To leave my job already?

[Backatworkmum]

I went back to work 3 months ago after a 5 year break while the kids were tiny. Part time school admin job, felt so lucky to get it as it obviously works great around the kids and I gather these jobs are hard to come by. To summarise, the jobs been a nightmare since day one. Zero training, made a mistake in my first week due to using a system I’d had no training on (& still haven’t!) and senior management look through me like I’m not worth acknowledging since. As in don’t return my smile in the corridor, don’t say hello when in the office etc. I take work home constantly despite the fact I’m only actually employed for very minimal hours. This is never acknowledged or thanked. I feel anxious about the role constantly as despite being there 3 months I’m still none the wiser as to what I’m actually meant to be doing or how to do it. The people aren’t great. The money is, as you’d expect with a part time pro-rata’d role, not particularly noteworthy. Would I be a massive baby for jacking it in and getting an evening job stacking shelves a few nights a week (would pay similar money, maybe even a little more). I really wanted this job to be a success as it literally works perfectly for me in terms of kid friendly hours and being term time only (have zero support when it comes to childcare), I’ve worked so hard since being there and I just don’t feel like it’s working out ☹️
have I given it a fair crack after 3 months? Am I giving up too soon? Am I mental even considering leaving as its term time only or are term time only jobs not as rare as I think? And also if I leave so soon without even finishing my probation, do I just leave it off my CV?

Could you stick it out until the end of term and reassess over the summer?

Schools are sometimes weird places when you’re new - can be hierarchical and unfriendly, although yours does sound quite shit to be fair.

But a term time only school job is a far better prospect than than a zero hours shelf stacking gig. Not just for now but for your CV and your future.

You could look for a similar or better role in a different (nicer) school with a bit of experience.

Thanks for your reply. Yeah sticking it out until the end of term does make sense, I’ve been quite wobbly since being there as although enthusiastic about being back at work, I didn’t appreciate how much confidence I’d lost and the total lack of training/zero idea what I’m doing and the anxiety that brings each day is doing my head in. I’m also feeling pissed off and resentful at how many hours I basically work for free and for zero acknowledgment. I consistently go above and beyond for nothing. I took work home with me to complete over half term (when I’m not in), sent my line manager (who isn’t term time only) several emails about the work as she had made it known she needed it asap, she didn’t bother to respond when I said I had finished it 😏 but as she had hammered home how much she needed it, I drove to work and delivered it to her desk. So the work was completed on non working days, I contacted her about it on non working days, and physically delivered it to her on a non working day, all when she knows I have my young kids to look after too. Not so much as an email response acknowledging receipt of the work I’d left on her desk. Am I being precious or is that rude and demotivating?

Hi, just bumping to see if anyone else is able to offer advice/insight please? In a bit of a stress with it at the mo. Thanks xx

Don't do the unpaid overtime?

I would do what previously suggested stay till summer while looking for a similar role if term time works well for you. They are not nice people to not even say hello. Just smile and carry on.

I'd put in writing that you are concerned that you have not had training on xxx and ask when it will be happening.

I would look for a different school unless you prefer the idea of shelf stacking. You might be lucky second time around. A friend of mine recently did similar to you and is much happier in the new school.

I am looking daily for similar roles locally but nothing available as yet. If I am working for a school within the same county, would I not need to state I had previously been employed by the county council (does that make sense? I know it was a question on the application form for my current job). So how would I explain that? Would it not look quite negative on the application form or interview if I got that far to say “worked at XXX school for XXX months but left because they didn’t provide any training, I felt pressured to work out of hours for zero acknowledgment of this and they were unfriendly” 😬

Hello,
Firstly I totally concur schools can be a very quirky place to work, people assume everyone who works there automatically knows everything and it's often a bit of a shock when this isn't true!
Once you've found your groove schools are often a wonderful place to work, being TTO has massive advantages (there are some disadvantages but I always found the positives far out weighed the negatives)
Do email your boss and let them know what you've shared here, that you feel you've not had sufficient training on x y or z and are keen to have some to ensure you are working at your most productive.
Is it particular software that you're struggling to get trained in? If you can share the names I (or someone else) might be able to direct you to a support site for the software.
Do think king and hard before leaving, no job is worth being permanently unhappy for but if there are adjustments/training needs that can be met and you'd be happy it's worth persevering.
I started working in a school part time when my children were very small and my corporate finance job didn't work for our family any longer, I'm now the Director of operations for my schools trust, I've had days I honestly didn't think it was worth it or that I understand what people were asking but it really does come together with time
Good luck!

I have worked in many different schools as a classroom teacher and on supply, and have recently gone back to work as a TA after 5 years being a SAHM. I echo what others have said, some schools are unfriendly and others are lovely. I’ve ended up in a really lovely school, and I’ve been in enough to know that lots aren’t, and also sometimes the school just isn’t the right “fit”.

I agree, stick it out until the end of the school year, and keep looking for a similar role in a different school.

When I applied for my job, I had a tour round the school and met several members of staff. I got a really good feel for the place. I don’t know if this is something that schools offer for office staff but you could ask?

It was rude of the staff member not to acknowledge that you delivered your work to her desk, but, in the nicest possible way, I think you were daft to take it home and do it unpaid. Do you have a line manager? Can you email them and ask about the things you have not received training on and when that will be? And can you let them know that it is unrealistic to complete the work you are being given during your working hours, so what would they like you to prioritise?

We really struggle to recruit for tto jobs, I really believe they are a luxury now as the money is so shit. You definitely shouldn't be taking work home with you.

As for new jobs, you can always state it was a temporary role, or that the role wasn't as advertised, and just make something convincing up as to what.

You could struggle to get an evening job stacking shelves. A few of my close family work in a supermarket and they need to be flexible to do various shifts and work across all areas of the store.

It might be worth making contact with some recruiting companies to ask of they would consider an application from someone wanting to work term-time. We have had this in my work before 😊

Stop doing the unpaid overtime.

Talk to HR or your manager about the lack of training and how uncomfortable you feel. Give it a chance to improve. If it doesn’t, you at least know you’ve tried.

Stick if out til the end of term and if it’s not better by then, find something new for next term.

By three months you should have a basic grip of your tasks, built relationships with colleagues/manager and not dread going in every day.

DONT worry about having a short stint on your cv. Some will say just tell people it was a fixed term contract. But I say be truthful - you were given no training and the culture was toxic so you left. These are two very important things for you and you left as you didn’t feel able to do your job in those conditions or to be in a team whose values don’t align with yours. More people than you realise have been in this situation - when im recruiting i really appreciate this honesty as it gives an insight in to who you really are.

good luck!

Thankyou all for your replies. It’s so disappointing, and a worry what I’m going to do next - as mentioned although the money is crap, it’s money we really need in view of the bills being through the roof now but feeling trapped by the fact any job I do needs to be within school hours. Argh!