Hi all,

I have been offered a teaching position, but for only one day a week and only for 3 hours! Brilliant hourly rate, 15-27 minutes drive from home...BUT:

I do not think the institution is well organised, before confirming that I got the job, they were meant to have rang me last Monday, but did not. However, I received a phone call offering me a possible personal tutor role for one of the interviewers children (mind you all, I was never interviewed for this role, neither had I applied for it). Then of course, there was a slight mention of the job I had been interviewed for, but I wouldn't find out until the following day whether or not I'd gotten the job!

Then the phone call came, I got the job, but I could only do 3 hours p/wk. I would have to come in and see a member of the HR. Then the meeting was cancelled and rescheduled for yet another day...

Now I'm beginning to have a rethink! Shall I take the 3 hour p/wk and accept to be a personal tutor to my potential boss' child or shall I say 'no thank you' and wait for a better prospect?

The job will of course be my first experience of teaching in my field and will prepare me for when I finally finish my PhD, but I'm beginning to doubt whether this institution is the right one for me?

All suggestions very welcome!

DG

If it was me, I'd take it. THere are very very few opportunities out there and if you need/want teaching experience then its a great thing to take on - it will also free up other time to work on your studies (if you're doing that) or pick up other work.

Also, there is a huge separation between HR and the department you'll be working in, don't let one HR person's lack of organisation tar your judgement on this.

Once your foot is in the door it could well lead to further opportunities

I would take it - as you say it would be good experience for you and it would break that vicious circle of 'you can't get a job without experience and you can't get experience without a job...' Go for it.

Your experience of Admin/HR while frustrating, is not, from my experience that surprising! -certainly wouldn't let it unduly sway you.

I agree - I'd take it. It's very hard to get that first bit of experience, and this is a great way in. I agree with everyone else about the admin side too, that isn't necessarily representative of the whole university so don't be swayed by that.

You could try clarifying the pay rate again with those who interviewed you - ie the department - or whoever emailed you with the original amount. This could be a mistake on the part of HR.

DG[/quote]

I have gone to see the HR, there are slight changes to the rate of pay, a drastic drop from 35 /hr to 22/hr!! She said with a PGcert, it is £23/hr without PGcert £22/hr. This rate's different from what I was told during the interview and via email!!!

Do I still take it?:-s[/quote]

Hi all, here is an update as of this morning.

Well the HR personnel who agreed to ring me after she must have clarified the pay rate before my supposedly start date which is Thursday (today);  has not yet rant or emailed me to tell me otherwise.

I have not had any induction whatsoever, I am expected to turn up this morning and teach!! Not knowing how their system works: IT, where to print materials to hand out to students, library books, no undergraduate handbook, course material, ETC; in a nutshell no INDUCTION. Oh plus I haven't received any sort of documentation telling me that I have been accepted for the job, nor any paper work to state my hourly rate! Are all these normal for hourly paid lecturers or am I just making unnecessary fuss? I know I'm keen to get on the lecturing ladder but I do know a thing or two about this level of lack of documentary evidence.

By the way, I have received about 6 phone calls this morning that I was supposed to have been teaching (all went into voice mail) as I was still recuperating from burning the midnight candles!

Now I'm super confused!!

Do I still take it?:-s

um, being honest it sounds like they thought you had accepted it and now from their point of view, you haven't turned up this morning. In the airline industry that is known as a 'F.T.J.' as in 'fail to join'. It's when somebody rostered to work a flight or shift doesn't turn up without advice - it's taken pretty seriously. I think you need to sort it out. Maybe I'm wrong though...

Hi DGold, unfortunately this is pretty normal, if on the lower end of the scale. The hourly rate is dreadful, legally it shoudl be £33.00 per hour at least - £39.00 per hour in most cases.

I'd only take this job if you desperatley need the experience or the money, it sounds as if they would make your life oyour life pretty difficult.

======= Date Modified 24 Feb 2011 10:14:45 =======
Also, yeah, Ady's right - if you accepted and have been told the start date and time and didn't turn up then that's classed as not turning up for work. But they're so badly organised you may be able to get away with it.