The International Schools Review Forum

Hi All,

I'll be attending my second job fair soon and I'm quite confident about approaching schools about getting interviews and such. However - I also like to network a little with some of the schools which are of interest to me but currently do not have any jobs which will be suitable for me this year.

If anyone is a recruiter here - do you think it is a good thing or an annoyance if a person comes up quickly and introduces themselves, say they would like to work for your school someday and then leaves you along? I would only approach if there was not a line of course....

Any thoughts??

Not a recruiter but just throwing my cents in.

I don't think most people in that situation would be very annoyed or bothered by your stopping by during interview sign up (I am assuming that is when you are talking about). I also don't know how effective that would be in networking for future opportunities (unless something unexpected just happen to open up at that fair). If it's just a handshake and hello then they may or may not remember with all of the other people they are meeting. And, if it's leaving them a card or CV then they may or may not appreciate it/keep it, with all of the other papers they are shuffling and trying to keep track of that do directly relate to positions they are trying to fill at that fair.

On the other hand, a number of top schools may have relatively few positions they are recruiting for at a given fair and so admin types may have more time for networking and socializing. You may have more success with trying to squeeze in the school presentation of a school you would be interested in for the future and touching base and/or trying to identify a director/school head and buying them a drink at the social event.

In any case, just my thoughts and I would be interested to hear from others.

You can make good contacts at presentations - two contacts I made led directly to interviews, even though one of the schools had already put a "No thanks" card in my mail folder.

Just a fly by introduction won't do much at all and will be totally non-rememberable (is that even a word? LOL).

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

I've managed to have a few conversations with some recruiters at my current fair before the interview signups. I'm starting to think this is the best time to speak to them before the fun and games of interviews starts.....