Job Discussion Forums

[clover]

This is a warning about the professionalism of Chouiefat schools. A couple of months ago, I applied online for a position at one of these schools, in response to a local advertisement here in Australia. I am a very experienced ESL and language teacher. I was a bit concerned as to whether they had received my application or not as there was a bit of a glitch with my email system at the time. Twice, I sent emails asking them if they could acknowledge receipt of my application. Twice my emails were completely ignored. I don't need the job-I have received, and accepted, an offer from Hong Kong- but I think that to completely ignore emails in this way is very unprofessional.

[El Gordo]

I am old enough to remember a time when it was normal practice, in the UK at least, for employers to acknowledge receipt of all applications: you would get a letter either inviting you to interview or thanking you for your application but regretting to inform you... (the latter known colloquially as a P.F.O. letter). You would think that in these days of e-mail it would be fairly easy and cheap for an employer to send out P.F.O. messages, by the hundred if necessary, but apparently they can't be bothered.

I can assure you that it is not only Choueifat who are lacking in professionalism and good manners in this respect. I must have sent out at least 100 applications over the past couple of years and have received replies from no more than about 10, only the ones who were interested in employing me. Of the other 90 or so, not one could be bothered to send a P.F.O. Like you, I am well qualified and experienced, and I apply to only the decent places (i.e. proper schools and universities, not language schools) where one might expect to find a degree of professionalism. But hey, this is 2003! Welcome to the modern world!