Job Discussion Forums

[theo_t]

Here's a question for you.
I'm an english guy, 35. Used to work in t.v. drama. Packed it in. Recently acquired a CELTA, and am heading to Bankok at the beginning of September.
My question is regarding appearance: I have a full beard , quite well managed, and longish unkempt hair. I never, ever wear ties. I have no intention of changing my appearance.
Will this have a bearing on my chances of finding employment in
a, thailand
b, korea
c, japan
best regards, and good one dave for putting this site together
theo

[TEAM_PAPUA]

Well, you need a Degree for 2 of the above to satisfy government regulations. Secondly, your beard should not matter, if I were you I'd concentrate on my grammar & spelling (not wishing to sound like Prawn!)

Essentially, my friend, if you retain that dogmatic attitude you'd be well advised to stay at home.



T_P

[basiltherat]

while i agree that in theory appearance should not play a particular role in teaching job acceptance/refusal, societies - especially the ones you refer to - are often stereotyped and as such often believe that long, unkempt (not in your case, perhaps) beards and long scruffy hair denote mistrust, laziness and so on. Until societies dump this belief, people like us (I have a scruffy beard and long hair, too ... http://gibbons.blogdrive.com ) will never get our just dues. We could be waiting a llooooong time.
I'm sure it would make your task of finding work a lot easier if you dressed appropriately and up to the expectations of the locals. Sometimes we've just gotta bite the bullet. thats my cents worth, anyway
regards
basil

PS Business classes would particulasrly demand that you dress well.

[theo_t]

Thankyou, team_papua, for your delicate and constructive remarks.

Of course, I already have a bachelors degree. As I understand it, that was one of the prerequisites for taking the CELTA course, which I mentioned above.

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

Is your hair and beard black?

If they are and you went to elementary schools in Japan, they might think you were Hagrid from Harry Potter.

[Gordon]

[Jetgirly]

I know of a man who taught English in Japan for a long time. He had a long, scruffy beard, yucky clothes and generally looked rather icky. Because he looked like such a typical American slob, he actually got a fair amount of work as a "model" in advertisements.

[Boy Wonder]

Theo... if you want to teach with green hair down to your knees...and wear nothing but an frilly apron and rainbow coloured socks.....do it!!!!

Conformity and conservatism in appearance are massively over rated.....sod them and the people who enforce such codes of etiquette!

Seems to me( from my experience in various countries ) that it's ok to roll up reeking of booze/blind drunk or be completely crap and useless in the classroom .. if you are wearing the right clobber!!!

That's a priority totally out of place!

Wear what you want ...when I have a school...teachers will wear whatever they like.....except Footie shirts (which are pikey and chav like)

If anyone turns up in a suit for work I will systematically pour flour and cold gravy on it whilst screaming at them in my best Cantonese.

[Glenski]

[lajzar]

[cimarch]

I used to have a beard and found that Asian employers liked it. Apparently it was more 'Western' as local chinese men couldn't grow one. Mind you it was neat and well kept. Unfortunately the missus didn't like it...

[Stephen Jones]

As somebody said, put on a tie and you can get away with the long hair and beard.

If you don't want to wear a tie then trim the beard, cut the hair, and wear a well pressed pair slacks and a well-pressed cotton dress shirt.

[Boy Wonder]

What if you can't see the tie through the long hair and the beard?

[JasperT]

Just remember that Azian people do not grow a lot of facial hear (or pubic for that matter). Some azians tend to look upon hairy people as barbarians....

good luck though

JJ