denied FT job after subbing for school

[mmallien]

Is it common to be denied a FT job after being the main sub for the school system?  I am a fairly new nurse, but I have been the main substitute nurse for the schools in my county. This year a job came available and I just found out today that they selected someone else.  I have no hospital experience aside from my preceptorship, but I would have thought if they trusted me to sub at their schools that I would be just as qualified to work full time?  And out of times I subbed last year, I did a long term sub, that was over a month. 

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

35 minutes ago, ruby_jane said:

My first nursing interview was at a school where the principal plainly wanted/needed a nurse who was Black and/or Hispanic and/or bilingual. I am none of those things. But that was the NEED and it's the principal's show. I am of the belief that things don't happen for a reason. Good attitude - try again later!!

How bluntly did the principal inform you of this? I mean, I truly get the need for more POC staff in schools, but it's a legal minefield to not hire someone on the basis of race...

[mmallien, ASN]

Just over 1,100 students. 

[amoLucia]

1 hour ago, ruby_jane said:

My first nursing interview was at a school where the principal plainly wanted/needed a nurse who was Black and/or Hispanic and/or bilingual. I am none of those things. But that was the NEED and it's the principal's show. I am of the belief that things don't happen for a reason. Good attitude - try again later!!

I'm truly, truly  NOT sure about this, but could that position have been MANDATED by EEO dictate??? Like some quota needed based on the locale and population demographics?

[ruby_jane, BSN, RN]

1 hour ago, Jedrnurse said:

How bluntly did the principal inform you of this? I mean, I truly get the need for more POC staff in schools, but it's a legal minefield to not hire someone on the basis of race...

She didn't. Just a vibe I got. :)

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

1 minute ago, ruby_jane said:

She didn't. Just a vibe I got. ?

I understand. I imagine that the bilingual issue could be outwardly discussed as a criterion. Learning Spanish is definitely on my bucket list; I've learned the hard way about the limitations of Google Translate.

[ruby_jane, BSN, RN]

8 minutes ago, amoLucia said:

I'm truly, truly  NOT sure about this, but could that position have been MANDATED by EEO dictate??? Like some quota needed based on the locale and population demographics?

No position can be mandated that way. Spanish-speaking may be listed as a preferred (and you may get extra points if you do). Look - the principal knows her demographics. End of story.  If offered the choice of three people, all other things being equal and one is a Black Latina who is fluent in Spanish - I'd hire her! The point I was trying to make is that in many districts the hiring of a nurse is completely up to the principal. 

[amoLucia]

I commented I really wasn't sure, yet I still have my doubts. Somewhere in the recesses of my mind I still think there may be times when candidates can be bypassed for other qualified applicants for specific EEO.

Just NOT sure ... time to research. 

Was it an actual job opening?  In my district, jobs are posted because legally they have to be posted and oftentimes someone is either already IN that position and has to renew, or it is an internal transfer.  When I applied with my current district in May of 2019, I was applying for FT position in an elementary school.  When I arrived to the interview, the nurse leader informed me that the actual position was only posted as a formality b/c the current nurse in that position had only worked that school year and was still waiting for her DESE paperwork to clear.  I was SUPER bummed, but then was offered a position that had not even been posted yet.  I was essentially hired before they posted it, but I had to wait for it to be posted, apply and have a full round of repeat interviews for it, even though I had already been hired.  Fast forward to this school year.  I wanted to increase my working hours from 20-30 hours.  The district by law, had to create a "new" position, post it for 10 days and only then could I officially be in that spot.  To anyone on the outside, it appeared to be a legit job posting. Was on Schoolspring, indeed, etc.  But really it was not an open position. And legally they have to accept applications and everything. Sort of like when a house on the market has already sold before the open house, they legally still have to hold the open house, LOL. 

I guess my point with this long story is maybe the position was not really available?  Just hang in there and continue subbing and something will eventually open up.

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

On 10/16/2020 at 8:19 AM, MHDNURSE said:

Was it an actual job opening?  In my district, jobs are posted because legally they have to be posted and oftentimes someone is either already IN that position and has to renew, or it is an internal transfer.  When I applied with my current district in May of 2019, I was applying for FT position in an elementary school.  When I arrived to the interview, the nurse leader informed me that the actual position was only posted as a formality b/c the current nurse in that position had only worked that school year and was still waiting for her DESE paperwork to clear.  I was SUPER bummed, but then was offered a position that had not even been posted yet.  I was essentially hired before they posted it, but I had to wait for it to be posted, apply and have a full round of repeat interviews for it, even though I had already been hired.  Fast forward to this school year.  I wanted to increase my working hours from 20-30 hours.  The district by law, had to create a "new" position, post it for 10 days and only then could I officially be in that spot.  To anyone on the outside, it appeared to be a legit job posting. Was on Schoolspring, indeed, etc.  But really it was not an open position. And legally they have to accept applications and everything. Sort of like when a house on the market has already sold before the open house, they legally still have to hold the open house, LOL. 

I guess my point with this long story is maybe the position was not really available?  Just hang in there and continue subbing and something will eventually open up.

Wow. By adhering to the letter of the law they're actually being dishonest...

[turtlesRcool]

2 hours ago, Jedrnurse said:

Wow. By adhering to the letter of the law they're actually being dishonest...

Sort of. There's always the possibility that something goes wrong with the chosen candidate or another applicant wows the committee and gets the job. But even if there really is one candidate with a lock on the position, it can be to the advantage of both the school and the other applicants to go through the interview process.  @MHDNURSE didn't "waste" the first interview because it created a fast-track for another position. The people who applied to the second position weren't selected because MHDNURSE had it, but they might have been placed on the short list for a future opening.

When I was applying for my first teaching position, I applied for anything that opened.  In district A, I was one of 3 candidates who went all the way to the interview with the superintendent, but an internal candidate was chosen.  In district B, I had a good interview at the department level, but didn't get the job.  After I was hired by district C, I found out that district B's department head was the partner of a teacher in district C, and district B went with an internal candidate. But part of the reason I got the job in district C is that the department head from district B spoke highly of me from my interview there.  And that job in district A that went with an internal candidate?  Well, they had an unexpected opening in the fall, and called to offer me the position.  I declined since I was already employed elsewhere, but having been through the entire hiring process, I was in a position to be directly hired later.