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Applying, Emailing, and Follow Ups

Posted by Young HD on 5/17/2022, 10:41 am

I'm a relatively young HD who is applying around for a new job. I've been in the same district for 10 years and am a bit out of the game in terms of applying, etc.

Question: At what point is it appropriate to send a follow up email to a contact person, fine arts director, etc? I have an application out I'm very much interested in. The position is still posted on their website and I know my application and resume was received as I received a response back from the contact person initially. It's been about 8 days. Is a follow up appropriate? If so, what would you say? I don't want to be pushy, but it could potentially be a great opportunity for my family as my wife as an interview in the area later this week.

Re: Applying, Emailing, and Follow Ups

Posted by Admin on 5/19/2022, 10:48 am, in reply to "Applying, Emailing, and Follow Ups"

If you already made contact, and gotten a response, leave it at that. Credentials and "fit" are what get you the interview. Not repeated emails.

However, just because the job is still posted, doesn't mean it's still open. A simple email asking if the job is still open is also reasonable.

Re: Applying, Emailing, and Follow Ups

Posted by MS on 5/18/2022, 7:13 am, in reply to "Applying, Emailing, and Follow Ups"

It's not what you know, it's who you know.

If you have any contacts who know the FAD, that's who needs to reach out.

Very few people hire or invite for an interview if they don't have a trusted person vouching for you.

Re: Applying, Emailing, and Follow Ups

Posted by Yeah... on 5/18/2022, 12:31 pm, in reply to "Re: Applying, Emailing, and Follow Ups"

If that baloney was true, I would have never gotten a job in Texas, let alone been here for 25 years.

Not from Texas.
Fresh out of school...out-of-state.
Knew no one in Texas.
Nobody in Texas knew my instructors.
Started putting out resumes in March while student teaching...first Texas interviews in late April...first job offers here in Texas in mid-May. Job accepted was a 3C assistant position in DFW.

Tell us again about it being "it's who you know".

Re: Applying, Emailing, and Follow Ups

Posted by ntxmsbd on 5/18/2022, 2:13 pm, in reply to "Re: Applying, Emailing, and Follow Ups"

There are always anecdotal examples that vary from the norm, but "who you know" can be a big factor in getting a job. I'm not necessarily talking about the good old boy system where all jobs are controlled by some kind of band director illuminati, but making professional connections and relationships can be incredibly helpful in getting your foot in the door.

Re: Applying, Emailing, and Follow Ups

Posted by True... on 5/18/2022, 7:24 pm, in reply to "Re: Applying, Emailing, and Follow Ups"

...but the phrase in question, especially how it appears to have been employed by the first respondent, is implying a Good 'Ol Boys System. I have heard it invoked as such enough times that it has started to sound more like Sour Grapes if you ask me.

Re: Applying, Emailing, and Follow Ups

Posted by Respectfully on 5/19/2022, 12:05 pm, in reply to "Re: Applying, Emailing, and Follow Ups"

There absolutely is a "who you know" system in place in Texas.

The difficulty is that NONE OF THOSE PEOPLE are snobbish or mean-spirited about it. You're GOING to get more jobs if you have references from major directors. But I haven't had a single interaction with anyone like that where they actively belittled me or my situation. Networking is key - that's WHY you go to TMEA and TBA. Meet people, don't just hang out with your college buddies. Show up to region meetings, ask good questions, offer to help, and volunteer. That's how you get noticed.

Part of the problem is that people expect to have equal chances to win the "big" jobs without putting in the work. Like it or not, MS assistant and 2nd assistant HS director are our entry level positions. You have to show you can do the work and do the networking to move up. IMO if you're lucky enough to get a HBD position right out of college, you're going to be in a sub-par situation quality-wise AND/OR you're going to be in a sub-par location for starting a family.

Now, in some cases, there is an inherent bias in where you went to school, too, and IMO that's the biggest stumbling block. I know of some FAD and building supervisors that won't even interview someone if they went to certain universities because "they won't fit our standard here" or "they don't have the right kind of experience." As if going to a school that does corps style marching inherently disqualifies them from knowing how to teach military, or vice versa, or throw in show style for good measure.

Conversely, they WILL interview someone from "the right college" even if they have a sub-par resume because they have the right name on the sheepskin.
That's not a good old boy system so much as it is inherent bias, though.

Re: Applying, Emailing, and Follow Ups

Posted by uhhhh on 5/19/2022, 1:18 pm, in reply to "Re: Applying, Emailing, and Follow Ups"

Yeah, that is a good old boys system when you only will interview people based on where you went to college. And, I've seen people passed over who, "did the work as an assistant" for many, many years. And yes, they were good teachers and good people.

Re: Applying, Emailing, and Follow Ups

Posted by Percguy on 5/17/2022, 12:54 pm, in reply to "Applying, Emailing, and Follow Ups"

If I were you, I wouldn't send another follow up. When I was in the applying mode, I would submit my application and would send a separate email to the principal or FAD to introduce myself, express my interest, and attach my resume and letter of introduction. After that, any additional contact you send could quickly push you over the line from eager to annoying.

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