Job Discussion Forums

[Tom567]

Would an employer at a school such as EF dismiss me from a job for something such as bad teeth?

I have bad teeth and that is why I am asking. And I only mentioned EF because EF always seems to be hiring.

[Markness]

I don't think so. Well if it's really bad then maybe, but I mean, I worked at a language mill before and there were a majority of people who worked there that you would deem not beautiful. This didn't make a big difference, I suppose it also depends on whether or not you work in a super big city at a popular/competitive type of work place. The smaller towns without a doubt will take anyone, even if you are a beast they'll take anyone. I don't mean to sound like a dick, but that's how it is. Bigger cities are pickier (which is hardly picky at all), and tier 2/tier 3 cities would likely not have ANY sort of issue. Now if you were a Chinese employee on the other hand..

[vikeologist]

EF or any other school will always be quite reluctant to dismiss anybody, (though unfortunately that sometimes becomes necessary). Once they have a teacher, sacking them will mean that they might have to cancel classes and lose money. Believe me, it's far more common for teachers who really should get sacked to be tolerated for a year.

Of course, some of them may apply criteria such as age, ethnicity and appearance when deciding whether to even consider employing you.

But they're not looking for male models, though of course being fantastically good looking can cover over a number of other defects.

You're painting a gruesome picture of yourself. I'd say that you need to make sure you know whether your breath smells and whether your general appearance is so terrible that children are going to run away from you screaming. If not, bad teeth themselves shouldn't be too much of a problem. Even at their worst, they're not going to treat foreign teachers like racehorses.

[Non Sequitur]

Cost of dentistry in China, is way less than the West.
Looks like a win-win coming up.

[JoeKing]

The good thing, Tom, is that Asia is a good place to get affordable dental work done, both for problems and cosmetically. It looks like you were in Korea for awhile - that would have been a great place as they have a lot of US trained dentists there. Anyway, not judging, I am sure you have your reasons, but you have to take care of your chompers...just saying.

[Toast]

Man - if people in China could lose their job for having crap teeth 90% of the country would be unemployed. My DOS has a mouth that looks and smells exactly like a Sarlacc Pit. Granted you're the foreigner, not the Chinaman so expected to be the beauty man, but for all the google eyes, dread-heads, tubbies and dwarves I've seen and met here, you could just about assume running away from the circus to go to China to teach ESL was more or less par for the course. In short, don't worry - it's EF. They'll take whoever they can get.

[likwid_777]

[BlueBlood]

What's EF, anyway? I presume a language mill, but wonder about the acronym. English First would be my guess.

[johntpartee]

You are correct, BlueBlood; "English First" it is.

Tom567, what exactly do you mean by "bad teeth"? Crooked? Discolored?

[BlueBlood]

John, do language mills, more often than not, expect FT's to have their Z-visas from elsewhere, and/or basically high "illegal" teachers?

I ask bc I've sound so many language mill openings on the Net, many of them saying they need a FT "asap." But clearly Z-visas take time, so I'm thinking they mean like the old days: Show up; You're white; Native Speaker; OK, go teach this class for X-amount of money.

[johntpartee]

My limited experience with EF (TRYING to apply) put me off. They have all these bizarre rules that they try to pass off as national law.

Yes; Caucasian, breathing, malleable.

[vikeologist]

EFs will nearly always do things legally.

If any of them do try to hire people illegally, rat them out here.

Yes z visas do take a long time, and centre managers will be trying to get the new teachers asap so don't be surprised if you're driven straight from the airport to your first class. (I'm exaggerating, but only a bit).

[johntpartee]

They ALWAYS need people ASAP; says a lot about the place.

There's lotsa stuff on here about EF; most of it negative. OP was asking about his appearance.

[Tom567]

I'm actually reasonably good looking. I simply neglected my teeth for far too long and have but five teeth in my mouth. Dentures are in order, but dentures cost money.

Thank you for the feedback.

[rattie]

Tom567,
Don't fret too much, rather, look forward to being able to do something about it here. Dental care here can be quiet excellent, shop/ask around, and compared to the countries most of us come from it's very affordable.

I had a friend in my last town who had not a single tooth in his head yet he worked at the city's most respected secondary school. He happened to be an excellent and committed teacher and strangely enough that's what mattered.

Just make spending your spare money and time at the dentist a priority so you don't need to worry about this issue in future.

I've had root canals, crowns and an implant here, all of them were cheaper than lunch at a pub back home, and all very well and painlessly done.

Just send photos with your closed mouth grin to get the job, start spending your play money at the dentist immediately, you will delight in the day you can laugh out loud with your gob wide open.
Best of luck.