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Whether you're a permanent teacher, supply teacher or student teacher, you'll find others in the same situation on our Staffroom forum.

Is ‘are you a firm candidate’ still a thing?

5 replies

Yoghurtget · 22/03/2026 17:42

When I started teaching our PGCE tutor drummed into us we would be asked at the end of the interview if we were a firm candidate. If we said yes we would be expected to take the job. If you baked out your name would be mud etc. This was a long time ago. I am back in the jobs marked and have 2 interviews this week, both quite different institutions to where I am now so cant make a decision in advance. One is in a college, slightly less pay and more responsibilities but a much better commute and I imagine less behaviour management. The other is in a school more money, less responsibility but there will be more behaviour. I am not sure which will be best as I don’t know the institutions. The interviews are a day after each other. Friends and family are suggesting no employer would need a decision on the day and I should interview for both. I feel if I said yes to a job I shouldn’t interview for the other. WWYD? Are my ideas a bit out of date?

OP posts:
Willsmer · 23/03/2026 05:54

This has never happened to me.

From my own perspective the job market has changed dramatically as there is a shortage of teachers (ignore what various Governments have said). The last interview I had I was the only candidate that turned up. The previous interview I was already working in the school but was interviewed to teach RE even though I was a Science teacher.

I think that you should wait - what is the worst thing they can do ? I was in one school I was told via the agency I was with that they did not what me back as I was not supporting the school ethos. Since then I had a 17 month contract at one school (this was teaching Secondary and the class I shared in Yr 11 all passed) They then asked me back for the following term. I am now working as a supply in a school that I had previously worked in.

This is your decision and your work life balance - but reading your post I think you have already made the decision.

cyrly · 23/03/2026 08:36

You would be able to make the first wait till you interviewed the next day but you shouldn’t tell them in the interview- just if they offer you the job ask for 24hrs

Miffylou · 23/03/2026 09:13

If the first school offer you the job, and you think you would prefer the second job if it was offered, I’d advise saying you would just like a day to think about it. If they ask you why, you could be honest. Headteachers know this happens, because teaching interviews tend to take place bunched into a short space of time each term because of the required limiting dates for giving notice.
Tell them you don’t want to mess them about - they ought to appreciate that.

If you accept the job and then go back on it, it can create havoc in schools because by the time you tell them you’ve changed your mind and don’t want the job, they may already have told the other candidates they were unsuccessful. It would probably mean the school would never consider you for a job again, and is the sort of information school leaders often share informally.

However, no headteacher is going to feel flattered that you would really prefer the other job if it is offered, so you need to be sure that it’s worth you running the risk of it putting them off you.

As an HT I used to ask interview candidates openly whether they had any other interviews lined up in the near future - not sure if I should have done, but it certainly concentrated the mind! If they said yes, I explored further which job they would really prefer. Sometimes it was just about distance from home, but sometimes it was about something the other school was offering and I could then offer too.

I’m not sure, though, how you’re going to tell from an interview which school you would prefer - I would have thought you’d learn more from looking round both schools before the interview day, talking to staff etc. and make up your mind beforehand.

Yoghurtget · 23/03/2026 19:52

Thank you all this has been very helpful and reassuring. I am also glad to hear the market is ok, I have heard the talk of there being fewer vacancies so got worried.

OP posts:
samlovesdilys · 26/03/2026 09:59

My head still asks it…and was v unimpressed by a candidate saying they had another interview the next day so would like 24hrs to think about it…

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