Job Discussion Forums

[naturegirl321]

I've been talking to some other teachers and was shocked to find out that they thought nothing of lying on there CVs. some even went so far as to put themselves down for references. Or wrote their own references. They said that employers never check them anyways. They put down their own phone number and never were called.
I know that if i ever have to hire some one, I will always check their references.

[Glenski]

Unscrupulous people abound in this business.

[dmb]

i gave up checking references afew years ago because of unscrupulous managers. They were peeved about teachers leaving them and so would say all things negative about them. I went against their advice, hired them and never had any problems. this didn't happen just once but on many occcasions.

[fat_chris]

CV lies bother me as well.

My perspective, hopefully without sounding too arrogant, is that I don't need to lie about my CV and "create" references because my background info is quite sound and it should give me a good chance when applying to many positions.

People who lie about their CV and references simply need to look at why they are lying and should go about correcting the gaps in their background info to present an honest product.

Yeah, as if such people would ever take the time to do so.

Maybe my faith in the power of the Fates is too strong, but I believe that sooner or later dishonesty will catch up with one and that person will get badly burned.

[dduck]

Shurely, this is why new jobs have probationary periods - so that you can see the product before you buy.

Iain

[denise]

Ideally, the dishonesty will catch up with the CV-padders when they step into a classroom and their true selves are revealed. Doesn't always work that way, though--incompetence/other problems can go unnoticed and unreported for quite a long time.

d

[J-Pop]

[MELEE]

I've actually seen the opposite-- by former boss would write glowing references for people that he personally did not like, because he was trying to get rid of them but didn't have any justifialbe cause for termination.

[Gordon]

Melee,

[ls650]

If I owned a school, I wouldn't hire anyone from overseas without checking references. Of course, I'd rather meet the individual in apersonal interview, then make a decision.

[arioch36]

Well here in China, I don't know what you would have to do to get fired. No matter how bad the teacher is, I think the philosophy is that it would be to embarrasing to the school to get rid of a foreign teacher.

I am clueless about how they choose foreign teachers soemtimes. But the two references that we are supposed to have is more of a paperwork (check the box) type of thing, as far as I can see

[biffinbridge]

References from the Middle East can be quite amusing.Because most of the bosses are Arabic and Arabs often have huge problems when it comes to writing coherently, your references can be embarrassing even when they are trying to praise you.You know the score...Dear Mr.Steve, I write to rekommand you this Mr.Beter pecause he very very good yanii, shesmet....eeenglish instructor....signed Youssef Al.....Head of English...................English like that kind of defeats the object of having a good written reference.

[Snoopy]

. . . and if you get a letter of experience and "no objection" in Arabic, get it checked out. Although I had made myself unpopular in certain quarters through reforms I brought in when I became head of department in Riyadh, I had not been expecting the document which I eventually received about three months after leaving, after pestering the London office for some time. "Mr . . . worked here from (date) to (date). I object to his further employment in the Kingdom or any other Arab country." It was only a kind phonecall from the (British) recruiter for another job in Saudi that alerted me to this. I buttonholed an Arab outside a local language school in the UK and was put fully in the picture. I didn't really want to go back to KSA anyhow. That document was filed and I had no difficulty in getting my present post in Qatar.

[been_there]

Well, if it makes anyone feel any better, the Queen hereself didn't check the references of The Daily Mirror's Ryan Parry who got a job as a footman at the palace.

[denise]