Job Discussion Forums

[richtx1]

I thought I'd seen it all, but this was a first. On ANOTHER message board (which shall remain nameless, to protect the clueless), a young lady posted a message that said she was looking for a teaching job in Mexico and that

[moonraven]

I don't know how widespread the practice is, but I am frequently in a position where I do hiring--and have definitely ruled out some folks based on their posts to this board--especially when they have thrown their racist attitudes in my Native American face. In addition, I have been offered jobs because the employer read my posts.

[Ben Round de Bloc]

[ls650]

[moonraven]

Ben Round:

The world of ESL is smaller than you may think. Some employers read posts on this forum because they have been burnt by inexperienced teachers and are looking for folks with more experience and know-how.

I get a lot of SOS-type PMs from teachers who post here, and they frequently give me their real names and e-mail addresses.

Styles of expression are fairly distinctive--some of the folks from my collection of "Classic Candidates" letters of application have clearly posted on this forum.

[Ben Round de Bloc]

[moonraven]

Exactly; the experience you have had is how my "Classic Candidates" Collection developed. All the letters and e-mails came from folks who wanted me to hire them--some in reponse to an opening I had posted, and it was the inadvertent humor in them that caused me to start the collection. They did everything but put themselves in handcuffs and throw away the key in the letters. If that's putting their "best" foot forward, I shudder to think what they would do with the other foot.

[MixtecaMike]

For Korean jobs they always ask for a photo, to make you sure you have the "right stuff" for the job. I read about one (male) job applicant who sent in a photo without a shirt on, which must demonstrate an interesting attitude towards his classes.

[some waygug-in]

That has a lot to do with Koreans' attitude towards ESL and education in general. In Korea, appearance is everything.

At least for adult schools. For kiddies "schools" appearance counts for less, but there is still the racism factor. Koreans generally shy away from hiring "visible minorities". Just ask Korean-Americans or Korean-Canadians how hard it was for them to get a job here.

In adult schools where the majority of students are university students, they want "teachers" who will "attract" the most students, and this has absolutely nothing to do with teaching ability, experience or education.

You can be a complete dolt here, as long as you a bit of a looker, then you've got it made. If you are not so handsome, your prospects are severely limited. I personally would rather not get hired by a place that puts such a high priority on appearance.

I am not condoning this practice by any means, I am just saying how it is.


I leave it to you to decide whether or not I fit the category of "complete dolt" or the equally desirous opposite of "pathetic loser".


I have been called the latter at least once. Though I do not consider myself a member of that league.

[richtx1]

[moonraven]

The jobseeker who caused me to start the "Classic Candidate" Collection applied for a job and told me--in a letter strewn with errors in spelling, grammar and syntax, that he had worked for a university in the same system as the one where I was head of the Language Dept., and that he had caused a "scandal" in the small town by his romantic involvement with a young man who was getting married and found the connection embarassing, but he was sure that he was "beloved of his students", etc.

I couldn't care less about a teacher's sexual orientation, but a teacher's judgment is another matter. Clearly, his judgment had not been improved by the situation he had caused, as I considered it a reflection of extremely poor judgment to give a potential employer the rundown of the problems he had caused for his former employer.

Admittedly, I would not have seriously considered him due to his low level of skill at using the language he wanted to teach--writing a letter of application with errors in every line is another no-no for someone who wants to be hired.

[Ben Round de Bloc]

[Guy Courchesne]

Ben...

Lovely use of doble sentido. I hope that pass hits the numbers...