Job Discussion Forums

[jg]

Hello,

Can anyone tell me how best to send schools my resume and a copy of my passport without using forwards? I am in China, looking for work, and I have had absolutely no luck! The only problem I can see is that I am forwarding my info to employers. I have no choice (?) because I don't have a laptop and I am stuck using the terminals at internet cafes - none of which have hard drives I can access, so I can't even access the disk with my vitals on it... I went to the Hyatt, rented (at 80 RNB an hour!) their computer and scanner and saved my resume/passport to a disc, thinking this would be helpful. It seems it has been anything but.

I have several years of experience (on three continents), American English is my native language, teaching is what I do in the states, etc. Even so, I seem to be sinking quickly. I have been applying and applying, but no one seems interested in the least. The only thing that I can think of that is that the "forwarding" turns them off. I mean, I am not applying for the superstar positions, so I can't imagine that the backpacker surplus has grown so great EVERYONE can afford to send me short "thanks, but no thanks" letters.

However, I cannot find a computer with a hard drive around here and I am reaching the end of my rope. Anyone with any helpful suggestions?

[joe]

You might want to look into getting some free web hosting. You can then upload your picture and resume to the web, and link to it from your email.

For example, you can sign up at www.freeservers.com and get a free web hosting account, and then put your resume online. You upload your files to this account so it would look something like:

http://whateverusername.freeservers.com/myresume.doc
http://whateverusername.freeservers.com/mypicture.jpg

If you know HTML or even if you don't, you can also create a simple resume web page for yourself. If you'd like any help doing this let me know.

Joe

[Minhang Oz]

Shanghai Language Mills: Always hiring, some can do a visa. Check classifieds on www.expatsh.com and www.thatsshanghai.com Not ideal, but maybe a short term answer.
Local Expat. Bar : Buy someone a beer and broach the subject of sending off a few attachments on their PC.
Last Resort: Snail mail. China Post isn't too bad.

If you could just get hard drive access once, you could send your stuff to your own email box, and then forward it on whenever needed. 80 an hour's OK if it lands a job. Try a cheap hotel's business centre.

[Susie]

Where in China are you?

Those cyber bars are full of smokers.

Other posters have given you suggestions as to how to send your information other than as an attachment to an email or forward, so I won't go into that.

I think you need a bolder, more proactive approach, given your current circumstances and this is where cold-calling and getting local Chinese contacts to help you comes in.

With a hard copy of your resume and your original passport, try to find someone to take you to the local education bureau, tell them what you want (a school in which to teach English), let them take a copy of your resume, let them see your passport (I think there's no need to give a copy of your passport until you are about to sign a contract).

Try not to let the Ed. Bureau allow you leave empty-handed, ask them for school contact addresses, names, emails, telephone numbers. Be polite, persuasive, tell them you'll give them some free English language lessons if they help you to get a teaching position as a result of your call to the ed. bureau. The Ed Bureau has directories of schools, colleges, universities in their area of jurisdiction.

Speaking of hotels, there may be telephone directories there too and locals who will help you to make the calls to the schools.

Another idea is to find your Consulate or Embassy and work with them to find a job.

Be careful not to be exploited by unscrupulous business people because of your circumstances.

Oh and if you get a job as a result of any of my suggestions, then, I would like some free English lessons too!!

[Joe C.]

Buy a cheap USB hard drive about the size of a small cigarette lighter. They're under 200 RMB. Put all your stuff on it and take it to an internet cafe. Most that I have seen allow you to plug it into their computer and use it as your own personal, portable strorage device.

[jg]

Hello Everyone,

Well, having seen all the fantabulous advice I got makes my day a bit brighter. That, and the teenaged nicotine chimneys have deserted the internet cafe; I can see again.

Oh, and Susie, is your sterling advice comes through - though I hope it doesn't have to come to me going to the Ed. bureau - I will teach you English and Spanish!

Thanks everyone!

James

[wanderlust1066]

Surely it is simpler just to have your documentation emailed to yourself and then just leave it in your inbox. Then you can access that accoutn from any workstation, if you want save the documents in a folder somewhere. Then you can attach them to a new email from that folder.

Just remember to delete the folder before leaving.

[Minhang Oz]

Brilliant W. Lust! Just what I said 6 days ago.
You forgot to have a cheap shot at FT's being IT experts though; you're slowing down.