I've got a job interview!!

hieveryone

Hi, back with a quick question.

I joined an expat forum and have had a couple of messages from people who have also been offered jobs at the same school as I have. We got talking about contracts/what we've been offered and it turns out that he's been offered the same as I have per month, but he has one year less experience than I have - (plus I have a post grad qualification). Do you think this is something that I should bring up with the school? And if so, how could I do it sensitively/without coming over all greedy!?

Thanks in advance

KiKi

hieveryone wrote: »

Hi, back with a quick question.

I joined an expat forum and have had a couple of messages from people who have also been offered jobs at the same school as I have. We got talking about contracts/what we've been offered and it turns out that he's been offered the same as I have per month, but he has one year less experience than I have - (plus I have a post grad qualification). Do you think this is something that I should bring up with the school? And if so, how could I do it sensitively/without coming over all greedy!?

Thanks in advance

I personally don't think one year's difference in experience makes that much difference to a salary. I wouldn't bring it up.

Plus, your salary's tax-free, that's already pretty good.

Congrats on your job interview. I like Dubai. I spend a LOT of time in the airport.

KiKi

hieveryone

KiKi wrote: »

I personally don't think one year's difference in experience makes that much difference to a salary. I wouldn't bring it up.

Plus, your salary's tax-free, that's already pretty good.

Congrats on your job interview. I like Dubai. I spend a LOT of time in the airport.

KiKi

Thanks for the reply - unfortunately I do. As do the 'scale' that teachers work to in this country, and as the headteacher mentioned that the school has a 'scale', I don't like the fact that I am entering at the same point in the scale as someone who is newer to the job and has less qualifications than me?

For reference, I have : nursery qualification (2 years), 4 year teaching degree (honours), 2 yrs experience and a post graduate qualification in my field.

This other person is straight out of uni - with a 1 year post grad in teaching!

And thank you - I was looking forward to it until I found this out. Tax free or not, I have spent more time on my CPD and skills, so this should be reflected in my salary.

LittleMrsThrifty

hieveryone wrote: »

Thanks for the reply - unfortunately I do. As do the 'scale' that teachers work to in this country, and as the headteacher mentioned that the school has a 'scale', I don't like the fact that I am entering at the same point in the scale as someone who is newer to the job and has less qualifications than me?

For reference, I have : nursery qualification (2 years), 4 year teaching degree (honours), 2 yrs experience and a post graduate qualification in my field.

This other person is straight out of uni - with a 1 year post grad in teaching!

And thank you - I was looking forward to it until I found this out. Tax free or not, I have spent more time on my CPD and skills, so this should be reflected in my salary.

You may have more experience, but does that necessarily make you a better teacher? Perhaps he has more experience of extra curricular activities, or supporting children with learning difficulties or perhaps they just think he is better than you. Experience doesn't count for everything and the "scale" is more about an opportunity to progress than a demonstration of who has most experience.

They obviously feel he is worth a certain amount and he accepted that. They also feel you are worth a certain amount and you accepted that. The two are unrelated. I wouldn't even consider bringing it up now and I'd avoid discussing salary on Internet forums too. He may not even be telling the truth!

And without wanting to nitpick, he doesn't have "less" qualifications than you, he has "fewer". And he is obviously
good at negotiating :-)

hieveryone

LittleMrsThrifty wrote: »

You may have more experience, but does that necessarily make you a better teacher? Perhapd he has more experience of extra curricular activities, or supporting children with learning difficulties or perhaps they just think he is better than you. Experience doesn't count for everything and the "scale" is more about an opportunity to progress than a demonstration of who is better.

They obviously feel he is worth a certain amount and he accepted that. They also feel you are worth a certain amount and you accepted that. The two are unrelated. I wouldn't even consider bringing it up now and I'd avoid discussing salary on Internet forums too. He may not even be telling the truth!

I don't know if I am getting my point across effectively. The profession I am in does not go on how much 'better' you are than another person - it goes on time served. Therefore, for each year time served, you are rewarded with a higher pay. The head teacher who interviewed me told me that this school also works on a similar scale to the ones we have here - i.e a yearly increase due to experience.

I am in contact with another girl who has more experience than me, and she has also been offered the same. So, in effect, she has 2 years more experience than a total newbie, but is being paid the same?

Edited to add: I haven't formally accepted the offer yet.

KiKi

hieveryone wrote: »

Thanks for the reply - unfortunately I do. As do the 'scale' that teachers work to in this country, and as the headteacher mentioned that the school has a 'scale', I don't like the fact that I am entering at the same point in the scale as someone who is newer to the job and has less qualifications than me?

The scale in the UK isn't relevant to Dubai, though, and the 'scale' they use there might not be the same - it might be a scale combining lots of factors. The UK one might be years served, but the Dubai one might not be. (I'd also add that I think it's crazy to have any pay scale working on years' service...it's open to abuse and doesn't reward good teaching / good performance. Experience does not equal excellence. However, I accept that's how it is in the UK, I'm just pointing out that Dubai doesn't necessarily have the same scale. Perhaps you should check it out in detail first. )

For reference, I have : nursery qualification (2 years), 4 year teaching degree (honours), 2 yrs experience and a post graduate qualification in my field.

This other person is straight out of uni - with a 1 year post grad in teaching!

Well, in your other post you said it was one year's difference...now it seems to be a lot more than that. But perhaps qualifications matter less in Dubai, and they are more interested in the ability to teach and experience you have. Perhaps the other candidate has done other teaching-related activity, from a gap year or something.

And thank you - I was looking forward to it until I found this out. Tax free or not, I have spent more time on my CPD and skills, so this should be reflected in my salary.

Sorry, I disagree. You have to agree a salary you're happy with. If the other guy has managed to agree a different salary (or they've offered him something more) then they must have a reason. Perhaps their scale only requires a formal teaching qualification as a minimum (ie, they don't care about the nursery qualification or the specialism in your field), and then they reward in blocks of years, such as 1-3 years' experience, then 3-4 etc. I don't know.

If it bothers you that much, then ask for more. But if it matters so much that this actually going to ruin the job for you, then perhaps you're better off working in the UK where you feel the scale rewards you better.

KiKi

LittleMrsThrifty

hieveryone wrote: »

I don't know if I am getting my point across effectively. The profession I am in does not go on how much 'better' you are than another person - it goes on time served. Therefore, for each year time served, you are rewarded with a higher pay. The head teacher who interviewed me told me that this school also works on a similar scale to the ones we have here - i.e a yearly increase due to experience.

I am in contact with another girl who has more experience than me, and she has also been offered the same. So, in effect, she has 2 years more experience than a total newbie, but is being paid the same?

You are getting your point across effectively, but you are comparing the UK state education system with one which is both foreign and private. They can offer and pay whatever salary they like and you can choose whether or not to accept it. You obviously felt what they were offering was fair when you accepted the job - that shouldn't change just because someone younger with less experience has been offered the same. If you're that bothered about it, which it seems you are, you could tell the school you've been discussing your salary on an Internet forum and now want more money as you have been teaching longer and see what they say. I doubt they'll be at all impressed, but that's the risk you take.

hieveryone

Thanks Kiki,

Perhaps the 'scale' that I talk here isn't relevant in Dubai and that is fair enough. But they do have a 'scale' of sorts, and what I want to know is why three people (that I know of anyway) with varying levels of experience are being lumped together into the same salary bracket.

The education system is significantly different in the UAE than it is in the UK, with schools being run more like a business venture, and therefore the ability to negotiate salary is greater (from my research this is what I have found).

I realise my post sound like I am throwing my toys out of the pram, this is not the case. What I have asked for advice on is how to word an email on negotiating pay sensitively.

Edited to add: Missthrifty, I haven't accepted the job formally as of yet. I doubt a head master in a foreign school would be unimpressed that I have been discussing salary on an internet forum, after all, I could be moving several thousand miles away from my home country, I am entitled to do my research.

KiKi

hieveryone wrote: »

Thanks Kiki,

Perhaps the 'scale' that I talk here isn't relevant in Dubai and that is fair enough. But they do have a 'scale' of sorts, and what I want to know is why three people (that I know of anyway) with varying levels of experience are being lumped together into the same salary bracket.

Hiya, that's why I'm suggesting you find out the scale first. If you leap in with a request for a higher salary when they have a very specific way of paying British staff, they might construe that as ignorant, rude or arrogant. They might not, of course! But if you get armed with information on how the scale works first, then you're in a better position to negotiate.

No point negotiating on your qualifications if they place no importance on them. Every point negotiating on them if they do!

KiKi

hieveryone

Yep, that's what I meant - how can I subtly/sensitively bring the subject up of seeing the scale that the school work to?

From the research I have carried out, it is perfectly normal for teachers to negotiate their salary with schools in Dubai. I am worried that the 'lure' of tax free salary and other benefits will skew my judgement on what I deserve to be paid.