Job Interview #1
February 7th, 2007 | Filed under Personal.Hey hey! Who wants a lesson in how to make a really crap first impression?
Step 1 - get lost going to the interview
Step 2 - arrive 15 minutes late
I knew where I was going, the only drawback being it was dark when I tested the route, and daylight when I actually had to do it for real, so that wrong turning I took without noticing really threw me.
… as did the level crossing that I got stuck at for ten minutes waiting for the train.
The interview actually went alright after that. The lesson I taught was the most contrived and artificial thing ever. The kids could have been rubber dummies for all the impact they made. It was like teaching a group of zombies, they were so… silent and compliant. I have never, ever had a group of kids where I can just say “log in and load Word” and immediately see 25 hands grab mice and do exactly what I wanted. I had my usual second line of “sometime today would be nice, get that webmail turned off Right Now!” all queued up and ready.
I didn’t get it though. They didn’t provide a very meaningful reason why either. Supposedly I didn’t stick out enough to leave a lasting impression or something. I don’t know, I think it just boiled down to “you’re fine and all, but just not quite what we’re after”.
Against me were two qualified teachers and another trainee. Fortunately they gave it to the other trainee. The other two teachers didn’t really deserve the post - they have jobs and only wanted this to make their journeys to work easier, it wasn’t promotion and head teachers don’t like people moving sideways.
Another interview on Monday… this one looks a bit more “interesting”. For a start the school has a 40% pass rate for the exams, and I have to teach a 60 minute lesson which is excellent. 20 minutes is just stupid, 60 is much better.
Stay tuned
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