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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Rejection letter from job. Am I upset for no reason?

49 replies

SusanHall101 · 08/05/2020 20:46

Hello,
I've been a supply teacher for two years. To be honest, job hunting was never a big prioirty for me, I loved being a supply teacher.
With all the coronavirus, I thought it would be a good idea to apply for some jobs, see how it goes. I kept telling myself 'If i get a job great. I don't get a job still great as I have supply'.
I completed my first job application two weeks ago and I had an email today basically saying 'Thank you for your application but you were not successful. Good luck in the future'.
I read it about 3 hours ago and I still feel down about it. It's the fact I didn't even get an interview. I know it's on rejection but I spent about 5 days writing the statement, tailoring it to the school and getting friends to proofread it, that I just feel a bit embarrassed that after all that I get a 'Thanks but no',
I know it's just how life goes but AIBU to feel sad about it for a couple of hours?

OP posts:

StrictlyAFemaleFemale · 08/05/2020 21:48

Its not personal, so try not to let it affect you.

ScrimpshawTheSecond · 08/05/2020 21:57

9 times out of 10 our school takes on teachers that have been there on placement. I really wouldn't take it personally, there's probably someone already got their name on the job.

GoddessOfGettingThereInTheEnd · 08/05/2020 22:03

Job hunting is so hard. I found it hard to stay ''up''

MurrayTheDemonicTalkingSkull · 08/05/2020 22:04

I was acting up in a promoted teaching post for several months last year, solved some long-term problems, brought in some much-needed new systems, everyone was saying what a good job I was doing. Then the interview happened and I didn’t get it. Totally gutting. Keep trying, you’ll get there.

HeyHoLetsGoAgain · 08/05/2020 22:06

Don't take it personally, rejection is part of the job hunting process. Ask them for feedback on your CV and interview, this could help you with future applications.
As has been pointed out elsewhere, they may have already have had someone lined up for the job, but are mandated to advertise it. I used to work in the NHS and have seen adverts along the lines of "The ideal candidate will have a degree in X, obtained at Y university in 1988 and be called Cynthia".
Learn from the experience and don't despair about one knock back.

Scarydinosaurs · 08/05/2020 22:08

It’s really hard to be rejected, but please don’t take it to heart.

There could be a million reasons why they want a short shortlist- or that when the applications came in they decided to look for an NQT/v experienced/whatever by only interviewing who they did.

Believe in yourself! You’ll find the right position in the right school.

Spied · 08/05/2020 22:11

The school will have already had an applicant in mind. 'In house' so to speak.
Our school recently advertised widely for a head teacher position. Guess who got it?
Yes, the deputy. And who got the deputy job? Yes, one of the teachers already at the school...

LIZS · 08/05/2020 22:15

Don't take it personally. Ds has been job hunting since last summer, 70+ applications and counting. Less than half even notify of rejection.

Herpesfreesince03 · 08/05/2020 22:21

I lost my job due to Covid. I’ve applied for 21 jobs since the beginning of the lockdown and only heard back from one of them offering me two days work. I needed my own equipment for the job so spent money travelling and buying what I needed (should have still made enough from the job that it was worth it). After getting up at 5am and cycling for an hour and a half to the job (also lost my company car due to Covid) I was only given and paid for an hour and a half’s work.

Pineapple1 · 08/05/2020 22:29

It's worse when schools don't even reply.

And then you see that they have advertised for the same role again....

Then they ignore emails asking for more information...

Don't they want to hire someone? Why should I spend my time and effort doing it if they can't be bothered to reply to a single email.

Waveysnail · 08/05/2020 22:31

Have you ever worked as anything but supply teaching?

NoProblem123 · 08/05/2020 22:33

Herpes3 that’s awful. I’d have cried !

As PP have said, in schools like most other places they pretty much know who’s getting the job, they just have to look like they’ve been fair to everybody.
I know of a job out now for a DHT and I know who’s going to get it. We will have to go through the rigmarole of remote interviews, lesson plans, etc.
Cynthia need not apply.

1forsorrow · 08/05/2020 22:37

Rejection is never nice so it is normal to feel bad. Can I just say it isn't always easy to be on the other side, I was in HR until I retired, well I still do a very part time job but basically I'm retired. It is horrible shattering people's hopes, even worse when you interview them. I can think of a few that I still feel sad about.

Doesn't excuse the NYE rejection, that is plain nasty.

Original poster

SusanHall101 · 08/05/2020 22:40

@Waveysnail supply teaching has been my job for 2 years and I love it and make good money from it, I only graduated 2 years ago

Thanks for your responses! Making me feel better hearing other people's experiences :)

OP posts:

cafesandbookshops · 08/05/2020 22:48

YANBU after my PGCE I applied for about 5 jobs and I was invited to two for interview. I didn’t get either of them but it was really interesting to see how they both handled it differently. One school was rated outstanding and in a nice area. The headteacher called me later to tell me i hadnt got it but he gave feedback and said lots of positive things and that he had really enjoyed meeting me etc. The other school was in a rough area and even the 25 min lesson was difficult. One student laughed at me and evaded doing the task but I just moved on as I was 5 mins before the end. When they asked me how the lesson had gone, I said well for the most part and focused on the positive I had done. Later they called me up to tell me they thought I hadn’t been very honest and I was quite upset.

Fast forward 3 years later of doing other teaching work like you and this year I sent 5 applications from abroad. 3 offered me interviews and then withdrew them because they hadn’t read my application properly stating I was abroad and I got really down to the point where I was crying. I decided to send one more to a school because because the area was so gorgeous and rural I would love to live there and after two stages I got the job!!

It’s a roller coaster but hang in there! It’s only your first application after quite a while and it’s normal to make a few before you get there. fingers crossed for you.

SarahAndQuack · 08/05/2020 22:52

Of course you're not wrong to feel sad!

It does take it out of you. And I think it's sometimes almost harder when you've pretended to yourself you're prepared for rejection (I am really bad at this: I always tell myself I have no chance and always realise I had hoped I would get it all the same).

Just keep clinging on to the fact that it is a hugely competitive market at the moment, and it's not personal.

Glower · 08/05/2020 23:19

YANBU at all I applied to a job a few months ago and they never even bothered to send a generic rejection email - that really rankled since applications take so long to write these days.

Original poster

SusanHall101 · 08/05/2020 23:20

@cafesandbookshops thank you for your experience! If you don't mind me asking, what job were you doing abroad? :)

@SarahAndQuack very true! I thought 'if i don't get it, i'm happy to stay on supply' but actually seeing the words 'unsuccessful' made me heart sink haha

OP posts:

YE420032c · 08/05/2020 23:21

What you got is a standard letter for when the employer received many applications and then drew up a short list. You were not on the short list so you should not feel rejected as such. It just means you were not on the preferred list for THAT particular job. It happens to all of us, even with jobs which we feel we were particularly well qualified for. You cannot know what particular experience or skills the employer was looking for. Just move on and dont be discouraged.

Hunnybears · 08/05/2020 23:24

Not read other replies but wanted to say it’s very competitive.

My best friend applied for a job as a primary teacher and she was 1 of 2 chosen out of 569 applicants for her first job. They both got the job.

Her next interview was out of about 350+ for 1 job!!!! She did get that job however that means that 349ish people didn’t.

Many jobs are already filled with people ear marked for them, but they have to be seen to go through the motions and advertise, even though there’s no job to be had. Absolute waste of everyone’s time.

Don’t you be discouraged OP. You keep going!!!

Northernsoullover · 08/05/2020 23:27

I had similar experiences applying for TA work. I'd get interviews and it would always go to whoever had volunteered in the school. I didn't have time to volunteer because I was doing supply. I was actually told by a lovely head at feedback to try and volunteer if I was determined. I was bloody determined.

PoodleJ · 08/05/2020 23:50

Keep going. Take another look at your application. Make sure that you have got plenty of evidence of impact that you’ve made. It’s no good to just say you’re good at something you need to show how you’re good at it and then say what you wouldn’t do for them at their school. Make sure that you’re not waffling about irrelevant things. Make it concise and easy for them to find out what you’re offered them and don’t be disappointed if you don’t get an interview or a specific job.
Although there is a shortage of teachers schools would rather not recruit than recruit a poor match for their school.
Also worth remembering that you need to make sure that you don’t just apply for any old school in desperation. You’ll find the right fit and get a job if you keep applying.
Good luck

cafesandbookshops · 09/05/2020 00:11

@SusanHall101 of course not I will send you a pm.

tillyandmilly · 07/01/2021 13:06

I have been rejected for 7 interviews so far in the NHS ! Admin role - really thinking of giving up! No medical experience although they stated you do not need previous medical experience in job adverts and I was chosen for interview - but 7 rejections pah!

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