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I recently applied for a job for a school system in a small suburban community. This is a staff job and not faculty, substitute teaching, etc. I even completed a separate central office staff application, not a teacher's application (because I don't have to be certified).
I suppose they have been contacting my supervisors and references; mind you, I just submitted the application last week. How do I figure this? I walked into my boss' office and noticed a letter from said school system on their desk. There was no talk between us of this letter, I just simply noticed it. Mind you also that the application due date hasn't even passed, much less the interview date.
My first thought was, "How sh**ty of this employer." I mean, I gave my permission for my employers, present and past, to be contacted, but that is what you're really supposed to do on an application.
Is this practice fairly common? What might this school system be trying to accomplish? Lastly, would you work for such an employer?
Thanks in advance for all input...just keep it polite, though.
I've re-read your post a couple of times but remain confused as to why you're upset.
You applied for a job and gave the required references and job history. Did you not tell your current employer that you were looking elsewhere and listing your present job as a reference?
It's perfectly normal for prospective employers to contact previous employers before interviewing applicants. I'm not sure what else to add except that I hope you understand the general procedure and that everything works out well for you.
I walked into my boss' office and noticed a letter from said school system on their desk. There was no talk between us of this letter, I just simply noticed it.
How do you know the letter was about you? Really, it could be about anything...
I've re-read your post a couple of times but remain confused as to why you're upset.
You applied for a job and gave the required references and job history. Did you not tell your current employer that you were looking elsewhere and listing your present job as a reference?
It's perfectly normal for prospective employers to contact previous employers before interviewing applicants. I'm not sure what else to add except that I hope you understand the general procedure and that everything works out well for you.
I'm absolutely not telling my current employer that I'm looking elsewhere. It would make no sense; I don't want to take any steps to jeopardize my professional relationships.
This honestly, in over 1,000 job applications I've ever sent, been the very first time that I've noticed pre-interviewing reference checks. It just seems so...bizarre. It's not illegal, unethical or wrong, but it does seem a little discourteous. I mean, what if my boss had it out for me (which they don't) and wanted to can me? How and why would one HR schumck in another state know and care?
Quote:
Originally Posted by bouncethelight
How do you know the letter was about you? Really, it could be about anything...
This employer is nearly halfway across the country from where I'm living now. It's not a large urban school system, large urban government, state government, Fortune 1000 company, etc. I'm not 100% certain that the letter had to be about me, but I am 99.999999% certain. I mean, why else would they send it?
This employer is nearly halfway across the country from where I'm living now. It's not a large urban school system, large urban government, state government, Fortune 1000 company, etc. I'm not 100% certain that the letter had to be about me, but I am 99.999999% certain. I mean, why else would they send it?
Got it!
And yeah, I agree, it's kind of crummy that they're tipping off your current employer that you're looking for a new job, when they haven't even met you yet? If it was the final stages of the hiring process, and they were almost ready to hire you, it might be different - but before even interviewing you?
To answer your original question, no it's not common. Most employers wait until they've whittled down the applicant pool to two or three before contacting references. To do otherwise means a lot of time spent on applicants who are eliminated from consideration for other reasons. That however is common practice, it's by no means a rule or law--employers can do things differently if they wish.
Which is exactly why you shouldn't have said it was okay to contact your employer. You never know what an employer is going to do with the information they give you. They also may do nothing with the information they give you, and go out and seek information about you from entirely different sources than the ones you provide. It's something you need to be aware of when applying for jobs.
To answer your second question, I wouldn't have any issues working for this employer, because after all, they did give you notice that they would be contacting employers, and you checked the box yes.
Hmmm, since you gave permission for them to contact your current employer, they did. If they did it after the interview, and you still didn't know if you got the job yet, you will be in the same situation anyway.
Don't give them consent to contact your current employer if you don't want them to do it. If you change your mind, you can always tell them during the interview that it is ok.
I have never given any prospective employer consent to contact my current employer.
You applied to a school district. School districts are second probably only to the CIA in their applicant background checking. Everytime you read in the paper of someone with a "past" being found working in a school position even if not with the students, expect new regulations to their HR to check, Check and ReCHECK everyone from the moment they fill out an application. Whenever you apply for any job that has to do with kids, expect that your background checking started the moment you handed in your application.
I am in the same situation. I was asked for references two weeks prior to my interview. I am interviewing with a school system as well. My interview is in 2 days. None of my references have been contacted yet. Should I be reading the writing on the wall?
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