodirigore]

The positive experiences posted on here are far from the norm. If you were to look into the practicalities of a fair versus other routes then it would be hard to argue in favour of continuing with them.

I know that this is a matter of opinion and that the ´to each his/her own´mantra applies; however, I still don´t see logic in the whole process. I also feel that even after reading what some of you have written about your long interviews and not being able to gauge personalities on Skype, etc., fairs are rather silly and more often than not quite sad.

[Rye]

Sounds like quite an experience. I am very happy I did not end up having to attend a fair this year after reading about that insanity.

Congratulations on finding the best job for you - I am sure you are relieved that whole experience is over.

[zanyplum]

I was hired over Skype for my past two jobs, and I was not thrilled with the prospect of having to go to the Search Bangkok Fair, but am I ever glad I went. I also was beginning to feel that the job fairs were a bit passe, but I have really changed my opinion. Having the opportunity to meet and talk to a variety of schools was incredible, and I made some very valuable connections that never would have happened otherwise. I ended up excepting a job I never saw coming, because frankly, I was tired of filling out another application and did not apply to this school. At the fair they contacted me, and I am thrilled to have accepted the position. I totally agree that if you don't believe in the fair format, then don't go, but I would not hesitate to go again, and I now see the value. When the possibilities for employment are world wide, which I think is rare for other professions, then it seems to make sense to gather everyone together. And for the record, I visited quite a few hotel rooms for interviewing and was always given a proper chair in which to sit.

[newchapter]

Calciodirigore - you are of course entitled to your opinion but I just think it's your word choice that is off-putting. I would hardly say the fairs are 'silly', 'pathetic' and 'sad'. You just sound rather 'sour grapey'. No one is forcing you to go to a fair. I'm not crazy about Skype interviews but, hey, it's part of the process so I do them. I don't then go around saying that people who Skype are sad and pathetic.

Anyway - the best to you. I'm going to take my silly, sad, pathetic self off to my amazing Tier 1 school this summer! ;)

[Peregrination]

zanyplum wrote:
>And for the record, I visited quite a few hotel
> rooms for interviewing and was always given a proper chair in which to sit.

THIS. Who sat on a bed? Two of my interviews were in suites, where we sat on couches with a beautiful view of the Charles and discussed our qualifications. The other two were in regular rooms, and we sat on chairs while we interviewed. I didn't hear about anyone sitting on beds.

I'm also wondering about all of these sad stories. Everyone we talked with during the reception and throughout our stay either had a job by Sunday or were in final negotiations. All of these candidates were teaching couples without dependents (including us). We're not even in competitive fields, and we had multiple offers.

I think the fairs, Skype, or whatever, are always more stressful for those with dependents or without a teaching partner. We didn't see many sad people, but were were also hanging out with the prime candidates. I know several people who have been rejected from jobs after Skype interviews because of dependents; I think it's the same at the fairs as it is on Skype, and it's just the nature of the industry right now. As a couple who don't want children, I think we went into the right career.

That said, I will definitely try to directly contact schools or try Skype next time just to see how it goes. This year we were new candidates to the international school scene, but next time, we'll have years of IB experience at the MYP and DP levels. I loved the fair, but it was very expensive and I wouldn't mind not going. I don't think, however, that we should all quit the fairs because of some bad experiences. There were many happy people at Cambridge and I felt it was very well organized.

[Flyingpigs]

Calciodirigore: I am curious to know--did you have a really bad fair experience? Did something happen with SEARCH associates that we need to be aware of? Why do you not like them/the fairs? In regards to SEARCH....I found the data base very helpful, but my associate was fairly useless. I got my admin job with a SKYPE interview, with a school that was advertising through SEARCH.
The fair I went to ( I already had a job so didnt have to go through the stress of the event) seemed to be well organized....but I am curious--why such a negative feeling towards the process? The more information we have about our choices, the better.
:)

[newchapter]

@Peregrination,

I think if they want you they want you. I just came back from the Cambridge fair with a Tier 1 (if you will) job which I actually was offered before the fair but went to fair to sign contract in person. I am single with no dependents and have a lot of stateside experience at a private school but no real (did ESL overseas many years ago) international experience. I had a lot of offers for interviews and am still getting emails to interview. Also met a couple with 2 dependents and both of them got into AS in Paris!

I can see, though, early in the game couples are more desirable if they are both qualified and the recruiters like them both AND there are jobs for both. Met quite a few discouraged couples in Cambridge where there weren't jobs for both spouses.

It's a crazy puzzle/game that has no set rules and the target is always moving!