Job-Hunting

Recently, I had a curious job-hunting experience. I'm reluctant to mention the field that the job was in for fear of being blacklisted, but let's just say it rhymes with "gublic schmeducation" and the name of the job location rhymes with "Sanhattan Punter Trience Nigh Stool."

In short, this is what happened. About a month ago, I interviewed for this job with the AP and the person whom I would be replacing (she was leaving of her own accord). The AP promised me that he would contact me within a week to tell me whether or not they were interested to see me for a second interview. True to his word, he e-mailed me in the middle of the week, asking me if I could come in the following Tuesday; I replied promptly that I would be available for that.

On the Friday before I was to come in, I e-mail the AP to set the interview time, and he replied with the information that the boss person's father had passed away and that he would have to put my interview on hold for a few days. Completely understandable. Not wanting to seem like a jerk, I wait 10 days (the next Monday) to contact them again. On that Monday, I e-mail the AP, who tells me that he is no longer with the school; he's the principal somewhere else. But he promised me that he would touch base with the boss and get back to me the next day. Of course, he didn't, because he's a new principal somewhere else. To make an already long story shorter, I take matters into my own hands and call the school three times before they finally told me today that the position has already been filled.

Look, it happens; you don't get the job you want. But I'm bothered by the level of hypocrisy here. As an employee or a potential employee, you're expected to have your shit together. Especially in the field of schmeducation. It is not unheard of for administrators to take pictures of teachers' classrooms and use them as evidence of a classroom that is undecorated, no matter how good the teacher may be. God forbid student work artwork is not up on the walls (in a 12th grade Social Studies class).

But administrators are allowed to give potential employers false hope or misinformation about a job? Imagine if a teacher waltzed in at 2 PM on a Monday and said to his supervisor, "Sorry Bob, I forgot I was supposed to teach this morning; I guess my wires just got crossed! My bad for making your life more difficult due to my incompetence." Even in a great union, administrators still have the wiggle room to be shady and deceitful.