To think this is an unusual trait to list in job advert

[Snowandsparkles12]

Under desirable there's a bullet point for sense of humour? The post is based in a secondary school.

Aibu to think this is an odd thing to list and didn't come across as professional?

@JudgeJ Reading this thread it’s bloody obvious those of us who have been (or are) teachers or work with teens, and those that don’t!

The role is clearly not for you. I've been in schools 28 years and we don't need people who are going to look for problems, we need people who are open, kind and don't take everything too seriously, as well as professional, capable etc...

I've never not seen that specified for a job role in schools, right up to SLT.

I'd thinking they are hoping the applicants self-select.

I’d think looking for problems is an important skill to have. How would anything ever be improved unless people point out problems? It’s often outsiders who see problems, whereas insiders no longer can.

I work in school. I can assure you that a sense of humour is ESSENTIAL. I’m pretty sure it was listed on the description of the job I am currently in.

You realise it is possible to have a sense of humour AND be professional……

I do hate that phrase, as what someone may class as sense of humour others may not

Haven’t RTFT but am a HR Director.

it’s potentially discriminatory (people with conditions such as autism may not have what others consider a sense of humour). Very unwise to put in any advert.

Who needs problems? We need preferably zero cost solutions, not another person pointing out 'All they do is complain, 8.05 and everything's shit'. Like 'It makes sense for me to get the trip payment set up first, before we send out the email stating payment by 3pm Wednesday, rather than then have to take 37 phone calls and answer 19 emails all saying that they can't find it on ParentPay'.

Haven't met many people with Autism, have you?

This. Every job I’ve ever had would have been well nigh impossible without it.

I think a sense of humour is a must and it's nice to put it in an advert .

Having a sense of humour aka it’s a stressful job.

I’ve only ever had the sense of humour thing when it’s been jobs that are very stressful like mental health units and units for expelled students.

I’ve never had it for a normal secondary school.

Is it known for bad behaviour?

Apart from my dad, husband, nephew, several friends, colleagues and employees across the past 20 years?

Not the point though. It was a professional point. There are many conditions where this may be a factor, hence my use of “such as” and “may not”.

I would include something like ”ability to retain sense of humour when things are difficult” in my job adverts for children and young people's social care staff, as well as empathy and calmness in a crisis.
To measure this at interview, we would use scenario questions.

But we would also put them before a panel of trained care experienced children and young people, who would devise their own fiendishly difficult scenario questions, and candidates would be expected to role play them live.
(With me and colleagues acting the part of children and young people)
The yp panel's scores were 50% of the interview overall.

One example would be a teen kicking off, to see how candidates defused the situation and sought solutions. Another would be to tell a nine year old that his parents are not having contact him before Xmas.
You can have all the qualifications but if you can't handle kids, it shows.
I understand that some school councils also interview staff?

Well, exactly. Someone who can see the problems.

if you’re forensically picking apart what a sense of humour is defined as, maybe working in a school is not for you.

Many schoolchildren - and, sadly, many adults - find bullying, intimidation, racism and misogyny utterly hilarious. Do you believe sharing that "sense of humour" is a recommendation for a member of staff at a school? People who do things for "a laarff", "lolz", "bantz", etc., are usually objectionable and not at all humorous to anyone else.

I think it’s a great line: it’s weeding out the miserable, overly serious people before they even apply 😉

Always think of this guy when anyone says they have a gsoh.

If you're offended, it's not the right job for you.

Personally I'd see it as a good thing, I want to work with people a personality and a good sense of humour - not in an over the top trying to hard kind of way, just a natural way. I struggle to relate to overly stiff, serious people.

Many schoolchildren - and, sadly, many adults - find bullying, intimidation, racism and misogyny utterly hilarious. Do you believe sharing that "sense of humour" is a recommendation for a member of staff at a school? People who do things for "a laarff", "lolz", "bantz", etc., are usually objectionable and not at all humorous to anyone else.

Having a sense of humour is different to sharing someone's taste and preferences in comedy, or laughing along with racism and misogyny.

Another poster said it well when they suggested that if your face would go like a cat's bum the second something wasn't done your way/to your taste then working in a school probably isn't for you.

Having a sense of humour and the soft skills of working with children who are often considered 'difficult' means that I've had some interesting discussions about racism, misogyny, hate, bullying, emotional topics and those children have had the opportunity to learn something.

Someone with no sense of humour who doesn't engage well, and gets arsey because they think teens should be just like grown adults, and specifically the right type of adult, wouldn't be able to create that teachable moment because their head is too far up their own backside to do the job.

Solutions. That's what they need to see. People moaning about problems are ten a penny.

Not 'This is going to be shit, there's going to be hundreds of parents screaming down the phone at me, my life is shit and this job is shit and everybody around me is a fucking idiot on at least five times my salary, I have to do everything round here...' and doing nothing to help, but 'Fine, no problem, I'll set the payment item up and then send the email so they can pay straight away.'

It’s so that you don’t cry when you see your payslip.

@FatOaf in response to Many schoolchildren - and, sadly, many adults - find bullying, intimidation, racism and misogyny utterly hilarious. Do you believe sharing that "sense of humour" is a recommendation for a member of staff at a school?

This is a VERY narrow definition of what a sense of humour entails and not one I really recognise at all. I work in a school and agree with PP that it is very obvious to those of us who do why a sense of humour is required.

You do need a sense of humour I'm a school sometimes you either laugh or cry. We had a school secretary once who was, no doubt efficient, but she was obviously used to a working environment where everything went smoothly not one where bizarre incidents took place or you might be asked to keep an eye on a child with a bucket until their parent came for them or a parent would come in shouting the odds over a lost plimsoll. I was a teacher for over 30 years and loved the sheer randomness of it all.