Job Discussion Forums

MyTrunkshow · Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 2:49 pm Post subject: Tesolarabia 2008

Was hoping for a job at CNA-Q. I still am. However, I'm out of the running for this year as my interview sucked. My experience is adequate but my telephone interview skills are dreadful.

In person, I present a better image.

I've not been to the Gulf before but am thinking of popping over for the conference. I haven't been able to see any dates yet for the fair.

Before I begin on a research campaign to back up this plan of going to the ME for a job fair, am I going about doing things right to get there in person? From what I've read, going to a job fair in the ME isn't just a crapshoot as long as one has the quals. and the experience.

I'm fresh off the heels of a rejection letter from CNAQ..and I need to change focus to stave off the depression. I thought I was a shoe-in. I've been taken down a notch or two tonight.

Regards,
mytrunkshow

NadiaK · Joined: 27 Jul 2006 Posts: 206

It's how I got my current job.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

If you can't get a job offer from one of the many employers at TESOL-Arabia then you are in the wrong business.

MyTrunkshow · Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 2:12 pm Post subject:

Doh! bai,

I hope I haven't reached this age to merely discover I'm more suited for nuclear plant operations.

I'll do my homework before heading over to TESOL-arabia. I don't want to repeat my Homer-like answer for my CNA-Q interview when asked "How would a passage about a train be taught?." I found that question difficult without any additional information. True, this was my first interview on the phone and my first university interview, but that's making excuses for rambling like Homey.

Regards,

mytrunkshow

Bebsi · Joined: 07 Feb 2005 Posts: 958

Don't be too hard on yourself, MyTrunkShow, that is a ridiculous question "How would a passage about a train be taught?"

OK, a question like "How would you teach the future perfect continuous?" might make more sense.

Mind you....???? Embarassed

A point to bear in mind is that many institutions in the Gulf region hire on the basis of the most absurd criteria. People with PhDs in Mongolian Cultural History and in Creative Writing in Swahili but no teaching experience, often get hired over teachers with ten years' solid experience and a DipTEFL or an MA in Applied Linguistics. Sometimes a teacher will be hired because the Dept Head will have an idea that just because he is from Bear Bones, Montana and has experience in using camcorders in class he will make a better teacher than someone from Wimberley-on-the-Wold, Wimbleshire, UK, tho not as good as a kilt-wearing graduate from Oughtereighter, Nessieshire. And sometimes, I suspect, they stick a pin in a list with their eyes closed!!!! Laughing

Good luck in your future endeavours MTS, you will surely find something out there. When you do, hope you enjoy life in the ME.

And even if you are from Oughtereighter, I would avoid kilts if I were you!!

MyTrunkshow · Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 3:47 pm Post subject:

"How would you teach the future perfect continuous?"

I'm somewhat badoogled with that tense. Although I do have a firm grasp on future and continuous. It's that 'perfect' that stalls me. Also, the three words together is a mind-mountain. A definite period in time is what I think when referring to perfect. Examples and further examples are the only way in my experience to successfully convey the idea of fut perf cont....or most other tenses in fact!

Anyway, I'd do better with a query like that than the one question where I was bumbling like a 12 year old on a first date with a 14 year old. It was harsh to be me and likely even harsher to be the interviewer. Unbearable may be an accurate word to describe the moment accurately.

But reality is here and now. I was lacking in a few areas and I did not brush up on my education literature before the interview. I just googled a bit and hoped for the best prior to the interview.

However, allowing the same sham to occur for the next interview will be a wake up call in personal and professional endeavors.

I appreciate your post and tone Bebsi.

I'm looking forward to 2008. I have a colleague who has agreed to attend the conference and possibly relocate in fall 2008 to the ME.

Nonetheless, the forums will be followed regularly to glean what can be prepared prior to attending the TESOL-Arabia conference.

Regards,

Mytrunkshow

Afra · Joined: 02 Feb 2003 Posts: 389

'The train have been travelling for ten hours when it arrives at . . .'

Afra · Joined: 02 Feb 2003 Posts: 389

Correction . . . I don't know how to edit! . . . 'The train will have been travelling . . . . '

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Hey Afra... there should be a small button at the top right corner of your message. On mine it has one that says 'quote' then 'edit' and then a red exclamation point... not sure what that is for actually.

I use the edit button a lot because my typing is getting terrible!

VS

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

You should have pointed out that there aren't any trains in Qatar. I doubt if there is much evidence of the future perfect continuous either.

I think you may have had a narriow escape from some people who are seriously challenged in many ways. Maybe they are aliens beamed down to subvert life on Earth ? Probably not - probably just Standard TEFL space cadets. Our field is full of them - the halt, the lame and the mad.
And the downright incompetent.