I don't usually nor want to talk about my work on my blog being that it is my escape zone but this week a couple of things have occurred that have left me amazed .......totally amazed.
We are coming to the end of the academic year here and in this particular part of Spain due to the local festival week all schools,colleges and the university finish on 21st June and the new academic year starts the first week in September. Therefore its a very busy time indeed with prep for in-school exams, for the Cambridge international examinations and for recruitment of new teaching staff for the next academic year in the language school my daughter runs.
I have been giving her a hand with the interviews. I did a lot of this in the past so I am familiar with the procedure and also know what type of teachers my daughter needs to recruit.
Perhaps I'm just plain old fashion and it's just not done anymore but....what happened to giving a good impression when you go for a job interview!!!
I admit to being a bit irritated when one of the interviewees indicated that under no circumstances could he put up with children ( actually his precise words were.... I can't stand the little B****s) and another who stated that he would be taking his Christmas holidays as from 16th December and that was not negotiable,even though I had not even started to give him details about the position. Another, although not qualified was English from England so she said and therefore could understandably teach English and she could converse with the students in English and they could teach her Spanish .....sigh!! but....oh dear me MR Backpacker Surfer King was the limit!!
Lets see if you can visualize this :
A tall sunburnt chap sauntering along into the school office,half-hardheartedly apologizing for being late to the interview because he couldn't find the school. His attire or what there was of it was a dirty sweaty T-shirt, Bermuda trunks and well worn flip-flops and a towel flung over his shoulder; nothing wrong with that ...on the beach!
I don't expect a suit and tie but a nice clean shirt and jeans can look quite nice for an interview.
I swear to you I had a terrible urge to poke my head out of the school door to see if he had left his surf board propped up against the wall outside.
I will be truthful and tell you I felt like sending him on his way but I did interview him and it was awful ....no experience,no qualifications (of any kind) and again obviously thought being a holder of a British passport automatically qualifies for teaching English as a second language,as well. The last straw was when he offered to draw my portrait as he was also an artist.....tch and tch!!!
I am going to give the world out there a little bit of advice........its no good thinking you can come to Spain during the summer months to work as an ESL teacher even if you are a qualified teacher. The majority of the language schools close during the summer months or have very very little work. The population decreases in the cities as many people move to their beach or mountain second homes away from the city. It is also the holiday season and people go on holiday and a lot of students go to English speaking countries on study visits to learn English anyhow. The only teaching jobs you can get in Spain in the summer are in the holiday camps. These jobs are few and far between and last for one month or six weeks.
After such a strenuous week and with a large dose of inspiration from the Yarn fairy ........
I was lucky to be able to find a little weeny bit of time to do some yarn shopping.
TOTAL YARN ADDICTION!!
The four balls of yarn to the rear of the photo I bought at the local
market. I've never tried this yarn before, its a Spanish brand,like
cotton but a perle acrylic. What I do like is it comes in a 200grm ball.
.......I'm feeling much better already!!!!
Welcome to my new followers!
Thank you so much for visiting my blog and please don't be shy I love to receive comments.
You do know it is Friday...don't you?????
Amanda :-)
PS:Have a great weekend :-)
Well you can call me old fashioned as well. I can not think of anything more disrespectful than turning up like that or making such comments.
ReplyDeleteI really feel sorry for you as I know how much thought and preparation goes into interviewing as, like you, have been there and worn out the T shirt. No wonder we take refuge in wool.
Hello Linda
DeleteLooking on the positive side there were some very good applicants as well ,people my daughter will get back to.
It just seemed to me I had one afternoon in particular full of misfit interviewees.
I don't expect people to dress up "posh" to come to an interview but the minimum is to look tidy and professional.
keep well
Amanda :-)
I attended a recent interview when a young girl turned up with a short short skirt, chewing gum and texting on her phone. I assumed she was a 6th Former- in fact she was there for head of english job. I think she got it. I share your pain!
ReplyDeleteHow frustrating and totally disrespectful. It makes a mockery of the whole interview process. When I think of the number of interviews my son attended over a two year period and the lengths he went to try and make a good impression only to be turned down time and time again, who do these people think they are! I hope you had some good applicants too Amanda and that you were able to find suitable teaching staff. My youngest son is now teaching in Hong Kong after doing a very intensive course for teaching English to foreign students he had to attend interviews during the night via skype and he even got dressed smartly for that,he wore a smart jacket and tie, but he had his jogging bottoms on because the interviewer could only see his top half haha. I love the look of that wool! lovely bright colours enough to cheer anyone up. Have a great weekend! xx
ReplyDeleteWhat may I add??? I totally agree with you Amanda and with the girls above!!! A job interview is a serious thing as the job itself!!!
ReplyDeleteHave some fun in the weekend with your yarn!!!
xxxx Ale
My jaw dropped as I read your descriptions. My goodness what are people thinking these days? I also agree with the above comments.
ReplyDeleteBut - you have yarn! Fun, fun yarn. I hope it relaxes you.
Blessings,
Betsy
I'm sure you could write a book about some of the interesting characters that 'pass through'. Jx
ReplyDeleteI do agree with you about the terrible sounding candidates - but I have had equally ridiculous interviews, from the PoV of the candidate...Once, when being interviewed for a job with Wall Street Institute, when asked if I had taught high level students I explained that there had been no high level students to teach. "Why not?" was the next question...!!! Still...if I need a teaching job in Spain I know where to come - I'll at least dress well for the interview!
ReplyDeleteHi there
Deletetotally agree with you ...I've had some pathetic interviews too with some rather wierd personal questions which I really didn't know how to answer. As for Wall Street Institute...its closed down in this part of Spain due to reputation problems.
A xx
Amanda, yarn always helps doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteHugs to you and hope you have a better week,
Meredith
Hello Mere
DeleteIt more than helps...I already have a better week just contemplating it
A xx
I believe in making a good first impression; what has this world come to that these "kids" out of college think they are owed a job! Sounds like "casual Friday" has gone too far.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see the projects with the yarn you bought, XOXO
Good Evening Amanda, At first I thought it was because of the relaxed Mediterranean style that people felt they could attend interviews in sloppy clothing, but actually the more I thought about it, the more I realised that it was not true. I worked in schools for most of my working life and I used to be involved in the interview process as well. I remember advertising for a Clerical Assistant, and I would say out of 100 applicants, there were maybe 10 who according to their CV's could do the job and about 6 of those dressed sloppily as well.... admittedly not as bad your your "surfer dude", but bad enough. I had people writing covering letters saying they could not type and had no computer skills (which was an important part of the job) but were willing to learn as they went along. Other's who did not bother filling in an application form, but just sent a letter. People who had never set foot inside an office, but felt as they could read and write, working in an office was a "doddle" to use their words.... it was so frustrating.
ReplyDeleteI understand how you feel because during this part of the term I was always working a "mile a minute".
Ooops reading that back..... I think you have unleashed some hidden frustrations on my part!
I hope you find the teacher you are searching for.
Before I go, I love the colours of the wool.
Best wishes
Daphne
Oh Amanda I can only agree with you. I think overall people just don't bother about looking smart. They seem much more concerned with having plastic surgery to improve their looks that way. The last time my old boss interviewed we had some very strange outfits. This included a candidate who had very bad eyesight and admitted they couldn't see very well. But we could sort out the office so they could manage they stated. She had no computer skills (essential for the post) but we could teach her. She was also dressed head to toe in red and had red hair. What annoys me is there are probably candidates who are well suited to a post but are put off applying because they think they don't fit the bill.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous yarn, can't wait to see what you create.
Ali x
yarn is always a good thing-hugs I am old fashioned too-your story made me laugh though-gotta be wild seeing these people trying to get the job lol
ReplyDeleteYou are quite right, people should make an effort for interviews! I wore a suit for my most recent one and felt full of confidence that, if nothing else, I wasn't going to fail the moment I walked in the door.
ReplyDeleteLove that Yarn Fairy.
As a teacher myself, I can sympathize with the frustration of appropriate dress for all occasions, but especially for interviews. Also, since I've taken classes and taught ESL (and learned other languages as well), I know there is more to it than simply being an English speaker.
ReplyDeleteThat Spanish yarn looks like it will be fun to knit!
Yikes!! Well at least you have a a lovely bundle of yarn there to make beautiful things with and forgot the whole lot of em! Love the colours! And the sparkly.
ReplyDeletexox
Oh I feel for you, I know exactly what you mean. I've also had a couple of interviews with the weird personal questions you mentioned above too... Still, that beautiful yarn fairy makes eveything alright again :) xoxo
ReplyDeleteYarn ... it soothes all ills!
ReplyDeleteAnd having interviewed a fair few people in my time for training positions your tale doesn't surprise me at all!
Unbelievable!! I wouldn't dream of turning up to an interview unless I was suitably dressed, not unless I didn't want the job, and then what would be the point of going in the first place???? I feel your pain!! :) But at least you have a nice hoard of wool to be getting on with...what is it going to turn into?? :)
ReplyDeleteThings are just NOT what they used to be! I owned a business for many years so I had to do my share of interviews and I did get a few flip flops and tank tops. Amazing! I guess we are just a completely different generation. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm amazed at the lack of respect people have in these situations, I wasn't raised to behave that way, and I hope I'm making it clear to my boys not to behave that way.....
ReplyDeleteLove your new cheery yarn....look forward to seeing what it grows into!
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteHi Amanda,
ReplyDeleteI love the new yarn stash. Can I ask where you purchased the Catania cotton please?
Thank you,
Margaret
replied by email
ReplyDeleteA :-)