The Student Room Group

I didn’t get a job and my days just got progressively worse

I applied and made it to interview out of 80 candidates. Then my lesson made it though and I was shortlisted then I got the interview and after they said no. It’s my first ever teaching interview but I’ve felt really tearful all day. Then a recruiter found my info though the uni and upset me even more when I refused the job he was offering because it wasn’t guaranteed any permanency after a year
He said to me

My advice would be that permanent jobs are few and far between at this time of year because schools have done most of their recruitment for September already so most opportunities will be similar to this one or perhaps shorter contracts. The last thing you want to do is go onto supply for example. You can do a lot worse than securing a post at a large and outstanding teaching school like SCHOOL X where the support would be superb and the opportunities that come up would be high because of their size

I’ve had such a bad day and this just made me
Feel way worse. I’ve applied to other places and he made me feel really despondent. Any advice heresad
Original post by w678
I applied and made it to interview out of 80 candidates. Then my lesson made it though and I was shortlisted then I got the interview and after they said no. It’s my first ever teaching interview but I’ve felt really tearful all day. Then a recruiter found my info though the uni and upset me even more when I refused the job he was offering because it wasn’t guaranteed any permanency after a year
He said to me

My advice would be that permanent jobs are few and far between at this time of year because schools have done most of their recruitment for September already so most opportunities will be similar to this one or perhaps shorter contracts. The last thing you want to do is go onto supply for example. You can do a lot worse than securing a post at a large and outstanding teaching school like SCHOOL X where the support would be superb and the opportunities that come up would be high because of their size

I’ve had such a bad day and this just made me
Feel way worse. I’ve applied to other places and he made me feel really despondent. Any advice heresad

Sorry to hear that you didn't get the job, but it's definitely a positive that in your first ever teaching interview you made it through the lesson. Do make sure you ask for feedback if you haven't already, and hopefully you'll get the next one!

I don't know if this varies by location, but I do think at this time of year, it might help if you're willing to accept a non-permanent position. It's not uncommon at all for a first teaching job (at least not in my area) - most NQTs at my school started on a year long fixed contract which then became a permanent contract after they completed the NQT year without issue. I know my current mentor started at the school covering a maternity position, and although he had to leave after that was up, they contacted him about applying when they did have an opening and he's been here ~15 years now. Particularly if it's a school that's known to be supportive of staff-wellbeing, I would just go for it.
Original post by bluebeetle
Sorry to hear that you didn't get the job, but it's definitely a positive that in your first ever teaching interview you made it through the lesson. Do make sure you ask for feedback if you haven't already, and hopefully you'll get the next one!

I don't know if this varies by location, but I do think at this time of year, it might help if you're willing to accept a non-permanent position. It's not uncommon at all for a first teaching job (at least not in my area) - most NQTs at my school started on a year long fixed contract which then became a permanent contract after they completed the NQT year without issue. I know my current mentor started at the school covering a maternity position, and although he had to leave after that was up, they contacted him about applying when they did have an opening and he's been here ~15 years now. Particularly if it's a school that's known to be supportive of staff-wellbeing, I would just go for it.


It’s so upsetting. It’s not even like I didn’t try with the interview I really did. And I’ve applied to loads of jobs and also I’ve seen 2 more permanents which I’ll try applying to. It’s just been really thin on the ground with jobs this year
Original post by w678
It’s so upsetting. It’s not even like I didn’t try with the interview I really did. And I’ve applied to loads of jobs and also I’ve seen 2 more permanents which I’ll try applying to. It’s just been really thin on the ground with jobs this year

Yeah, it's definitely been a tough year for jobs.

I wouldn't let yourself dwell too much on that interview. Obviously reflect on what you can improve, but generally just think of it as good experience, and hopefully when you do your next interview, you'll feel more confident because you'll have answered similar questions in a similar setting before!
It’s June. Jobs have been really thin on the ground. I literally am so scared and crying a lot as I feel like a failure for not securing a post yet.

What do I do.
Reply 5
Hi there, it depends what type of job, is it minimum wage jobs or like a job that requires certain education?
Original post by souelle
Hi there, it depends what type of job, is it minimum wage jobs or like a job that requires certain education?


Teaching. Hence the post in the teaching forum.
how long U been searching
I've been hunting since 2019
Reply 8
Original post by w678
Teaching. Hence the post in the teaching forum.


Sorry I didn’t realise :/ but

You’re definitely not a failure, especially if you have been looking for jobs, that’s not a fail, I understand how you feel tho, jobs are hard to find, especially when there is no vacancies, have you tried phoning up the teaching companies/schools you may want to work for and maybe asking them directly, that could help some jobs are not advertised on websites sometimes and also consider temporary teaching jobs too, if not you could probably tutor online and work from home, I wish you all the best, you’ll get through this !
Original post by w678
It’s June. Jobs have been really thin on the ground. I literally am so scared and crying a lot as I feel like a failure for not securing a post yet.

What do I do.

Don't panic, there's still time for teaching jobs, and there will be less competition this time of year.

Remember, if you don't secure a September job, you can still do supply work and look for jobs that start later in the school year (for which there's often even less competition!)
Original post by w678
I applied and made it to interview out of 80 candidates. Then my lesson made it though and I was shortlisted then I got the interview and after they said no. It’s my first ever teaching interview but I’ve felt really tearful all day. Then a recruiter found my info though the uni and upset me even more when I refused the job he was offering because it wasn’t guaranteed any permanency after a year
He said to me

My advice would be that permanent jobs are few and far between at this time of year because schools have done most of their recruitment for September already so most opportunities will be similar to this one or perhaps shorter contracts. The last thing you want to do is go onto supply for example. You can do a lot worse than securing a post at a large and outstanding teaching school like SCHOOL X where the support would be superb and the opportunities that come up would be high because of their size

I’ve had such a bad day and this just made me
Feel way worse. I’ve applied to other places and he made me feel really despondent. Any advice heresad


I totally understand this was upsetting to read when you've already been rejected.

I also don't think working with recruiters is worthwhile in teaching. In general, you are always better off dealing with the school directly.

However, at this stage in the year I wouldn't reject one year contracts, or even maternity cover out of hand. A lot of schools only offer NQTs a one year contract, and actually, because of the way employment law works, a permanent contract doesn't actually offer you more security in your first year.
Hey, you may find this useful: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7033912

I'm sure you've said before, but what's your specialism?
Original post by SarcAndSpark
I totally understand this was upsetting to read when you've already been rejected.

I also don't think working with recruiters is worthwhile in teaching. In general, you are always better off dealing with the school directly.

However, at this stage in the year I wouldn't reject one year contracts, or even maternity cover out of hand. A lot of schools only offer NQTs a one year contract, and actually, because of the way employment law works, a permanent contract doesn't actually offer you more security in your first year.


Why would you say recruiters aren’t worthwhile
Original post by w678
Why would you say recruiters aren’t worthwhile

Most schools don't use recruiters. A school that is using a recruiter is likely desperate to employ someone, and that tells you a lot about the school, in my opinion.

Schools have to advertise vacancies on their websites, so usually you can bypass the recruiter and apply to the school direct. Recruiting a candidate this way saves the school money, so if it comes down to being close between you and another candidate, it may be a deciding factor.
Original post by SarcAndSpark
Most schools don't use recruiters. A school that is using a recruiter is likely desperate to employ someone, and that tells you a lot about the school, in my opinion.

Schools have to advertise vacancies on their websites, so usually you can bypass the recruiter and apply to the school direct. Recruiting a candidate this way saves the school money, so if it comes down to being close between you and another candidate, it may be a deciding factor.


It’s also pretty impersonal too. I agreed to the interview but I’ve seen more jobs come out. Are you allowed to go to interview but decline a job if you don’t want it?
Original post by w678
It’s also pretty impersonal too. I agreed to the interview but I’ve seen more jobs come out. Are you allowed to go to interview but decline a job if you don’t want it?

Yes. You can withdraw at any point on the day, and at the end of your panel interview, you'll be asked if you are still a firm candidate for the job.

If you say in panel you are a firm candidate, but later decline, it is frowned upon but not a big deal. However, if you accept the job and later change your mind, this is seen as a real problem in teaching, and you're likely to be blacklisted by the school, and possibly others in the local area (heads talk).

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