Job Discussion Forums

[delian]

I agree with Jenny-PNet - maybe you should call the school. I've had a completely different experience from either of you - emphasizing the lack of consistency!
I was contacted by 'my' school by email by the head English teacher - a very nice Flora Leung. She basically told me the school wanted to hire me and gave me a run-down of the school and what I'd be expected to teach, etc. I have tentatively agreed to work for this school and have been in contact with the other NET teacher there (a great source of real information), but have yet to receive my salary assessment. Actually the EMB just asked me for MORE paperwork yesterday! Supposedly they told my school they'd have the salary assessment done last week, but it didn't happen. I know the school is anxious to get the paperwork going to get my work visa rolling.
So, if your salary assessment is done - in a way you're ahead of me. If the school has your name, it seems like that is where you'll be. I might be a bit nervous calling the school, but it would probably be a good idea. Or maybe you could do a search for the school on google, find the principal's name and email them? I don't know, that's just an idea.

Good luck.

[jenny-pnet]

Why not email Phoebe Mok first and ask her for the phone number for the school, explaining you'd like to make contact with them, in view of the time factor. That way it is done in an "official" manner, if you could call it that. And if it is considered not appropriate to ring them first, then Phoebe will set you straight. Then if that is the case, the urgency will be made clear to her and she may herself hasten the school (and others) to get their acts together. ---- Phoebe made it clear in her paperwork to me that any future queries should be directed straight to the school and it was through her that I first received the school's number.
(Just out of interest, when I asked if I could speak to the existing net at my school, I was told she was on leave. ---- Someone else suggested to me that what that really means is that she's "done a runner". That's scary! At this stage I have still been told nothing about my duties/expectations at the school. I have asked for relevant information to be sent across but it has not been forthcoming.)

[foster]

I have been trying to find information about the school online with the hopes of a contact number or something of the like, but I agree that maybe calling Phoebe back on Monday is the 'proper' way to go.

Does it mean that if a school was given your name that they FOR SURE will hire you? I am NOT going to give up my contract that I have no as well as my apartment, move to Hong Kong on a MAYBE.......sounds chicken., but I am

This is a terrible run-around and since I have to get things sorted, some infomation would be nice here!!!

Since I am sure some of you have started the Visa process, what do we need? How long does it take? ANything else I need to start getting in order...any information from my home country or from previous jobs?

Thanks again everyone...you have been GREAT!!!

[jenny-pnet]

Foster, the way I see it is, you have DEFINITELY been allocated to that particular school. But now the school has to make the final decision. So they simply contact you by phone or email, and then let Phoebe Mok know that they are satisfied about employing you. (Most are because they don't know you from a bar of soap and have already checked your application before making contact.) Then Phoebe sends across the "preliminary" contract by email and the information package by registered post. The problem for you is simply that the school is slack and hasn't got around to contacting you yet. -- Probably very busy at this time of year with other priorities. Or perhaps they've tried to ring when you've been out or something. (My phone call came about 6:30pm on a Tuesday evening. I'm in Australia.) One person recently received her phone call, and then for a very silly reason the school decided she wasn't suitable for their specific purposes. So they informed Phoebe, who basically simply put her name back into the hat, so to say, and she was redrawn by a different school. So it seems, if the school changes its mind for one reason or another, then you don't miss out, you simply get allocated elsewhere. It's just that the whole process is a bit tedious. I know how you are feeling because I felt the same way in the week leading up to my phone call. Then each step of the way since has also been painful, including now, while I am waiting for the school contract to arrive. --- If I were you I would definitely contact Phoebe for the phone number in order to make contact. I think it is quite a legitimate thing to do given the time factor. They should be aware that there will be lots of things that need sorting out before coming across and therefore we NETs need sufficient notice to be able to prepare accordingly. After all, it is to their advantage if we are properly organized and well prepared on our arrival. Please let us know how things go.

[RK]

In April, I received a letter telling me that I was on the waiting list for a secondary NET position. I waited for further information. I sent two emails with no reply. Finally, I phoned, only to be told that I was not actually on the waiting list at all. Although I had passed the interview, my name had not been sent to any schools and it seems unlikely I will be offered a job. I was disappointed, because I had really been hoping for a NET position. I was also annoyed, because it had taken so long for me to find out what was going on.

So, I guess I'll be looking elsewhere.

[narttandsons]

I was told seven days before I left Canada. I had an interview in May and was finally accepted mid August. I had already found another job in VIetnam by that time but came to HK. HK is famous for its red tape (you will learn first hand).

The government is trying to verify and then verify again your papers, and hten pass them on to the next civil servant to do it again.

SARS has scared off a lot of teachers that would have come and they will be calling, they will sound like they don't care if you take the job but that is a cultural thing, if I can generalize. They need you more this year then ever before!

And about SARS don't worry, at the height of SARS in HK you still had a better chance of winning the lotto, it sold a lot of papers though!

I might see you at the NET induction, as a friend has asked me to speak about my 5 years experince here!

It hasn't been easy ( especially the first 6 months) but it has been very much worth it in many ways.