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WHAT MADE YOU GRIMACE & GRIT YOUR TEETH TODAY?

 
 
msolga
 
  1  
Reply Mon 18 Dec, 2006 05:29 am
I am royally pissed off today! (Am I allowed to use the "p" word? Not sure. Anyway ...)

Why, you ask?

I just received notification that I was unsuccessful in my last job application. I'm actually not gritting my teeth about not getting the job, it's the process that bugs me. The entire process was over & done with in 3 working days (something of a record! Surprised ). The thing is, though, I didn't even make it to the interview stage! Now this is rather unusual. I have always been told that I write a really good application & I know I do. So not to even get an interview is highly unusual ... a first for me. And to have the process over & done with in 3 working days is, well, incredible!

You have no idea of how frustrating this process of applying for teaching jobs actually is. First you have to try & figure out if it's a real position. Government schools must advertise vacancies, even if they have a preferred candidate in mind. So you ring the principal & politely ask the usual, carefully phrased questions to try & figure out whether it's worth your while applying or not. In this case I was assured the vacancy was "real". But then, they can't really say it's not real because then the school could be subject to a merit & equity claim! (Are you still with me?) It is no fun applying for jobs that in reality are already taken. (AS has happened twice in a couple of months to a teacher in my department at work, who actually should have had priority, due to Excess procedures in government schools. Too long a story to explain here, trust me. Rolling Eyes )

Anyway, to not get even to the interview stage is quite strange. I actually feel quite offended. I have contacted the school for "advice" about their assessment of my application, but frankly, I'm starting to get very fed up with this sort of thing. I don't think I fancy doing another of these applications for quite a bit! Evil or Very Mad

On the credit side, I'm told I have quite a few of long service leave credits up my sleave from my permanent teaching days. Surprised That money is available to me in a lump sum. I could take a wee breather from this nonsense for a bit & recover some sanity! Very Happy
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hingehead
 
  1  
Reply Mon 18 Dec, 2006 05:34 am
Hi hear you olga - s'really crap. Teaching sounds a lot like the public disservice. Hope it all gets normal back in the new year...
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msolga
 
  1  
Reply Mon 18 Dec, 2006 05:36 am
Thanks, hinge.

"It" (the system) won't, but I sure hope I do! This is giving me brain damage! :wink:
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hingehead
 
  1  
Reply Mon 18 Dec, 2006 05:40 am
Don't let a mindless system get you down - you got value lady.
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msolga
 
  1  
Reply Mon 18 Dec, 2006 05:47 am
I'm glad someone sees that, hinge! Laughing

Going through this sort of thing, time & time again (bloody, bloody contracts! Evil or Very Mad ) makes one feel like a rat in a maze! Grrrrrrrrr!

(On the credit side, it's a relief to not have gotten that job! Really! I mean it! Tough, tough, tough! And full-time! Shocked Might have been the death of me. Only went for it because it was all that was available! I think I'm actually more offended at having hours & hours of time wasted in yet another of those cursed applications! I HATE THEM! Aghhhhhhhhh! )
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mac11
 
  1  
Reply Mon 18 Dec, 2006 08:57 am
msolga, I've been in the same situation. Applying for jobs that are already filled is such a huge waste of time!

Is it possible that you were over-qualified for that job?

At any rate, it sounds like it's just as well that they didn't waste more of your time by bringing you in for an interview...
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msolga
 
  1  
Reply Tue 19 Dec, 2006 03:46 am
It's possible mac, in a round-about sort of way ..... like being more experienced than some others perhaps. (Read more expensive to employ.) School budget are extremely tight these days.

Yep, a huge waste of time, I agree, but what can one do? Just stop applying altogether? (Oh how I wish I could!)

I'm feeling a whole lot better about the whole episode today. Very Happy
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Heatwave
 
  1  
Reply Tue 19 Dec, 2006 09:29 am
Picked up baby M from her daycare last evening. When asked about her food intake during the day, the new substitute teacher informs me that M has eaten her watermelon. 'And.....?' I ask promptingly. 'Well, she didn't want any of her lunch, and so I tried to give her some cheerios.' 'Umm...what about the bananas, the cheese, the chicken nuggets?!' 'Oh...she had all that here as well?'

Insert scream.

So we drive home, M and I. And my usually playful baby wails all the way home. We rush in through the door, because by now I'm feeling her hunger pangs inside my chest, and seat her in the highchair, and put an assortment of cheese & fruit on her tray. My baby smashes her food into her mouth. Just shovels it in.

This morning I had myself a satisfying 'talk' with her daycare. They will not be doing this again with another kid, mine or anyone else's.
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gustavratzenhofer
 
  1  
Reply Tue 19 Dec, 2006 09:32 am
My daddy came out to the shed and got me. He said, "Here, take this and throw it away", and he handed me a towel with something or another in it. Well I started for that barrel and I opened up the towel 'cause there was a noise. Something a-moving around in there. The towel was all bloody-like all aorund it there. It was a lil' ol' baby not no bigger than a squirrel.
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sozobe
 
  1  
Reply Tue 19 Dec, 2006 09:41 am
Oh, the poor hungry baby! Glad the talk was satisfactory, anyway. Hmph!

msolga, I so get how frustrating that must be. This isn't the same really, but when I started applying for jobs about a year and a half ago I had every expectation I'd get a good one right away. I've always had an easy time of finding jobs -- moved to L.A., where I knew nobody, and had a plum job in just my line of work within 2 weeks, which is unheard of. I'm always being offered jobs out of the blue (well not ALWAYS but it's happened a lot). Etc.

So I really expected that once I was ready to work part time, I'd just put out some feelers et voila.

Didn't happen that way.

The first rejection sucked, the second was worse, by the third I was getting slightly more jaded but still was upset. The killer was yet to come -- I applied for a job that I thought I was absolutely PERFECT for, like if my life were a screenplay this would be the job that would surreally appear and couldn't be more tailor-made to my interests, experience, and available time. I applied and made it to the second tier out of (they said) thousands of applicants, and waited to hear more, and waited, and waited, and...

Nuffink.

I never did get a further response from them, after trying and trying. It was a website and I'd plug in the url now and then to see if it was up yet. After nearly a year, it still wasn't up, and I wondered if it was all an elaborate scam and they made some nefarious use of our "writing samples." Then, a couple of months ago, I read about its launch in the paper. Turns out it's backed by a huge, well-known company, and has premium advertising, and...

ARGHHHHH!

All of this really makes me want to just quit trying, and of course I have the luxury of doing so. I take stabs here and there, get teeny little jobs that I figured out pay about $2/ hour when all the time I spend looking for them is factored in, etc.

All quite depressing, but there is one job that looks somewhat hopeful for when sozlet starts first grade, all-day. (A part time teaching job at a Deaf preschool.) We'll see.

Well that was a bit of a rant myself, sorry. Hang in there!
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dlowan
 
  1  
Reply Tue 19 Dec, 2006 02:24 pm
Aargh, Msolga and Soz.


That sucks.


How long can you take off, Msolga?
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hingehead
 
  1  
Reply Tue 19 Dec, 2006 04:55 pm
Everything
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margo
 
  1  
Reply Tue 19 Dec, 2006 07:40 pm
Olga and Soz....

aaaarrrrgggghhhh!!!!!!!!!!

Hinge - things not too brilliant today in FNQ?

Overcast, some rain, and hideous traffic here in Sin City!
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msolga
 
  1  
Reply Wed 20 Dec, 2006 04:23 am
sozobe wrote:
.... but there is one job that looks somewhat hopeful for when sozlet starts first grade, all-day. (A part time teaching job at a Deaf preschool.) We'll see.

Well that was a bit of a rant myself, sorry. Hang in there!


Oh, that sounds like a real possibility, soz! Promising!

And part-time employment leaves you with enough time & energy left over to devote to your real life commitments. That's my preferred type of employment these days! But not that easy to find, sadly.

No need to apologize. This is what this thread is for! I've certainly done my fair share of ranting & venting!

I will hang in there. Of course because there's no choice! It's just a matter of figuring which are the real jobs & which aren't. I wish they could just tell you!

Anyway school finishes tomorrow! Yahoooo! Very Happy
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msolga
 
  1  
Reply Wed 20 Dec, 2006 04:34 am
dlowan wrote:
How long can you take off, Msolga?


I can last quite a while, maybe all of first (school) term, Deb. That is if I'm frugal & sensible. (A new experience!) But the best part of this is that I won't feel like I must apply for a situation that all my hunches are signalling NO NO NO! to. Like that last job application. It was terrible, on a scorching hot day, forcing myself to apply for a job that had THIS IS A MISTAKE! stamped all over it, just because it was the only vacancy.
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dlowan
 
  1  
Reply Wed 20 Dec, 2006 04:51 am
msolga wrote:
dlowan wrote:
How long can you take off, Msolga?


I can last quite a while, maybe all of first (school) term, Deb. That is if I'm frugal & sensible. (A new experience!) But the best part of this is that I won't feel like I must apply for a situation that all my hunches are signalling NO NO NO! to. Like that last job application. It was terrible, on a scorching hot day, forcing myself to apply for a job that had THIS IS A MISTAKE! stamped all over it, just because it was the only vacancy.


Frugal and sensible?


Sounds awful!


PS I think Hingehead either had a terrible day, or he wants you to take off all your clothes.

And I hope a fabulous job falls in your lap.
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msolga
 
  1  
Reply Wed 20 Dec, 2006 05:12 am
Laughing

Take off all my clothes? It's so hot & sticky (& smokey! ugggh!) here tonight most of my clothes are off, anyway! Look ma, a nekid woman typing! Razz

When I say frugal, Deb, you understand that I mean within reason? Now, I'm not about to live on bread & dripping, or anything like that .... I just can't keep going to book stores & buying all I desire, when I desire it. Or dine out 4 nights a week. That sort of thing ....

Thanks for your wishes for me, Deb, but I wouldn't dare dream of a fabulous job! I'm being realistic! Just a do-able one that doesn't cause massive anxiety & drive me to drink would be wonderful. Oh & part-time, too, please!
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dagmaraka
 
  1  
Reply Tue 26 Dec, 2006 03:28 am
Evil or Very Mad During the 8 plus years that I lived in the U.S. I have only met one other Dagmar. Now, sitting at Zurich airport, there are TWO of them right near me. Out of 5 women here 3 of us are Dagmars. That's just not fair.
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msolga
 
  1  
Reply Tue 26 Dec, 2006 04:00 pm
No it isn't, dag.

I hope you're outa there by now & happily swanning around some other place, where you feel more your unique & special self!
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Walter Hinteler
 
  1  
Reply Tue 26 Dec, 2006 04:13 pm
I've been once ... very close to a Dagmar. Wonder, what she's doing in Zürich. Shocked
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