Dear Schools...

Dear Schools,

I've been to a few job interviews now, and I would like to offer some compliments (and some suggestions). Every school that I've interviewed at made me feel very welcome, and I've learned a lot about the process of getting a teaching job. But I have some rants (and raves):

Rants:
1. If you promise to give me a topic for the lesson that I have to teach, please give me the topic. An interview should show how I prepare on a regular basis, not what I can throw together at the last minute.
2. Likewise, it is helpful if you tell me when and where to show up for the interview.
3. Follow through on your promise to keep me informed about your decision. Interviews are stressful, but waiting to hear back is just as stressful. Not getting in touch, not answering your phone, not responding to messages that I leave, and not informing me that my contact is no longer in charge of the job hunt is not helpful. I would much rather spend a few minutes learning that I did not get the job then spend weeks trying to get in touch. In return, I promise to inform you if I am no longer available for the job. After devoting an entire day to my interview, I find it strange that you don't devote a few minutes to closing my file.

Raves:
1. It sounds weird, but teaching a lesson is the most stressful part of my interviews. I love it when you schedule my lesson at the beginning of the day! Instead of stressing the whole time about teaching, I can do my job and then focus on asking questions and answering your questions. Bonus points if you can provide real students for me to teach, instead of adults!
2. Meeting a variety of people from your school is great! I love hearing abou the school from the principal or headmaster, but I also love hearing it from a teacher's point of view (or even a student's point of view). Different topics come up, and the interviews end up being very different. I think that's a great thing.
3. Often, interviews are more a conversation than a Q&A session. I love that. The interview process is strange: Mock classes, questions, having to talk about how great I think I am... I don't like it! Removing the Q&A feeling allows me to be myself and answer honestly. And it makes things a billion times less awkward.

Honestly, I have had great experiences on my interviews. But it irks me to no end that schools don't get back to me! I love wrapping up all the loose ends in a story... I hate open endings (Stuart Little, for example, is a wonderful book where I hate the ending). I'm sure there are a ton of schools that get back to their applicants in a timely manner, and I don't mean to finger point. But, this letter is an accurate summary of the interviews I've had so far.