Tips for Educators - Waiting for the Hiring Decision

When you have applied for a new position at a different school, you have probably wondered why it has taken the school so long to notify you about the interview or their hiring decision. This can be for several reasons. Unfortunately, some schools don’t even bother to inform you they have received your application or CV. If they have received your application or CV, they have decided that you don’t fit what they are looking for. If you have not heard anything in a week to 10 days, I think you should contact the school to check to see if they received your application or CV and where they are in the process. Also know that this can be a tedious task for the school.

If you are contacted for an interview and you have the interview and then the waiting starts. You may not here anything for days, weeks, or never. You are probably not the only one applying nor interviewing. The school wants to make sure they have they have completed the application and interview process as well as the reference check. A smart HR manager or school administrator will not contact the candidates that were not selected until the number one candidate has been notified and signed the contract. The number one candidate is usually given a week or so to respond. If the candidate says no, then the school either reopens the application process or goes to the second candidate. Again this is time consuming and usually the school will not be in contact with you on where they are in the process. After the interview, I would again give the school a week or 10 days to contact you of any decision if they don’t, you might want to remind the school that you have applied to other schools and would appreciate a response sooner than later. Hopefully you have made numerous applications but you want the school to think that you are a desirable candidate and you can’t wait forever. This can be risky but if you can’t wait the school should know this.

I was a director of a large international school in Cairo, Egypt and we tried to hire as many foreigners as possible. We normally had approximately 35 openings a year due to growth and replacement. We interviewed on average 100 candidates to fill these 35 slots. We started the advertising and interviewing in October for the following August school year. Hiring for some schools takes a lot of time and effort. So be patient but I do recommend to check on the process as needed.

You might ask yourself if the school is not very cooperative or helpful, is this the school for you?

Good luck!

Dr. Les Potter
Founder—-Potter’s Educational Services
Free service for educators
[email protected]