A "What would you do" scenario:

[MizMorton]

We all have our top choice schools for various reasons. I'll call mine School A (first choice) and School B (second choice, but only by a spiderweb of a hair). My husband and I are a teaching couple.

School A: We've gotten a bite. She said they'd be in touch later this week. I have a strong sense that we're good contenders for this job (for whatever gut feelings are worth). We fit the description of their ideal candidates. It is an off-the-radar school with low competition compared to the big IS names, and the odds of this opportunity coming up again are slim, because it's a very small school that happens to have two jobs for us.

School B: We're actually sending back & forth e-mails with the principal, and I think she likes us (our letter made her laugh out loud). We feel we have a good shot there too. A very good shot, by the tone of the e-mails.

There is a big part of me that wants to e-mail School A and say hey, we've gotten a little interest from another school, but you're our first choice... can you, uh, move this along any faster? Obviously not in those words. There's plenty of material for me to stroke their egos because they are #1 after all.

Should I?

I know, tough problem to have... **DISCLAIMER:** I am well aware that we haven't gotten any offers yet. I'm just wondering if a nudge to School A would be out of line.

[sid]

Very gently, if at all. More about letting them know you are very interested, top cho ice and all that, and you are wondering if she can give you an update on their intended timeline.
You can also try to subtly slow down the other school just a bit.

[PsyGuy]

What I would do is wait it out for school A without any "nudging", I can always find another school B.

THE GOOD:

Dont slow down school B. You really cant, you can delay a day or two with documents but at that point they have offered you something and your going to feel really stupid if they pull an offer or move along to someone else and school A doesnt bite. Since it really sounds like youd like both schools a contract in hand is better than all the fluff and sweet talk a school and recruiter can throw out.

The risk is that if you indicate interest from another school the admin might just see that as an okay to let you go, and since they can probably find someone else its really no loss to them. I wouldnt use the push, Id just email them every couple of days for an update on their recruiting process. It may be aggressive but will be less threatening to an admin then the "We have interest from someone else approach".

THE BAD:

Dont be silky about it, just tell the admin you have another school preparing to offer you a contract and you are the first choice for them. Admins arent stupid (thats another discussion) but they know the environment, and any admin youd want to work for would understand. So being direct is a workable strategy.

THE UGLY:

Take both positions, and dump one of them as you get closer to departure. They would due it to you in the flutter of a butterflies wings. You never know whats going to happen with school A, and school B makes a nice insurance policy assuming school A offers you contracts.

[MizMorton]

Good advice, thank you.

I probably can slow down School B since they are 12 time zones away. The back-and-forth tends to be on opposite ends of the clock. Damn, if we get offered both... Ai yi yi. I want both BADLY. We're just hoping that fate steps in and makes the right call for us.

School A said it would be the end of the week, and today is Wednesday. Maybe I will wait until tomorrow or Friday and see what School B writes back. I am being totally presumptuous at this point, after all.

[wrldtrvlr123]

MizMorton wrote:
> Good advice, thank you.
>
> I probably can slow down School B since they are 12 time zones away. The
> back-and-forth tends to be on opposite ends of the clock. Damn, if we get
> offered both... Ai yi yi. I want both BADLY. We're just hoping that fate
> steps in and makes the right call for us.
>
> School A said it would be the end of the week, and today is Wednesday.
> Maybe I will wait until tomorrow or Friday and see what School B writes
> back. I am being totally presumptuous at this point, after all.
-----------------
Have you actually interviewed with either school? Sorry, I'm a little slow this evening. You described the contact as a bite and back and forth emails but didn't mention the interviews (but maybe that was implied?).

In any case, it's always nice to feel you have options, even if they don't all pan out exactly as you hoped. Good luck.

[MizMorton]

No, at this point we're just conversing through e-mails. Pre-interviewing, I guess? But that is going well.

[wrldtrvlr123]

Cool. Thanks for clarifying. Well, the good and bad is that you (generally) can't have an offer without an interview so that gives you some time for this to play out a bit more.

[MizMorton]

Fate has spoken! School A said no thanks. We don't have enough IB experience. School B has scheduled us an interview for Monday! Woo-hoo!

Now I can tell you that School A was Knightsbridge in Montenegro. I was smitten with the country. Ah well, another time!

[jessiejames]

It is wonderful in summer but you can still visit for a holiday destination ;) Good luck with your interviews for School B.

[Route66]

MizMorton wrote:
> Fate has spoken! School A said no thanks. We don't have enough IB experience. School
> B has scheduled us an interview for Monday! Woo-hoo!
>
> Now I can tell you that School A was Knightsbridge in Montenegro. I was smitten with
> the country. Ah well, another time!


Did you email School A to speed up the process? or just wait for them. I am in a similar situation, although I have actually been given an offer with my School B.... but really want my School A.

[MizMorton]

I did. Here's what I sent them:

"I was wondering if you had made any decisions about interviewing candidates yet. We have had a few bites from other schools, but Knightsbridge Montenegro is our very top choice! We want to be sure we leave the door open for you first as we move along through the interview process.

I hope to hear from you soon. Thank you very much!"

I heard back within a few hours. I'm glad I wrote! I really wanted them too, but School B is also a great school, so... onward!

[Route66]

I think I may do the same @mizMorton I would rather just know than hang around hoping. Even if it is bad news from my School A.

[PsyGuy]

@MizMorton

Just emailing back and forth would have changed the position, as I assumed you had already interviewed.
The rule is nothing matters except an offer. Email chit chat means nothing, and is worth nothing, if a school wants you and is interested they schedule an interview or ask to schedule an interview they dont just exchange pleasantries. They were playing you, keeping you in mind in case of something, but realizing you were interviewing elsewhere they let you go, since they had no real interest at that time in considering you for a position.

In the future it would be strongly advised not to discuss or display identifying information such as a school name that you were discussing. Know that admin knows you use ISR, and who you are (and your screen name) and a significant number of admins truly despise this site and anyone who associates themselves with it.

[MizMorton]

PsyGuy wrote:
> In the future it would be strongly advised not to discuss or display
> identifying information such as a school name that you were discussing.
> Know that admin knows you use ISR, and who you are (and your screen name)
> and a significant number of admins truly despise this site and anyone who
> associates themselves with it.

NOW WE'RE TALKING! This is the kind of information I needed. I had no idea. Thanks for filling me in! Hopefully at this point I'm still safe...?? I haven't said a negative word yet. Since ISR is so poisonous I'll probably hop off once I have a job and will look for support elsewhere. Thanks PsyGuy!

[shadowjack]

MizMorton, I wouldn't worry too much. But it i s considered cautionary to not give out too many details about yourself, just like anywhere except Facebook, where you can tell us ALL about your and your life :-)