Interviews in the new Post-Pay-portability world.

Last year I was teaching overseas as a regular classroom teacher on a salary above the UK UPS3. Prior to this I was on the UPS scale in the UK. I returned to the UK in January and have only just started to look for jobs. My question is how are interviews conducted now there is no pay-portability? In the past I would not need to discuss pay because on my application they would see where I was on the payscale and could check via references. Knowing this they would either offer me the interview/job or not. I would then be expected to accept the job on the spot. However now I am applying not knowing what they will offer me or even what the schools payscale is like. Will I still be expected to accept on the day? If someone is intending to move their whole family to another part of the country is it reasonable to expect an instant decision now, given you don't know what you will earn until the interview?

Before I came into teaching I was in sales. When going for jobs then it was expected that you would negotiate your package and it was also accepted that you would need a few days or even weeks of going back and forward between your current employer or a rival offer trying to get the best pay deal. I know this is alien to teachers but I have been in the situation many times in the past where I was offered a job then my employer said we don't want to lose you we will match the offer and give you a new company car , say, then gone back to the place I had an interview and been offered even more money to go work for them. I think its called "market forces". Rather than lowering the wage bill this can inflate it but that's capitalism for you.

I would be really interested to hear from any more experienced colleagues, higher up the payscale how this is affecting them. Is an experienced teacher of a shortage subject able to now demand more than a less experienced teacher where they have a wider field of applicants? Alternatively are those of us with a few years under our belt less able to get a job on the salary we have earned through experience? If this is true I know International schools are still paying well so that is another blow to teacher recruitment in the state sector. What's that saying about peanuts and monkeys?

I've just had another thought too. Nowadays you can't even guarantee moving up the incremental scale each year so if I was to accept a job halfway up a school's payscale thinking that in a few years I would be back to my current level that might not come to pass. So even more reason to take time to negotiate a good deal at the interview.

What are other people's thoughts on this?

 

Yes, negotiate at the interview, or when offered the job. I don't think that most schools have the cash to get into a bidding match. What they are willing to pay an experienced teacher is likely to reflect how much money they actually have to pay you and how much better than a less experienced candidate you may be. Remember that an employer is looking for potential as well as current skills; there will be times when a good NQT is a better option than an experienced teacher for reasons other than money. I am still convinced that one of the best teachers my daughter had at primary school was an NQT.

I have also been involved in negotiations prior to teaching. I would never play my old employer off against a new one - if they value me that much, they should be paying me accordingly.

 

Do your calculations on what you will accept before the interview. I always discuss this in interviews now before asking if the person is still a firm candidate. However there are very few situations where I would consider bartering with a candidate. Usually I will inform them what I am prepared to pay and ask them if that is acceptable. If it's not then I would make it clear that I won't offer more. I should point out that I honour pay portability as a policy. If I am impressed enough to appoint a candidate then I would have to be happy with their performance as M5...M6...UPS3...or whatever stage they are at.

Where I might consider discussing enhanced pay I would have made that clear in the advert eg. MPS/UPS or a TLR/Leadership spine for a suitable qualified candidate. This is rare but happens occasionally. There is absolutely no way I would consider offering Leadership spine or a TLR if that hadn't been offered as a possibility in the advert as if it had been I might have had a different calibre of applicant - I recommend you don't try bartering for this unless the possibility has been suggested.