Of all the stressful things we can do to ourselves in the twenty-first century, changing our mobile phone number has to be close to the top of the list. Just the thought of it should give most people cold shivers! Some network-providers say changing your number can enhance privacy, give annoying marketers the slip, and promote work-life balance. So, while I accept that there might be pressing reasons to make that change, an employee or a job seeker should think very carefully before they do! Here are some links for those with an appetite for research – the rest will be motivated to read on!

Should You Change Your Phone Number? Pros and Cons
The Pros And Cons Of Changing Your Phone Number In 2022 – Mobile Tech Addicts

As a recruiter, over 90% of my contacts with applicants are via their mobile phone. It’s amazing how many people give us the wrong number on their initial CV, (“Oh! So sorry! I gave you my old mobile number!”) or change their number soon after sending us the CV. (“Please change the phone number on my CV,” sounds simple, but it’s a major admin hassle.) Surely, if you are looking for employment, the very first thing is to ensure that employers can phone you? Or am I missing something?

When we check references, one of the questions we ask is, “Does their personal life ever interfere with their work?” And the answer can be a bit evasive.

“Er, no, not really, I mean, not often, sometimes, but not much.” What on earth does that mean? Time for the questioner to dig, and perhaps with a different referee.

“Well, there was a problem about six months ago, he went off for a week, he said h was mugged, and lost his phone, and had to get a new number. When he came back wouldn’t tell us what happened, but it hasn’t happened again.” Or,

“She has been in an abusive marriage, used to come to work with bruises on her neck and arms, and she had bruises in other places too. Once she came with a black eye. She needs to leave so she can get away from her Ex.” Now that does count as a genuine reason to change your phone number. But …

“He often seems to take Mondays off, there is always a reason, but it seems to happen … well five or six times a year. We gave him a warning and he was fine for a bit, but now it has started again.”

And my personal favourite,

“I cant comment on his personal life. But when he’s at work he is wonderful …” Usually, this referee definitely could comment on his personal life, and perhaps the relationship between them needs exploring.

But I digress. Or do I? When I get these sorts of responses to reference checks, it’s amazing how often the person has recently or is about to change their phone number. In other words, applicants who are hiding something are more likely to change their phone numbers.

About five years ago, we had an applicant who was a senior official in the GDE, and his referee was another senior GDE official. She told us how wonderful he was but couldn’t comment on his personal life. He changed his phone number twice during the period we had his CV and turned out to have a crippling debt problem.

Again (no dates), a highly experienced teacher at a top independent school was appointed Principal of a smaller independent school. We didn’t work on this appointment, because this gent kept on changing his phone number and we could never get hold of him. Three months later he was suspended as Principal when it emerged that he had a gambling addiction.

Mrs S had taken early retirement from the GDE. Her references from past schools were excellent, so she had no problem finding jobs in independent schools to supplement her pension. But she only stayed a few months (long enough to pay for the new washing machine, one school told me), then she would give 24 hours’ notice on the last day of the month, change her phone number and live on her pension until she needed a bit extra again.

And Mrs B, whose SACE registration was in process, would take multiple loans from the school and members of staff, and when people started demanding repayment, vanish, change her phone number and move to another town. The reason she couldn’t finalise the SACE registration is that she had a conviction for fraud.

In 2025 a lady who had previously fled from Gauteng because of an abusive marriage phoned me. She had relocated to East London and rebuilt her life, including a second marriage and a child, now in gr 10. The child wanted to study further in the field of computer science, and the opportunities in the Eastern Cape were limited. Could I help her find a job in Gauteng? Her former husband had (she thought) emigrated, the new husband is an author of Amazon books online and can work anywhere. She is now employed at an Assisted Learning school in the Jhb area. For the record, she has taken on the counselling of children whose parents are in the process of separation – and no, I wont give you her CV. The success of her works requires long-term relationships with learners.

When an applicant changes their phone number, it’s a red flag for Placements in Education. But Red Flags give two signals in our world. First is – quality person in crisis, find this person something quickly. But second is – Oh! All sorts of questions.

Very seldom do Principals of Schools have the privilege of establishing long term marketing relationships with staff, learners, the Board or parents. If you do – enjoy! If you do not, your staff are the major marketing tool in your hands. If you fail to keep them on your side, look forward to a very turbulent period in the management of your school. Because HR problems have a way of emerging at the most inconvenient time of the year.

So, if one of your employees has a habit of changing their phone number, HR might want to look into why they are prepared to take on so much stress. There will be a reason. And that reason might – or might not – be compatible with their being in loco parentis to children.

March, 2025, so early in the year! Might be a good time to start the process.