Job Discussion Forums

[SnoopBot]

I received a reply from a Middle-East job today that stated the reason why I was not selected (5 openings) was the fact I had spent too much time teaching in China. I was on the short-list and had an interview.

I didn't make the final cut and found out teachers in Korea and Taiwan were selected.

For some reason they told me they rejected any applicants from China or Thailand.

The message received was this , "We based our decision on the fact that most of your recent experience teaching in China, we feel that teaching responsibilities in China do not meet the rigid requirements for this position."

???

I've heard of other places doing this too, HK's NET program wouldn't hire Chinese PRC based teachers because of these reasons. It comes down to the fact we are usually only used to teach Oral English subjects.

However, I did much more than this. IELTS, TOEFL prep, Business lectures ect.

These positions are the better ones that require a Masters degree in Education and TESOL.

How many of you have had this same experience? Is long-term Chinese experience now considered a career killer?

[HunanForeignGuy]

[therock]

[eslstudies]

SnoopBot, my experience was that China was a help rather than an obstacle.
When I returned to Australia, I was not keen to re-enter the concrete jungle of secondary teaching unless on my own terms, so I applied for a 10 week contract in a migrant English centre. The fact that I had recently completed post grad TESOL, and had lived [nb, rather than worked], in China was the edge I had in the interview. After that very satisfying stint, I won another, this time in a university foundation program, and for much the same reasons. A demonstrated ability to adapt to a different culture. as well as an empathy for L2 learners were what the interviewers were looking for, academics aside.
.
Then I was able to land the high school ESL position of my choice, again on the back of the same experience and qualifications. This is one of the best ESL positions in my country, and $30,000 pa ahead of what the other two paid.

Incidentally, 40-50% of my students in each of the above settings have been Chinese [ inc. Taiwan and HK]; in fact, one current class is entirely made up of Chinese kids on student visas, or here with their families as business migrants. I have always felt advantaged by my time in China. That's where I'll head back soon, and begin my retirement with a final year's work, which would make sense to those who have taught in their home countries!

BTW, there are several posters on these forums who went to HK from the mainland, although I suspect at least two identities are the same poster.
HKers [expats particularly] like to look down their noses at anything mainland, except when they go on their weekend shopping forays over the border. Their precious attitude is ironic, given their own economy "treading water", especially when compared to the mainland boom. Also, considering Chinese HKers wide exposure to English, I'm surprised at how poorly many of them speak it!

[jwbhomer]

I would tend to agree with what eslstudies says above. As mentioned in a previous post, I was interviewed for a position with the Hong Kong Vocational Training Council. As I said in a thread in the HK forum, I didn't get the job -- there was some disagreement on other matters -- but I think my three years of experience in China was a factor in getting the interview, and the interviewers commented favourably on that.
The key, I would suggest, is what kind of organization (is that the wrong word to use in the same sentence as "China"?) you worked for. I had taught at two reputable universities. If I had worked for a mill it might have been a different matter.

[eslstudies]

[naturegirl321]