The International Schools Review Forum

I'll first state that I really enjoy the current country I am living in. If work was half decent, I would happily stay here much longer. However, I am thinking at the least relocating jobs and as a result, probably having to relocate countries. One of the main reasons is some of the terrible admin at the school. I have had poor bosses before, but one in particular seems to be particularly vindictive and difficulty to get along with. They don't seem to like me much. They also have conflict with many of the teachers. Unfortunately, they are the boss that I have to deal with the most and their reference may count the most.

I will applying through Search and I will have numerous years of experience back home and plus my 2 years abroad at an IB school. I also have good references from my previous referees and my a good degree. I am pretty confident I can get decent references off other people from my current job.

Anyway, how much does one bad reference hurt you when gaining employment somewhere else? Has anyone knowingly had a bad reference on their profile? What was the impact. Are employers understanding of this?

I'm not aiming to be getting a job at a top school (it would be nice) but somewhere half decent would be ok too.

It depends. How bad is bad? What reputation (if any) does the referee and/or school have in the wider int'l school community? How many good/glowing references do you have to offset the potentially bad one?

References from current supervisors are important but not necessarily deal breakers or makers. I've never knowingly had a bad one so I can't help you there.

I would get as many good ones from your current school as possible. Get your team leader, IB coordinator, HOD, or a parent to give good reviews to offset the bad. You will end up with one outlier, and most recruiters recognize them as such, particularly if you have otherwise good reviews at the same job.

It depends how bad the relationship is and how bad not only the reference letter is but what they say about you on the shade, what their reputation is on the circuit and what their ISs tier and reputation is.
Most recruiters really have little more than the previous HOSs reflection on the suitability of a candidate, and many things that other ITs, and junior leadership wouldnt know only the HOS would be able to comment on. You will have little opportunity to defend yourself against a HOS that wants to do some damage (especially a vindictive one).

THE GOOD

Your HOS gives you a reference that isnt negative, and its supported in the closed reference of a premium agency.

THE BAD

Its not a positive letter but your leadership has a negative rep and the ISs rep is its a revolving door of ITs. They dont dislike you enough to make you miserable so they repeat whats in the reference letter. You can explain away an outlier after collecting however many positive references from your current IS as you can.

THE UGLY

For whatever reasons the reference is going to hurt you, and you need to seriously consider ghosting the experience from your resume.