Job Discussion Forums

[YellowHair]

I am just curious to see if anyone has received an actual offer yet?

[TeacherTim]

Not yet! Let's keep our fingers crossed!

[reltap3]

Not yet! Talk about leaving it to the last minute! People have to actually take leave or actually leave their jobs, ( not to mention organising a million other things)so if the starting date is 16 August, they are cutting it very fine. Also with the rise of the Aussie dollar and the subsequent rise of the HK dollar, the remuneration is declining in value as well. The working visa also takes at least 4 weeks to be processed, so who knows what's going on in the minds of the EDB (changed from EMB just yesterday, to EBD [education department]).

[Serious_Fun]

It is not easy to place all of our plans on "hold" while we wait for a last-minute offer. In my opinion this recruitment process reflects a lack of respect for those of us who are eager to start helping HK students (yes, I am still eager and motivated).

It is entirely Guandongcentric. (have I coined a phrase?)

[hkteach]

Yes I agree with Serious Fun - it's certainly a lack of consideration. I love the cartoon by the way....... funny but very indicative of how things are done here.

Although August 16th. is specified as start date, start dates can be at any time throughout the year. I arrived here in late August as did many others. We were paid from 16th. More recently, NETs have started in Sept. October, maybe January. I heard of a NET who arrived here in May this year - meaning a May 07-Aug 09 contract period.

Advice?? Don't resign from your job, rent your house out/give notice to your landlord or have your farewell party till you get an actual offer. Then you'll have at least a month to get here (workvisa will probably take that long anyway and you can't work without it)
It may mean a rush for you, but at least better than being ready now and having to wait around for heaven knows how long with no job, no home.

[ironopolis]

hkteach, from what I've heard from a couple of previous PNETs, in the period between the mid August official start date (16th) and the actual beginning of term, there was some kind of orientation/induction, which would clearly be useful for people new to HK. So if you end up starting later, surely you'd miss all this, right? Doesn't that put those people at a bit of a disadvantage? Or do late arrivals have some kind of induction too?

I also totally share serious fun's feelings about the whole recruitment malarkey. What makes it even more frustrating for me, is that I also applied for a similar job elsewhere and the level of courtesy, consideration, promptness and general professionalism of the recruitment process for that job was the absolute opposite of what many of us seem to be experiencing here.

Obviously, I applied for a NET position based on my evaluation of how I felt about working and living in HK and that's also the reason why I'm still hanging on now. If the way the recruitment was handled had been much of a factor, I'd have probably told them where to go by now. I just hope it all turns out to be worth it.

[ozman]

the recruitment process here is appalling and it does show a lack of consideration for teachers currently overseas and waiting to come to hong kong. it shows lack of respect too.
yes there is normally an orientation programme which can be quite useful but it's not the end of the world if you miss out. there are people here to help you.

the emb have promised to get the recruitment process started earlier but each year it's the same. the emb have been criticised for this. a letter outlining your concerns and situation to the education section of the south china morning post is something you might consider. how they expect people to chuck in their jobs, houses, families, dogs and cats and get here within a week or two is ridiculous.
ozman