Experiences with applying for a new job?
 

Hello,

So the background to this is that I've been at my school for a year and a half now and my contract ends in September, but I've received an email from my head of department to say that my contract is going to be renewed and that he really hopes I decide to stay because I've done a fantastic job etc etc. I think he genuinely does hope I stay, not only because for some reason he thinks I'm good, but also because it's really hard to find maths teachers at the moment! I get on well with my head of department and some of my colleagues have become the first 'not from the internet' friends that I've had in a long time.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, I'm actually applying for another job that I think will be more suitable for me, and need to put down the name of a referee, so will be asking my head of department, because he was my line manager last year and knows me best. Does anyone have any suggestions for how to bring this up with him? Like, presumably it's quite common for this to be the way that bosses find out that their employee wants to leave, but I feel bad, given that he sent me such a nice email just two days ago and I'm always awkward about asking for things.

Additionally, this is a silly question but does anyone have experience of staying in touch with work friends after leaving? I've never really had friends associated with work or even school/uni, so I don't know how that works. My closest friend at work got cross at the mere suggestion that she might forget me if I leave, and says that we will still be meeting up for hot chocolate in ten years' time, and we also talked about other colleagues and which of those would be likely to keep in touch (she is used to giving me social skills advice :P ). I just wondered if anyone had experiences of this they could share?

Sorry this is long and rambly.

Hey- I have recently left an inpatient unit I worked on and made some lovely friends, but decided to move on and work in outpatients.
I too had doubts about who would keep in contact etc, but actually, I need'nt have been worried! Four of my close friends from there regularly text me and vice versa, we meet up at least once a month and it's been quite easy to sustain the friendships.

With regards to telling your line manager about moving on, I didn't tell mine until I actually had the job offer (though I put her down as a referee from the start). They don't tend to contact your referee until they've offered you the job, which is good because quite often people don't want their managers to know they're actively looking for a new job as it can be quite awkward. Having said that, I've known colleagues be very open about it from the start, so really, it's down to what would make you feel comfortable.
Good luck with it all, and well done for how well you're clearly doing so far, your school sound very happy with you :-)

I'm wanting to look elsewhere for a job, preferably somewhere better paid/more hours/closer to home and I've dropped it into conversation with my supervisor that I'd like a reference from her if/when it comes to it.

Auror has some good advice there. I haven't done a whole lot of applying for jobs, but good luck!

In any job I've applied for (there's been quite a few!), references haven't been checked until the offer stage and I think this is the norm. So you shouldn't need to tell him until you have the offer and have decided you're going to take it. You can put a note on the application asking that they contact you before taking up references and the vast majority of employers will respect that.

I haven't really kept in touch with former colleagues, I've moved jobs a lot and didn't live near a lot of them and/or have much in common so can't really help there.

When I left the school I was a TA at and then dropped out of uni the head teacher sent me an email offering my job back. I had actually applied for another similar job and had to just say it was a situational thing. I was just polite and said I loved working there but wanted to look for something more local. I don't know if you could come up with something like that that doesn't mean you don't want to work at your current school in case the application doesn't come to anything. Also, they won't contact references until you're successful if you specify so you would be telling your head of department of you were successful anyway? Not sure if that makes sense! Xxx

Thank you so much for all the responses, it's really helpful to hear that you kept in touch with work friends, ParanormalChickenGeek.

Unfortunately it says on the application form that references will be checked prior to interview, so I will have to speak to my head of department tomorrow (application deadline is Tuesday, then interviews are next week). Thanks for the ideas about how to ask him, I'll definitely make sure he knows I'm just exploring options (and I think he'll appreciate that the place I'm applying is more suited to me) and that I'm not at all certain that I would take the job if it's offered, as I am happy here.

Thanks again!

Jenna, could you not simply say, 'I'm just looking at my options and as well as that I need to know in case my contract isn't extended?' then that shows you still have a commitment to them and that you're not saying you definitely want to leave but shows that you're looking elsewhere and for all they need to know it is only a situation of 'just in case it doesn't get renewed/ you don't get it'.

Just wanted to update to say that I've got an interview on Tuesday!

Really worried because my school have been so understanding and gave me dependency leave today to keep J safe, and I also had a sick day last week, so feel I'm really pushing my luck trying to get a day off to go on Tuesday, especially as I most likely won't get it, and will therefore have made the school cover me for no reason =S

The sick day and dependency leave were out of your control and they can't penalise you for that. You will smash the interview I'm sure!

I think employers have to give you time off for interviews.

Are you going to the interview Jenna? If so, good luck! You'll be great :D

Yeah, it was today, thanks for asking!

I absolutely fell in love with the school and really think it would be perfect for me, but I don't think I did enough to get it :( Won't find out til Thursday most likely, but trying not to get my hopes up!

I'm sure you did better than you think; it's so hard to judge an interview, especially when you're nervous. You are so good at what you do though and they'd be idiots not to hire you :)

Unfortunately I didn't get the job, though apparently I did well in all aspects of the day and everyone really liked me, so sounds like I was pretty close!

I have to decide this week whether to accept my current school's offer of a job next year, and if I don't it will be advertised nationally, though I could apply for it then, and would probably stand a reasonable chance of getting it, given that I'm already doing the job and the school are happy with me. It would be a lot easier and less risky to just to take the job, but I do know that I would probably enjoy working elsewhere much more. I'm just too tired and busy to do loads of other applications. I'm also super-anxious about annoying people by asking them to be references again.

Would it be possible to accept the job where you are now and to continue looking elsewhere?

Really sorry to hear about the job - currently going through a similar situation with interviews of my own so I can really relate!

If you've asked them to be a reference once, that will stand for future applications lovely. Keep on trying. Iamcatbug has a good suggestion!