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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To be disappointed in the response to my questions at interview?

52 replies

MinimumPayment · 20/05/2015 10:05

I was interviewed for the most senior non-teaching position in a secondary school.

TBH by the time we got to my turn to ask questions I'd already decided I wasn't that bothered about the job. There was no attempt to sell the job or the school to me, the chair of governors was positively frosty and the head gave me the creeps! They've also had a rash of adverts for office jobs in recent weeks and this post was first advertised, then re-advertised months ago, so they obviously have some issues.

So, my first question was an attempt to find out about those issues. I asked about the structure of the finance and admin staff (which I'd be leading). They either didn't know or didn't want to tell me and really didn't answer the question. Doesn't really matter what the issues are, it would be my job to resolve them and I love a challenge, but I didn't think it was unreasonable to ask.

Then I asked what the key objectives are for the next 12 months. There was silence (panel of 4) everyone looked at the head who eventually said, to continue to get good results. Now, it's OFSTED "good" and gets results close to the national average with an intake with higher than average SEN and very high FSM, so it does well, but it's not like there's no room for improvement. AIBU to think they could have come up with something strategic to talk about? Planning for next year should be done or well underway, they must have some interesting objectives, surely?

Or did I get what I deserved for trying to be clever and putting them on the spot?

What would have been better questions?

OP posts:

Original poster

MinimumPayment · 20/05/2015 18:50

I found it odd that we'd reached the end of the interview without discussing the actual role too APlace. The was nothing in the interview pack except the schedule for the day.

OP posts:

TedAndLola · 20/05/2015 18:55

I think you dodged a bullet there, OP. They sound clueless and disorganised.

IAmAShitHotLawyer · 20/05/2015 18:58

They had already decided who was going to get the job and its not you.

Sorry.

APlaceOnTheCouch · 20/05/2015 19:03

They're either disorganised or distracted. Neither of which you want in an employer.

PrincessTheresaofLiechtenstein · 20/05/2015 19:13

The only way those could be "bad" questions is if they'd already explained it all to you and you hadn't been listening! If they can't answer such basic stuff they have got serious issues, I would have thought.

benchmark · 20/05/2015 19:25

See this is a tough one. I've interviewed dozens of people over the years and when I first started interviewing I was fairly junior in the company and I was interviewing entry level candidates. One guy pulled out a sheet with 4 or 5 questions on that were genuinely really hard to answer.
I felt like I was being interviewed and that he just wanted to look clever, completely put me off him.
In this instance the questions seem fine though op. They were very job specific and relevant.

Original poster

MinimumPayment · 20/05/2015 19:30

Thank you all for your thoughts you've helped me to believe it was them not me

Even so, I think I might amend it to what will my key objectives be....for next time.

OP posts:

LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett · 20/05/2015 19:39

I think the questions were great, if you did want to re-think I'd just word them slightly differently as sometimes words like key objectives can put people off. So 'how many people in the team and what do they do' instead of 'how is the team structure' and 'what would you expect me to achieve in the first six months' instead of 'what are the key objectives'.

But honestly, nit picking from me there. You were fine. They were rubbish.

ElviraCondomine · 20/05/2015 19:55

In a school environment the very least I'd expect is for the HT to know what the school's objectives are: even 3 year olds are told what their learning objectives are (in age appropriate language) and from Y1 upwards children often have to write them down too. Teachers have a raft of objectives to fulfil every time they plan a lesson. Why would the idea of an objective scare the leader of the institution?

Original poster

MinimumPayment · 20/05/2015 19:59

Yes, Elvira, that's why I wondered if his response was sarcastic in reply to what he thought was a smart alec question. Objectives are everything in schools, he must have known a couple he could have give, although of course they do all boil down to getting good results.

OP posts:

greeneggsandjam · 20/05/2015 22:52

Assuming you were going for a job in the school office/finance manager type post I don't see why knowing what the teaching targets and key objectives around children's learning would help you make up your mind as to whether or not you wanted to take the job.

If you aren't involved in teaching the children yourself it isn't really something you would need to worry about surely. Why didn't you just ask specifics related directly to your position?

Original poster

MinimumPayment · 20/05/2015 22:55

The objectives in the schools development plan would very much have been a part of my job green, it would be my job to find the money to pay for them.

OP posts:

Original poster

MinimumPayment · 20/05/2015 23:05

but more than that, the objectives would have given me a better understanding of how the school was run, it's ethos, the things it feels are important, it's aspirations for the staff and children, any big future plans re premises or staffing levels would impact my work a lot.

Loads of reasons to understand the aims of any organisation you're working for surely?

OP posts:

MargoReadbetter · 20/05/2015 23:13

I went for a job interview the other week and I said I'd read in the local paper about weekend opening. Would this be part of the job or in addition and not compulsory. They didn't know. I didn't get the job but IMO they were either shifty or disorganised.

I think your questions were fine. If they expect a quiet, obedient employee then maybe it wouldn't have suited you.

greeneggsandjam · 20/05/2015 23:24

Why do you assume that the school development plan objectives would involve needing money to fund them? Why would increasing writing levels in Year 1 for example necessarily need to be funded?

Anyway, it sounds like you can afford to be choosy over the job you get so I'm sure your questions will serve you well and get you the job you want.

MargoReadbetter · 20/05/2015 23:30

Huh? In the real world stuff needs money. You can pretend you get more for less but that's madness. At any rate, easy enough to answer: "don't worry, we received a mammoth donation".

greeneggsandjam · 20/05/2015 23:40

No, meeting school development plan objectives doesn't always need money at all.

MargoReadbetter · 20/05/2015 23:41

Is this nuspeak?

greeneggsandjam · 20/05/2015 23:50

What is nuspeak?

DodgedAnAsbo · 21/05/2015 00:02

minimumpayment, you sound like a 'trimmer' to me and I would hesitate to employ you.
a trimmer was a ship that trimmed its sails to catch the best wind. In senior management, that's someone without principles or a philosophy, who will do anything to 'fit in'.
it depends how desperate you are for a job, but for happiness, stick to your principles

MargoReadbetter · 21/05/2015 00:03

Better known as Newspeak from Orwell. Using approved language. Dumbing down. Finding savings rather than calling them cuts. Etc. Everywhere nowadays.

Original poster

MinimumPayment · 21/05/2015 08:00

Green, the objectives wouldn't necessarily need money, but if you don't know what they are, how do you know? In any case, the role was for a member of the SLT, it can't be unreasonable to want to find out if the objectives of the existing management are broadly similar to your own philosophies.

You're right Didged, I didn't need the job and will wait for the right one to come up. I would say my position is exactly opposite to what you describe. I'm not prepared to do anything to fit in, rather if I find out at interview that I don't fit, I won't take the job. (or won't be offered it!)

OP posts:

blueshoes · 21/05/2015 08:27

Dodged, I fail to see how you got the impression. The OP is quite the opposite. Hope you don't interview too much, certainly not for a senior management position.

fascicle · 21/05/2015 09:25

blueshoes
Dodged, I fail to see how you got the impression.

Me too.

Dodged
you sound like a 'trimmer' to me and I would hesitate to employ you.

I'm assuming from your comment that you have some involvement with recruitment. It's concerning that you and RhiWrites (who interviews 'a lot of people') seem very quick to jump to conclusions about people, which seem to have no basis whatsoever.

OnlyLovers · 21/05/2015 14:34

you sound like a 'trimmer' to me and I would hesitate to employ you.
a trimmer was a ship that trimmed its sails to catch the best wind. In senior management, that's someone without principles or a philosophy, who will do anything to 'fit in'.

I really struggle to see anything in the OP's posts that implies or indicates this. Can you elucidate?

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