The International Schools Review Forum

Kilg0re wrote:

> @Bananas, I hope the London fair in April works out for you. In spite of
> my personal views on fairs (under-informed as they may be), they hold them
> every year for a reason and obviously tons of people end up with great
> jobs.

Thanks Kilg0re, I'm trying to keep my hopes up :-) And good luck to you in your new job! :-D

Lookingforlefty,

what about the fair is the best place to see a teacher under pressure, to judge him or her by total package, rather than just a head shot on a video screen? What about the fact that if a teacher can't be bothered to get their behind to a fair, it might speak about their desire to secure a job with my school? What about I have 200 applications and want to vet people in person?

You seem to think that fairs are all about heads getting out and getting perks. Most heads I know take their duties fairly seriously and have a vested interest in hiring the best teachers for the job. I guess I am fortunate to have avoided schools where the heads just want teachers who "look good, go along and get along". That said, they also want teachers who are not bonkers and who will fit in with the existing culture and environment of the school. I have seen some staff members not make the cut at probation end, largely because they were nutters, or had other issues. It isn't a science.

As to "the utility of fairs being greatest to those who cannot easily demonstrate objective value on paper", that's a bit of a stretch. I know many outstanding teachers who have been hired at fairs that this comment would just make them laugh at whatever whinger said it.

I guess to each their own, but fairs aren't going away anytime soon. Education is a people profession and admin likes to meet the people it hires.

Just my two cents and anybody and everybody is free to disagree.

shad

@shadowjack

Thats disingenuous, its less an issue of "cant be bothered" as a motivation factor, but that there are real costs in terms of financial resources in attending a fair. Grouping non fair attendees in the unmotivated group is a gross and inaccurate generalization.

How is F2F interviews the total package? If it was there would not be any "mis-hires" since your inference is the total package and youd see, all the strengths, the weaknesses and the flaws. Most ITs even the nutters can fake it for 30 minutes. You get more in F2F but its hardly the total package.

While it can be just a head shot its also reasonable to do an upper torso shot, just ask the candidate to move the camera back a little. I wouldnt go too far, or you might have a "captain underpants" problem.

Everyone wants the best of whatever it is, but heads and recruiters are pretty realistic, it would be more accurate to claim that they want the best teachers they can afford.

Actually recruiting is a science, its just science with a good deal of art mixed in as well. That art doesnt invalidate the science aspect.

Perhaps we read the greatest value comment differently. I didnt read it as an absolute, but that there are candidates who are under represented on paper, who potentially can demonstrate their value better in F2F.

Got my degree and certification, employer was impressed with STEM experience as a summer camp instructor, so I got hired fresh out of uni. 0 classroom teaching experience.
1st position: Hired in June, 2014.

@klooste

What tier of school and where? A June hire sounds like a bottom tier school.
The rule is; theres a job for everyone if youll take anything and go anywhere

November, 2014 via Skype. First IT post for both of us.