Job Discussion Forums

[kev7161]

. . . how Dave's can get newbie after newbie asking question after question about this school or that, this city or that, where to buy such and such, and so on. Some "regulars" are so very helpful and give advice, even if the questions are the same. Granted, some of us can be a bit, shall we say, short-fused but overall we're a fairly giving bunch.

However, rarely do any of these newbies check back and let us know how it's going at that school they asked advice about or how they're getting on in the city they ended up choosing. Oh sure, we have a couple that end up becoming regular posters and that's just swell but it seems we have, what, the same 30 or 40 regular posters while everyone else just lurks and/or asks their questions and just disappears.

I don't know, just something that crossed my mind today.

[william wallace]

nil

[jeffinflorida]

Hey i was a newbie 2 1/2 years ago and I still update you on this train wreck of a life I live...

[johnchina]

Kev - Probably the same reason I get students crowding round asking questions about foreign unis, inviting me out for dinners, telling me what a wonderful teacher and person I am, etc., until I've answered their questions and solved their problems.

After that, I'm useless to them, so they don't stay in touch ... until of course they have another question or problem and hastily dig out my phone number or email address and we go through the same routine again ... or I tell them to stuff it ...

[latefordinner]

I figure maybe one in 10 or 12 of the contacts that I make through teaching become long term friends, the sort who do more than just ask me for a favour or do me one in hope that I will return it. I have yet to find a fool-proof way of knowing which one it will be, so for now I'll settle for making 9 friends that I don't need while the real one sorts himself out.
Why would Dave's be any different?

[SnoopBot]

[beautification]

It's probably because most people don't end up staying long in China and as you noticed the people with the most to contribute to this board are the ones that have been in China the longest. Compared to some of the other boards on Dave's this one is rather active.

[kev7161]

Maybe. But my point is that some lurk for awhile, exploring, reading threads, getting info about their possible move to China. Nothing wrong with that of course. But then they start corresponding with a school and they finally decide to come on and ask about said school. They may get a page or two of responses but we rarely find out if they took the job and then, later, how the job's going - - if they feel they made the right decision, etc. I guess I'm just nosey!

[Katja84]

[kev7161]

[Songbird]

I've been here (both on this board and in China) for awhile, but okay, I'm just too damn lazy to post half the time! No, I'm up to my eyeballs in work, with the teaching itself and doing my MA in my spare time...

I do get PM's from time to time from people asking me about my college, getting a job here etc....what annoys me is that no one even at least thanks me for the info . I can understand why some of you can't be bothered helping newbies and people wanting jobs....

And this latest 'trend' of newbies asking about jobs in Beijing & Shanghai gives me the s&!ts! Here I am with degree and half a Masters (okay, it doesn't count yet ) and 3 years experience in CHINA teaching and boy, I'd say I'm next in line for a good job there on a half decent wage, TWICE what I'm earning now. If anyone knows of any, I'm available this time next year....

[clark.w.griswald]

Kev I have noticed this one way flow of information over the years also.

Some of it would be due to laziness or ungratefulness but I guess that this is from our perspective. From their perspective they probably feel very entitled to come here for information without feeling the need to return it. I don't think that they are wrong, but it would be nice if they would let us all know how the school was for future reference.

I think that it is mainly due to what Katja outlines though and that is the nature of some of the people that post on this board. Daves is not the friendliest of places with all the sarcasm and insults that get thrown around here. Perhaps they come here to ask a question thinking that they have stumbled upon a nice community only to be disappointed by the responses and never post here again.

I guess that the question is - do they continue to post here but just not discuss their experience with the school, or do they stop posting here altogether?!

[patsy]

i was so thankful last year to be able to talk to people here and read other posts while at that women's college in hunan. It was so helpful . It's a good community of people. Now I read stuff here all the time.

[fitzgud]

Are you still with us here in China Patsy? Or did you become so disgruntled with the whole situation that you bailed out?

[arioch36]

hey, I had a good experience once. A couple years back, talking via Dave's someone thinking of coming to Zhengzhou Henan. When he arrived, from America, brought with him my request, about 8 boxes of Kraft Macoroni and Cheese.
Strangely enough, after spending a few days in Henan and visiting the college, ( the one that would tell people they had a swimming pool, then as the laowai arrives, oh yes, we do have a pool. We just don't have any water in it. ) he decided not to teach in Henan. I just can't understand

I figure about 1 in ten of the people that Pm actually tell me their final decision, or let me know they have arrived in country. I am assuming upon arrival in Henan most of them decide to stay

Don't know, maybe it is just my B.O.? But here in Henan, they have no problem