From The Point: advice for school job season
Career Corner
It never rains, it pours!
It’s school job season once again, where education staff juggle some of the longest resignation notice periods of any industry with strenuous application and interview processes, and a long, nervous wait to see if they’ve got the job.
The difference this year is that there’s a glut of job opportunities due to the well-publicised staff shortage in schools. This is potentially great news for anyone looking to move schools or seek internal promotion – or for those on fixed-term contracts, to request a permanent position.
But before taking the leap to a new workplace, there are several things to consider. Over recent months, the IEU has received numerous calls from members regarding job application matters, such as:
· The culture of the school they are considering
· How much notice they must give
· Whether they must list their principal as a referee
· Whether they can negotiate full or part-time, fixed-term or ongoing, and other conditions, such as pay and superannuation
· What to do if they get more than one job offer.
It’s a great time to be exploring career opportunities! However, the following simple rules can help you make a wise choice.
Culture: contact your union!
Members can call the IEU office or their Organiser to learn about the current climate of the school they are considering. We can tell you about the school’s pay and general conditions, morale, staff turnover, leadership, and culture. Sometimes we might even raise a red flag that you would not otherwise have contemplated. It’s worth a call!
Notice
Typically, teachers are expected to provide seven term weeks’ notice (exclusive of holidays) and general staff between one and five weeks depending on length of service and age. Where you provide less than this notice, your employer may be entitled to keep a portion of your entitlements in lieu of notice not provided, although this depends on the Agreement or Award you are employed under, and will often be waived. Contact the union if you’re in any doubt.
Referees
Future employers, represented by the principal or business manager for general staff, often want to speak with their counterpart in your current school. If you don’t have a particularly good relationship with that person, you could consider enlisting another senior manager. However, you may have to justify why you’ve deviated from normal practice, so it’s best to consider your options and rehearse your reason before you’re asked.
Negotiating
Just like a market in Marrakesh, everything is negotiable! In the current climate, if the school only offers a fixed-term position, you’re entitled to ask why and push for an ongoing role. If you need flexible hours due to carer responsibilities (or for other reasons), then you can request part-time or other accommodations for a fixed period or indefinitely. Raise these matters at a second interview or after receiving a verbal offer as the preferred candidate.
Spoilt for choice
With historically low unemployment, this is a jobseekers’ market and it’s reasonable to shop around for the best conditions: you may receive more than one job offer. Of course, you can play each school off against the other, and it’s up to you the extent to which you are transparent in your negotiations. But be mindful not to put prospective employers off-side. And never resign until you have accepted a formal offer in writing.
Good luck with your applications and make sure if you’re changing employers or moving to a position of leadership that you update your IEU membership record at: https://member.ieuvictas.org.au/.