Turned down an interview (demand, class, teachers, profession)

[Ivorytickler]

I need a shoulder to cry on . I got my first offer to interview in weeks today, and it's for a district job, and had to turn it down. They're only interviewing during the school day tomorrow and I just can't take off. I have labs planned all week and there's no time to make them up before the holidays. They used to say you need a job to find a job. I guess it's you need to be unemployed so you can drop everything to interview to find one now. I'm bummed. This is the first district job I've been envited to interview for in two years.

I'm an idiot for not dropping everything to interview, aren't I? I can't even tell my husband. He'll tell me I should have dropped everything for the interview.

I'm going to guess my chances at the job weren't good anyway. If they were that interested, they'd talk to me after school tomorrow. But still, a real job in a district with benefits and a retirement plan sounds great compared to what I have.

[Eresh]

That's a bummer!
On the other hand, it's kind of unreasonable for them to expect a teacher to take a day off (non-emergency) and cancel labs with practically no notice. I would be leery of hiring a teacher that would do that! If I was the hiring district, I would view your decline to do so in a very positive light. Hopefully they will call back with a more reasonable interview schedule.

[antarcticelephant]

Wow, the fact that they wouldn't reschedule - even on the same day - makes me wonder how demanding it must be actually working for them That's awfully rude, imo. I think that you did the right thing by respecting your current employer and students by not taking the day off.

[uptown_urbanist]

I've turned down an interview in a similar situation. The job might have been great, but I looked at their inflexibility (especially given the context) as a bad sign. I agree that if I were the district I'd see your decision as a good thing; it shows that you're professional and have a sense of responsibility. Last-minute inflexible notice, especially for a teacher with classes and labs to worry about, is unreasonable and raises lots of red flags, at least about the HR department or administration (or whoever it is that is setting up the interviews).

[Ivorytickler]

Thanks. I feel better. You guys are right. That kind of inflexibility is, probably, a big red flag. At least someone looked at my resume. I guess that's a good thing. Although two districts around me are pink slipping nearly 200 teachers this week so I don't think it's going to happen again for a LONG time. I'll be lucky to keep the job I have. I'm sure there will be 40 applicants for my position come April.

Will the last person out of Michigan please turn out the lights? In 3 years I can start looking nationwide. I just need to get my daughter through high school (for many reasons she's not a kid who can be uprooted this late in the game without major issues). Three years is a long time when you're under employed, have no benefits and no retirement plan.

[FarNorthDallas]

Totally unreasonable on their part! Geez!

[stepka]

Originally Posted by FarNorthDallas

Totally unreasonable on their part! Geez!

Yes, I have to wonder what they were thinking.

[hypocore]

Sounds like they've already made their decision but still have to offer interviews to keep it within the boundaries of fair.

[TabulaRasa]

Inflexibility is definitely a red flag.

[violent cello]

*hugs*

How crappy, you get an interview and then you can't go, and you really want to change jobs! But yes, it is a red flag that they expect you to have an interview that involves dropping everything the very next day. It would be great to have a better job I'm sure, but what else would they have expected you to do for them?

You are better off without them, even though you may feel really bad that nothing else has come up yet!