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MrJaredGamble
Joined: 13 Apr 2016 Posts: 19 Location: USA
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Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2016 8:59 pm Post subject: Vague Possible Job through Teach Away |
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Teach Away contacted me to pre-interview for an "international school" position paying "$3,300 - $4,000 usd" per month.
The trouble is, the job posting doesn't give the school's name. I contacted the recruiter and asked for the school's name and asked whether it is truly an international school or a language mill. Here's the response I got:
"Thank you for your email. During the first stage of recruitment process, our international school partners do like to remain anonymous to streamline traffic. What would happen after our prescreen interview is your application will be forwarded to the school. Should they decide to move forward with your application, they will want to set up a Skype interview. At that time, you will receive full disclosure of the school's name and website to do research and get prepared for your interview.
This is the school's international campus currently hiring English teachers.
Please let me know if you would like to move forward with our scheduled call."
Highly dubious. Should I even bother interviewing?
PS - As soon as my renewed passport arrives in the mail (2 weeks), I'm applying to a ton of university jobs posted on Profs Abroad.
Thanks,
J |
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SH_Panda

Joined: 31 May 2011 Posts: 455
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Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2016 12:03 am Post subject: Re: Vague Possible Job through Teach Away |
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MrJaredGamble wrote: |
Teach Away contacted me to pre-interview for an "international school" position paying "$3,300 - $4,000 usd" per month.
The trouble is, the job posting doesn't give the school's name. I contacted the recruiter and asked for the school's name and asked whether it is truly an international school or a language mill. Here's the response I got:
"Thank you for your email. During the first stage of recruitment process, our international school partners do like to remain anonymous to streamline traffic. What would happen after our prescreen interview is your application will be forwarded to the school. Should they decide to move forward with your application, they will want to set up a Skype interview. At that time, you will receive full disclosure of the school's name and website to do research and get prepared for your interview.
This is the school's international campus currently hiring English teachers.
Please let me know if you would like to move forward with our scheduled call."
Highly dubious. Should I even bother interviewing?
PS - As soon as my renewed passport arrives in the mail (2 weeks), I'm applying to a ton of university jobs posted on Profs Abroad.
Thanks,
J |
What is dubious about it exactly? |
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nomad soul

Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world
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Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2016 12:22 am Post subject: Re: Vague Possible Job through Teach Away |
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MrJaredGamble wrote: |
Teach Away contacted me to pre-interview for an "international school" position paying "$3,300 - $4,000 usd" per month.
The trouble is, the job posting doesn't give the school's name. I contacted the recruiter and asked for the school's name and asked whether it is truly an international school or a language mill.
...
Highly dubious. Should I even bother interviewing? |
Hold your horses, cowboy. There's nothing fishy about it. Many legit schools and universities in Asia and the Mid East/Gulf contract with outside recruitment agencies to handle teacher recruiting and hiring. (Not all employers have large recruiting departments, and often, there's a language barrier to consider.) So get used to using 3rd-party recruiters for positions that aren't direct hire. |
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MrJaredGamble
Joined: 13 Apr 2016 Posts: 19 Location: USA
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Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2016 2:11 am Post subject: Indeed! |
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Hahaha - how'd you know I'm a cowboy?
...don't answer that.
No, no - I posted my resume with Teach Away. I know that two of their recruiters are looking for jobs for me, so I didn't mean it's fishy that they contacted me. I meant it's fishy that the school itself won't even give its name to applicants. The posting simply calls the school "international school", and the description claims that, "as the school expands, it will begin to implement American curriculum."
After a couple weeks of intensely (obsessively?) researching the Chinese education system, I can totally see that kind of verbiage being used to cloak a shitty language center that's trying to nab itself some over-qualified white monkeys.
PS - how does one upload an avatar on this site?
Thanks as always for the input,
J |
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nomad soul

Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world
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Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2016 3:13 am Post subject: |
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MrJaredGamble wrote: |
I meant it's fishy that the school itself won't even give its name to applicants. The posting simply calls the school "international school", and the description claims that, "as the school expands, it will begin to implement American curriculum."
After a couple weeks of intensely (obsessively?) researching the Chinese education system, I can totally see that kind of verbiage being used to cloak a shitty language center that's trying to nab itself some over-qualified white monkeys. |
I'm not sure why you feel this particular school was trying to "nab" over-qualified teachers since it's obvious they presently don't offer American curricula. International schools range from: basic and international in name only; to those that provide western-style curricula; and at the top, private, western-accredited schools. Anyway, read the job ads carefully and don't allow yourself to get buffaloed or hogtied and branded.
Be smart about which positions you apply for. However, for the umpteenth time, keep your expectations realistic (i.e., low, low, low). China is a major magnet for whippersnappers fresh out of university with little to no experience and/or a mediocre online TEFL cert. And although you have quals and US experience in English/language arts, you chose to start out as an entry-level, EFL greenhorn with zero TEFL quals. Ya gets whatcha gets, compadre.
and MrJaredGamble wrote: |
PS - how does one upload an avatar on this site? |
I believe you need to reach 100 posts before you can upload an avatar via your profile.
My grub is ready. Later.  |
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Non Sequitur
Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China
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Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2016 4:49 am Post subject: |
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OP
Like all recruitment scenarios - China or other - you have absolutely no power. That is other than the power not to apply*.
Only when they say 'We want you', do you have the option of saying 'Do I want them?'
You are front end loading the process with too many questions and doubts. Leave those until later.
*The other protection you have is spreading your risks by having multiple other applications on the go.
This is the height of the hiring season now for Sept start. You should be busy on those rather than agonising over whether to let your interview go ahead.
The smooth tone of the response you quote indicates that applicants like you are not uncommon. |
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JamesD
Joined: 17 Mar 2003 Posts: 934 Location: "As far as I'm concerned bacon comes from a magical happy place."
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Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2016 6:15 am Post subject: Re: Indeed! |
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MrJaredGamble wrote: |
...PS - how does one upload an avatar on this site?... |
"This is combat, fella. We don't use (avatars)."
R. O.
A beer to the first respondent with the original quote. |
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Mike E
Joined: 06 Oct 2011 Posts: 132
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Posted: Wed May 11, 2016 1:21 am Post subject: |
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[withdrawn]
Last edited by Mike E on Wed May 11, 2016 2:34 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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jimpellow
Joined: 12 Oct 2007 Posts: 913
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Posted: Wed May 11, 2016 2:03 am Post subject: |
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As Teach Away has a fairly decent reputation I would go ahead with the interview and just play it cautious if it moves forward.
I went through this a few years back with a reputable recruiter out of Hong Kong and the new nameless international program which they represented ended up being a true disaster, led by a scam artist who roams China cashing in on the high school prep craze. Luckily I only read about it on boards later on, as I backed out after pre arrival miscues on their part.
Your experience may differ.
Those international programs are sort of funny. They are usually completely screwed up in the beginning, but the desire for quality is usually there. Within a few years, they are only half screwed up but the desire for quality is usually gone. |
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MrJaredGamble
Joined: 13 Apr 2016 Posts: 19 Location: USA
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Posted: Fri May 13, 2016 5:18 pm Post subject: Result |
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I did end up taking a job I found through Teach Away, but not the school previously mentioned. Actually, it was simply a job that Teach Away posted, for which I applied directly to the school, but on the Teach Away website.
Anyway, it's an amazing school, and I really lucked out. |
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