Job application query - especially for teachers

[aliceincumberland]

I have to admit I'm posting in Chat for traffic although this is probably more suited to The Staffroom.

Would you bother spending time applying for a job where there's a very obvious internal candidate?

I'm looking for an Assistant Head position (primary). There's a school nearby recruiting. They currently have two key stage leaders. They have decided to restructure to have one AHT instead. One of the key stage leaders is leaving. The other is applying for the AHT role.

I don't work in this school - I would be an external applicant.

The job has been advertised nationally.

I visited and the head said all the right things about wanting the best possible candidate etc

But job applications take absolutely ages, references are lots of hassle for your referees (they're taken up ahead of interview for safeguarding reasons) and going out to interview means you need cover in school etc. Plus everyone knows you're going to an interview so you look a right dickhead if you don't get it.

Would you bother applying if you were me?

Definitely worth it. The current KS leads might not have the right skills, they might actually want a fresh perspective, the internal candidate might drop out of the process etc etc. Not always a foregone conclusion at all when there’s an internal candidate.

I’d apply if only for the interview experience. If you get it that’s a bonus and if you don’t apply you certainly won’t.

in my early days of teaching I interviewed for a job with an internal candidate. ( I didn’t know until the interviews). I didn’t get it but they told me I’d impressed and they offered me another post which I hadn’t known about.

More recently I began asking schools if there was an internal candidate. Have to say they didn’t like it. Always insisted it would be the best person on the day. Usually the internal candidate got it.

I went for an SLT job, there were 2 internal candidates that I wasn’t aware of (due to restructuring) and I got the job. The restricting might have something to do with not wanting the internal to get it.

As PP has said it’s good experience if nothing else

Yes, if nothing else you'll get valuable feedback and make clear your ambition.

I’m in this position at the moment and I’m going for it - keep the faith

I’d apply. I got my current post against a “regular supply” who knew all the systems and people.
DH got his job against candidates who had special school experience, which he didn’t. The school decided they could teach him what he needed to know about that, but didn’t have capacity or time to teach the others about running GCSEs. He came home assuming there was no chance, the phone call was an unexpected delight.

It’s good to go to other schools. It widens our horizons and views of education. I’ve never thought someone was a dickhead for not getting a job after an interview. In schools it can just be that someone else will gel more easily or has taught a year group more recently. Or just fib and say you withdrew from the interview, I know lots of people who’ve done that after a day in a school.

Definitely apply. If you are a strong candidate, they may want to have you AND the internal candidate. Double win for them.

Also, sometimes the internal candidate is interviewed for political reasons but they’re really looking for new ideas

Of course neither situation makes it easy to work with the internal candidate when they don’t get the job!

Tbh I've never thought of anyone being dickhead for not getting it either - I've just had a bit of a run of unsuccessful interviews so I'm feeling a bit self conscious about it.

I got my job in a scholarship ahead of the internal candidate everyone "knew" would get it.

I've also been on interview panels where there was a strong internal candidate but a stronger external one on the day.

Scholarship? School!

This is all very encouraging. Thank you all for the motivation! 💐

I'd apply and see what happens. I got my current teaching job over a regular supply teacher. Worth it for the experience and feedback.

Definitely apply. There will be internal candidates that might seem on the surface to be a shoe-in, but the actual day to day of dealing with them could be completely different and they are praying for a stronger candidate to apply.

Definitely apply. My last job was SLT and I got it over an internal candidate.

I was an internal candidate and didn't get the post because the governors wanted someone external, and the successful candidate performed the tasks well because he'd been doing interviews for two years. I learned that passing interviews has very little to do with the actual job (and that two of our governors are full-on misogynistic arseholes). So the more interview practice, the better.

I know what you mean about applications taking ages though! It's hours to do one properly, making sure you meet all the person specifications. And then when they don't even bother to tell you you're not shortlisted... 😡

Sorry to hear that @DoctorLawn , that is really shit not to even tell you 😕