To be really upset at the feedback Ive just received from my agency?

[ManonBlackbeak]

Just that really. Ive been doing supply work as a TA in schools for the last few years, enjoy it and have had lots of long term placements. I get asked back all the time to lots of schools. Not boasting but I always get good feedback, or did until today.

Signed up with another agency at the start of the year to try and keep my options open, and was offered a week long placement in one of the few schools Ive not been to in our area. Seemed really nice, actually very nice and was looking forward to going back. To cut a long story short the agency just rang and told me that they don't want me back because they think Im odd or a weirdo. Or both. Basically when Im tired I twitch my eyes and this is apparently odd and was commented on by the teacher, they also thought I was talking to myself. I wasn't as far as Im aware, but then doesn't everyone occasionally! Honestly it was a pure character assasination and a general attack on who I am that has made me feel like a piece of shit. I know im a bit quirky and eccentric, but this is who I am and no one has ever commented on it in over four years. Why did the consultant even tell me? Surely a short 'they didn't think you were right for them' should suffice.

So as not to drip feed I suffer from dreadful anxiety (the facial twitch is related to that), and this has me me feel awful. Just so shitty and makes me wonder why I bother?

Did the guy from the agency actually use the words "odd" and/or "weirdo"? Or are you paraphrasing?

YANBU.

This happened to me when I was just starting out. I had a placement with a TOP WHITE GUY in my field. Worshipped by everyone. I thought it went well. Then the agency called me and told me TOP WHITE GUY didn't like me and wouldn't have me back. I was stunned. We'd barely interacted, and when we did it was very smiley and respectful. It was devastating at the time.

I found out later he was a sex pest of the highest order, and only hired VERY young, impressionable women (with big tits) he could control/have them be in awe of him. His words had ZERO impact on my career and in fact probably saved me from a toxic work environment.

It sounds like you have a solid rep otherwise, so move on, head held high, thankful that you don't have to work with people who don't appreciate you!

I can’t help but think the school must be a really unkind and unpleasant place if they think that it’s acceptable to give ‘feedback’ like that.

I expect they had someone who calls a spade a spade give feed back ie rude as fuck

I encountered one with first work experience placement one I’d found entirely myself in area I was interested and was really hard to get and it was great till last day and supervisor I’d barely seen wrote very report literally few lines – apparently, she was known for being blunt – she didn’t like my teeth or my voice .

I was 15 – I read report when given it and found it very upsetting and then school decided to pass the criticism on as well – that was a great meeting I bascilly sat there siliently crying.

I've had many jobs since with no mention of these issues.

I'd avoid that school in future and maybe put this agency on probation in your head - see how they treat you going forward and then decide if you want to continue with them.

Yes I’m paraphrasing yaboo. It’s as good as what they said, and I think the agency guy was actually trying to soften the blow.

A paraphrase is your interpretation.

How much would it cost for you to get assessed privately.

I don’t know really. I’ve never looked into it.

I understand that it must have been upsetting but I think giving vague feedback often does people no favours.

Now you're aware of the issues you can take steps to mitigate them, if you want to - eg "I just wanted to let you know that I have a small facial twitch. It's nothing to be alarmed about, it's just caused by tiredness, but I wanted to mention it to you because I know some people can otherwise find it distracting".

Just to let you know I’ve informed the agency that I was really upset at the comments received, and that I think the school were unkind and unprofessional to say this things that they did. So far they have not responded despite the message having been read... hopefully they are shitting themselves and wondering how to respond.

On a more positive note my other agency had booked me into a lovely school till the end of the week and so far all is going well and they seem to accept for who I am!

Congrats on the new gig and so nice to hear it's working out!

I dont normally bother but I actually think id push that further. It takes the fucking piss and its not something you should be made to feel is wrong anyway.

Why would they be shitting themselves? The feedback was hard to hear, certainly could have been phrased more diplomatically, but they didn't call you offensive names as you initially suggested.

You've got a new placement now so you need to let it go. Education is a tight knit industry, you don't want to be burning bridges.

Thinking about it this sounds like the kind of shit somebody comes out with when they have a different motive (want rid of you for a job themselves) but dont want to cause hassle (i.e saying you were violent or something mad)

No one said the OP was violent or something mad!

No I mean like, if somebody wanted her out of the way for a fairly casual reason, so they came out with that as a reason rather than cause huge aggro with something else

You think what they said is acceptable MrsMaisiesMuff

It’s made me feel like shit and smashed my confidence to bit. But never mind eh, as long as it’s ‘honest.

what was the point of the 2009 Autism Act if adults without diagnosis aren't getting one??Ring the NAS (National Autism Society) and/or look on their website (
www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2009/15/contents

@mumwon Not a clue. But someone I know waited the 24 months and was then bounced back without even seeing anyone. I can’t even get my 8YO DD seen re ASD, because school have no concerns other than her low key constant finger picking.

& by the way go to your gp with a list of problems/issues you have & in particular state what happened here & ask gp to be put through for diagnosis - by the way: eye gaze - contrary to what is often stated (by pig ignorant people) many people with ASD do look into other peoples face & eyes when they are speaking to them (& some people without asd find it difficult) Women/girls present differently, up to 17% (if memory serves me right) of people with asd have co-morbid mental health issues (stress related), females are often misdiagnosed with OCD, & (wait for it - it happened to dd!) epilepsy (! & given unnecessary medication) , I think you should look up NAS site & check the pages about females with asd & than you can tell gp that this is what is causing me problems & look confused if they say adults are not being diagnosed & ask if that is going against the Autism Act (read the act first!!!)

@HigherFurtherFasterBaby I was involved local on a consultation at the start of the Act & how it was going to help - re your little one - contact NAS & ask advice please - you may find there is a local contact as well - I know how hard it is to fight for diagnosis - dd had multiple development issues & difficulties at school & I had to fight to get the child development to refer her - she was eventually diagnosed at 16 - we knew something else was going on with her for years but couldn't define what it was & the Child Development doctor turned round & said they didn't see the point - but I finally (with advice from NAS) got her to see autism specialist & that helped in all sorts of ways going forward to her adulthood (she is doing very well by the way)

I think 'feedback' - often promoted as so important by HR types - is such a poorly thought through concept. It often gives license to let people use subjective, petty or nasty opinions as somehow objective, valid and relevant. Any 'feedback' should be strictly linked to job performance. Obviously any nastiness or bullying is part of job performance but personality (nervousness/ tics/ loud voice/ too quiet/ etc. etc) is just irrelevant. Just because one person says something, it doesn't mean it's true, or even if it is, relevant to how you do your job. Only a very nasty person would comment on a twitch. Don't let this bother you. A small minded, self-important person has vocalised their nasty thoughts. It is no reflection on your competence or ability. I'd you do have a twitch, they might even be discriminating against you.

Good on you OP for complaining to the agency regarding the school's feedback

I'd say "Screw them!" Don't let one bout of bad feedback, that sounds bitchy and immature honestly, have any impact on your self worth. It was extremely rude of them to say that, too. I know things like that can knock your self esteem for a loop, but don't let it. EVERYONE has to deal with assholes at some point, no matter how good at work, efficient, smart, etc etc they are.

Glad things are improving as it sounded really poor.

Have been on the receiving end of similar, an agency rang me up after I had worked all day, for a company I had been temping with for a few weeks. Apparently I had an "odour" issue. No one in the company had mentioned it to me, but someone felt strongly enough to ring my agency about it.

Thing is, I was suffering a rash caused by deodorant, and told by my Dr to stop wearing anything to cure it (still have to be careful about brands now) and so the time couldnt use anything. I had been lugging boxes all day as they were moving offices, and it was a hot office.

Think I was most upset by the fact, I thought I was getting on with the people there, but no one wanted to speak to me directly, preferring to tell people at the agency about it.

I refused to go back to them, and I never worked for that agency again it humiliated me for something I had no control over (normally was a desk based job so not as noticable).

Well I had a response from the agency this morning, two days later.. Apparently they didn’t mean to upset me, however the school apparently have a ‘right to ask questions and give feedback’. Which is fine but it all seems a bit like passing the buck and actually the feedback wasn’t related to my work and was a personal attack on me.