To think this job interview was ridiculous. To think it had gone to someone internal.

[Miajonesssss]

So, i was invited to a job interview (teaching interview - primary). The email inviting me to the interview gave me a prepared question (to show how I would use blended learning) and said 4 more questions will be asked.

The school was half an hour away. I arrived and was greeted by the headteacher who told me the interview will only take 5 minutes due to covid so don't be worried if they cut the interview short.
I smiled and said that's fine (although on the inside I thought it was weird).

I had four people interview me and I was asking 4 questions which included the blended learning question. No safeguarding, scenario, curriculum, assessment etc. questions were asked.
The fifth question was just "are you still interested in the job?'

They then rang me 15 minutes after I left to tell me I was unsuccessful. I did not ask for feedback as I usually do as what can they feed back to me froma 5 minute interview?
I just said "okay that's fine. Thank you". Then there was an awkward silence on the phone as if expecting me to ask for feedback and then a 'okay bye'

AIBU that this was a complete time waster. I spent a lot of time preparing printouts for the blended learning question just for a 5 minute 'interview'?

*I was asked 4 questions

Sorry typed on phone!

That sounds really odd OP, although tbh I’d just be glad you dodged that bullet.

Sorry to say but it sounds like they already had their candidate. Waste of time for you though. In my place of work the candidate is often lined up and the charade of advertising and interviewing still has to go ahead. I'm sorry this happened to you. Better luck at the next one. You could forward your feedback about the short interview to the school but they'll never admit it they'll palm it off with the covid excuse. The only other thing I can think of is they were breaking the law by face to face interviewing at the moment and were consious of it.

I am in Wales so no strict lockdown here anymore so they wouldnt have been breaking the law :/
As soon as they said it was a 5 minute interview, I thought "internal"

I think you've probably guessed right regarding an internal candidate. It must be really common

I wish this practice could be made illegal. In most small to mediumm private companies they just promote the person they want to promote, without pretending, and only recruit externally if nobody internally is interested. Otherwise it's wasting everyone's time.

A 5 minute interview for a teacher?? I'd be giving them feedback! That's pathetic and yes, they already had a preferred candidate which is very disrespectful of your time.

I hate this stuff, but often their hands are tied, they have to follow the procedures even though it's really kind of pointless.

I do find it weird that they phoned you to say you were unsuccessful, though. An email would be more normal.

I kind of wish when they said "any questions", I asked "would you really hire a teacher after 5 minutes of speaking to them?" To see what they would say

Dodged a bullet there I think.

I hate this stuff, but often their hands are tied, they have to follow the procedures even though it's really kind of pointless.

Their hands aren't tied, they could actually interview those shortlisted along with the person they have earmarked for the job. If the internal/known candidate is the best of the bunch then they will get the job no problem, if someone else outperforms them at interview then the school gets someone better. I know it's not that simple and just because someone interviews well it doesn't mean they are neccessarily better at the job, but what a waste of everyone's time.

I get that the requirement to advertise a position even when you know who you want to give the job to is well intended in reality it just leads to loads of people wasting their time on interviews for jobs they have no chance of getting.

Ring them back and ask that killer question OP. Time wasters!

How could they know it would only be five minutes before you've even given your answers? I've spent ten minutes per question in a competency based interview before....!

Sorry OP, I've been there before when there's an internal candidate and it's rubbish. I understand that legally they often have to recruit externally but when I think sometimes of the time, effort, and money I've spent preparing for an interview, paying for transport and even accommodation, new clothes, taking a day off etc. its so frustrating!
I would be so tempted to email them telling them that they wasted your time, but I know that names/faces get remembered in teaching so understand why you wouldn't want to.

A waste of time but an unavoidable problem in public bodies required to advertise and interview.

I had a call a few months back from an old colleague to ask about a shortlisted candidate for a role. The long list was 90 applicants, 8 were called to interview. It was clear when we spoke that the individual was not right for the job but was still interviewed in person for a job it had already been decided they would not get.

At least with covid zoom interviews reduce travel time lost.

Yeah, sounds like they already knew who they were hiring and they advertised & put you through the motions for the sake of procedure/legalities.

Teaching interviews are so shit.

The law needs to change, in order to stop wasting people's time.

@thevassal

How could they know it would only be five minutes before you've even given your answers? I've spent ten minutes per question in a competency based interview before....!

Sorry OP, I've been there before when there's an internal candidate and it's rubbish. I understand that legally they often have to recruit externally but when I think sometimes of the time, effort, and money I've spent preparing for an interview, paying for transport and even accommodation, new clothes, taking a day off etc. its so frustrating!
I would be so tempted to email them telling them that they wasted your time, but I know that names/faces get remembered in teaching so understand why you wouldn't want to.

Reputation works both ways. I'd be really pissed off and would email them saying it was a waste of time and discourteous.

Agreeing with you btw @thevassal !

The problem isn't the law, it's this one school

My Dh has been for 3 interviews in schools and beat all of the internal candidates to the job

The problem is THIS school not doing their job properly - what shouldn't be allowed is them getting away with not conducting a proper interview process

Complain to the governors ? That they're not recruiting fairly

No job in a school needs to be advertised legally. They could have saved themselves time and money by just appointment internally.

I don't think there is actually a requirement to advertise externally, it's just standard practice.

When I was a governor we needed to recruit, I spoke to the external HR company asking for help with an internal advert. I was told they don't do internal adverts, they would draft something for the Times Ed etc..

I asked if there was a legal requirement to advertise externally, and was told technically no, but it's what happens. We drafted our own internal advert put it up in both staff rooms, and recruited internally.

This was definitely an internal candidate situation I'm sure of it.

I once went to an interview as a graduate, it was four hours from home, I spent £200 in total, train and hotel the night before- and as I was in the waiting area ready to be interviewed- I saw the interviewer exit with the candidate before me, as they got to the front door of the building the interviewer said ''Thanks Barbara, see you on saturday'' and hugged her!!

I went into the interview and magically, the planned thirty minutes was cut down to ten, with very short questions. I left, and before I'd even got to the train station- around fifteen minutes- they called to say I was unsuccessful. It was obviously an internal job given to a colleague, or friend, and I was so annoyed at the time.