Negotiating pay at interview?

[Anewleaf]

Hi all

I have an interview in the week and would like some advice on this. So on offer, is this something I can do? Have you? Any tips you could share?
I'm currently on mainscale but know I have fallen behind due to maternities and not seeking a rise then.

I feel this my only opportunity now. And would love a jump from m4 to m6 or even ups1 after 7 years teaching.

Thanks in advance

[DellaPorter]

School business manager here.

It might be a bit awkward to raise in interview. And how they respond when you do raise it will depend on their pay policy.

But before you confirm acceptance of the job is the right time to raise it. Their pay policy is unlikely to allow for a shift to ups without it being linked to confirmed good performance though.

You might get the opportunity to e plain your situation in the interview. If they ask something like why do you want to come and work for us.

You could say ‘I have loved working at my current school, but having taken time out to have my children, I feel perhaps I got a bit overlooked for extra responsibility ( for instance I missed pay progression x times due to being on maternity leave)

Having now completed x no of years teaching with y evidence I am an effective teacher, I am interested in coming to work At new school as part of a new chAllenge - I am ready to move up onto the upper scale and play more of a whole school role’

When they ask you at the end if you have any questions, ask about potential for leadership development and then ask something about

‘ having been a teacher for x no of years but not even reached the top of the main scale, what sort of fast track could you offer me to help me catch up if I come to work for you?’ But couch it in terms of you being experienced and good potential for taking on more for them. If you have had good recent AppraisAl, chuck that in.

Then, if you get offered the job, when the chair of the panel calls you, say ‘that’s fantastic. I am really excited at the opportunities. You will remember I said at interview I felt I had been held back on the pay scale at x school ... I would like to ask for appointment on m6 when I start with you, and confirmation I would be eligible to apply for threshold after the first year’

[Buxbaum]

I would start a threshold application with your current school now so that you can tell a prospective employer that your application is in progress in support of your request. You can't ask to be appointed on UPS without evidence.

You should not have missed out on pay progression due to maternity leave, however. It sounds like you have a case to pursue with your currently employer.

[castasp]

I always negotiate these days.

There are a couple of times in the interview when you must mention it:

1. When they ask you "do you want this job", you say " yes, subject to pay. I'm currently looking for M6, because..." (at this point you chant off all the things that make you an amazing person and perfect for the job - make sure you write this down before the interview and learn it off by heart, and make sure it is true for you).
   
2. When they offer you the job, again say "yes, I accept the job as long as the pay is M6 because....(I do think I'm a fantastic fit for the job etc - or whatever you have to say about how wonderful you are for the job).
   
   They will start negotiating with you at one of the points when you bring it up. Some Heads may just say "no, we only pay M1 to all basic teaching staff"
   Some may say "no, our policy is to match the pay scale you were on in your previous job, so you will start on M4" (most likely)
   Others may say "We can't go up to M6, but we can afford you to start on M5"
   
   Or you may be lucky and they may offer you M6.
   
   You need to be very clear in your mind before the interview where your cut off point is. Would you accept M5? M4? If not, you need to be prepared to walk away (at which point they may come back and offer more, but you are taking a gamble at that point).
   
   I think if it is a standard teaching job, it'll be highly unlikely that you'll be offered UPS1, unless you've gone through threshold somewhere else.

[ourkidmolly]

Why haven't you progressed up mainscale?
It's discriminatory to prevent that because of maternity leave.

[awkwardsitch]

Is this state or private?

[Anewleaf]

Excellent advice here. Thank you so much.
I'm currently on a fixed term contract of a year at my current school. It's not the school I had my maternity leave in. I left that school last year. With both pregnancies I had hyperemisis and was off A LOT. I was stupid and didn't even ask about my performance management. I have a lot of regret about that.
When I returned, they made me do an observed lesson to, "see if you Can still teach" - their words. That went well.
My current school tried to get info about my performance but last school made it difficult. So current school have carried out their own appraisal and moved me up a point on the spine.
Whilst I'm grateful for this I'm still lagging behind. Hence, the drive to negotiate if offered this new role.

Thanks guys x

[Anewleaf]

Just wanted to say another thank you all!
I used the advice and negotiated an m5 start. Will also look into putting together threshold evidence at current school. That way I can start application at new school too.
So new job, payrise and 2 weeks off. Cheers!

[castasp]

Excellent news! I hope other people read this and realise it always pays to negotiate - it's a bit daunting at first, but well worth it.