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edwar1zl
Joined: 12 Jan 2014
Posts: 12
Location: Denver
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 Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2014 5:51 pm Post subject: Portland TESOL Conference |
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| A university wants to interview me at the Portland Conference. I already have spring break plans and the conference is really expensive. Would going to the conference be good for securing a job or just a waste of time and money? |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2014 6:20 pm Post subject: Re: Portland TESOL Conference |
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Depends on how bad you want the job. (You obviously applied for the position.) Anyway, it's your decision whether to go or not.
Last edited by nomad soul on Wed Jan 29, 2014 6:23 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Sirens of Cyprus
Joined: 21 Mar 2007
Posts: 255
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| Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2014 6:23 pm Post subject: |
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| Waste. It's just a junket for people on an expense account. Skype does the job. |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2014 7:29 pm Post subject: |
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Dear Sirens of Cyprus,
"Skype does the job." You think so; even I would agree. But, of course, it's what the employer thinks "does the job" that really "does the job."
Regards,
John |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2014 8:06 pm Post subject: |
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| Sirens of Cyprus wrote: |
| Waste. It's just a junket for people on an expense account. Skype does the job. |
Skype may not be an option; some employers give priority to applicants who are available for face-to-face interviews at the job fair. Ditto for many employers recruiting during TESOL Arabia. |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Thu Jan 30, 2014 3:43 pm Post subject: |
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| Conferences are good if someone is paying you to go. If the money is coming out of your wallet - FORGET IT ! |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Thu Jan 30, 2014 4:25 pm Post subject: |
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Conferences are especially useful for those that are new to the field. I attended my first TESOL in NYC before I started my MA. For me to attend the presentations and meet many people in the field... in the area of the world that I was interested in... was worth it at twice the price. (it was my attendance that got me my MA Fellowship because I met the right people and asked the right questions.)
They are also invaluable if you are job hunting - even though I never attended them for this reason. It gives you a chance to meet the interviewers AND often other teachers from the institution so that you can ask them the questions that you might not want to ask the admin. I attended a half dozen TESOLArabia conferences, but they were nearby... and a couple of TESOL conferences in the US. I paid for all of them and they were worth the small investment IMHO.
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SENTINEL33
Joined: 19 Jan 2014
Posts: 112
Location: Bahrain
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| Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2014 5:57 am Post subject: Re: Portland TESOL Conference |
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| edwar1zl wrote: |
| A university wants to interview me at the Portland Conference. I already have spring break plans and the conference is really expensive. Would going to the conference be good for securing a job or just a waste of time and money? |
1. The conference is most likely the ONLY place the employer plans to "set up a table" and do his recruiting in the USA. I assume you're talking about a foreign employer. If you don't show up at the conference, your chances of getting hired are probably zilch since the employer is going to have all kinds of victims he can choose from in Portland.
2. Since you don't seem all that concerned about it, you might suggest to the employer that you'll attend if he at least pays for your travel expenses. At one time, it was very common for employers to pay for room, board and travel of applicants but I guess that practice has gone out the window since Skype.
(I personally would never pay travel expenses to go to an inteverview - no way. Just like I'd never take a position overseas - especially in the ME where most likely you don't know the language - unless the employer provided a complete housing package so that I could go from airport right to my apt. and slam the door shut).
(In this regard, prospective employees should be aware that it is very common, despite all promises to the contrary, to arrive in country and find no one to meet you at the airport. In fact, you should expect this and plan accordingly....i.e. bring cash, credit cards and have no compunction about hopping into a taxi and heading to the nearest international 5 star hotel and billing your employer later for reimbursement). (Speaking from experience). |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2014 8:17 am Post subject: Re: Portland TESOL Conference |
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| SENTINEL33 wrote: |
| Since you don't seem all that concerned about it, you might suggest to the employer that you'll attend if he at least pays for your travel expenses. |
Not a smart tactic given the venue is a job fair. Employers don't have time to waste with an applicant who comes across as "demanding." Besides, the job fair will attract plenty of other qualified job seekers who are serious about securing employment for the upcoming academic year. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2014 8:35 am Post subject: |
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| veiledsentiments wrote: |
Conferences are especially useful for those that are new to the field. I attended my first TESOL in NYC before I started my MA. For me to attend the presentations and meet many people in the field... in the area of the world that I was interested in... was worth it at twice the price. (it was my attendance that got me my MA Fellowship because I met the right people and asked the right questions.)
They are also invaluable if you are job hunting - even though I never attended them for this reason. It gives you a chance to meet the interviewers AND often other teachers from the institution so that you can ask them the questions that you might not want to ask the admin. I attended a half dozen TESOLArabia conferences, but they were nearby... and a couple of TESOL conferences in the US. I paid for all of them and they were worth the small investment IMHO. |
Same here. In fact, I secured a direct-hire position at TESOL Arabia's job fair several years ago. I'll be heading to this year's conference and job fair---my third time---and expect to attend some of the presentations. These events are also great for networking opportunities as well as catching up with old friends. By the way, indicating membership in TESOL Arabia and/or any of the other TESOL International affiliates is a plus on one's CV.
Last edited by nomad soul on Fri Jan 31, 2014 8:37 am; edited 1 time in total |
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SENTINEL33
Joined: 19 Jan 2014
Posts: 112
Location: Bahrain
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| Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2014 8:37 am Post subject: Re: Portland TESOL Conference |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
| SENTINEL33 wrote: |
| Since you don't seem all that concerned about it, you might suggest to the employer that you'll attend if he at least pays for your travel expenses. |
Not a smart tactic given the venue is a job fair. Employers don't have time to waste with an applicant who comes across as "demanding." Besides, the job fair will attract plenty of other qualified job seekers who are serious about securing employment for the upcoming academic year. |
Well, you're basically saying the same thing I said but using different terms.
For example, you say "....the job fair will attract plenty of other qualified job seekers who are serious......" That's what you call them. I call them "victims", a much more descriptive and realistic term in my view.
I didn't expect I'd have to explain it (because I thought it was obvious), but my tone in this posting is based on the seemingly casual and barely interested approach the OP seems to portray regarding the interview he was asked to attend. I mean if *I* had "Spring break plans" but was really interested or desperate for a job, I'd change those plans like real fast in order to attend the interview. Wouldn't you? Wouldn't anybody that was "really" interested? |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2014 9:33 am Post subject: |
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| SENTINEL33 wrote: |
Well, you're basically saying the same thing I said but using different terms.
For example, you say "....the job fair will attract plenty of other qualified job seekers who are serious......" That's what you call them. I call them "victims", a much more descriptive and realistic term in my view. |
Yes, but that's essentially what I also posted a couple of days ago. Anyway, I agree that the OP's mention of his spring break plans gives the impression he's really not interested in the position. Or perhaps he's not confident he can nail the interview toward securing an offer. |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Sat Feb 01, 2014 3:01 pm Post subject: |
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| I cannot imagine a prospective employer paying for you to go to a conference so he can interview you. Skype is the way ! |
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lcanupp1964
Joined: 12 Dec 2009
Posts: 381
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| Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2014 5:44 am Post subject: |
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I would not go unless I was close to the interview location. There're so many ESL jobs out there that one could find on the Internet that it's not financially practical. Aramco was the only company that wanted to pay my plane ticket to Houston and put me up in a hotel. I even turned down the interview (I know, I was stupid  – I didn’t realize that the person calling me was from THAT Aramco) because I didn’t want to go though the hassle. |
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