Job Discussion Forums

[lyallben]

Have signed a contract for postion at University not great pay but thought the work is light 12-15 classes a week and city not expensive not so many FTs and research regards uni and city indicates that both ok.i thought it would be an easy introduction to China.
However after signing the contract my contact with my recruiter (actually she works for the uni i think) is sporadic at best.I have asked to be located in the city rather than 45 mins out in a student ghetto. A decision on this seems to be an interminable process despite the fact that i was previously told a decision hadn't been made as where to locate me.(it seems that it had)
a few days ago i asked how the visa process was going and was told that it was spring break soon ( in two weeks time)
It just seems to be taking an interminably long time and in my shimmering innocence i thought the visa thingo would take about 3 weeks.I have asked numerous times to please keep me posted re my visa application. It will soon be two weeks and the papers havent even been processed at the china end.
I have written a strongly worded note to say that i cant wait here forever with no communication.Ive told them if they dont keep me posted and make a decision then the contract will be rescinded and i'll find another position.
I've had enough.

[RonHex]

schools in China are put on auto pilot about a month before Chinese newyear.. Gov't Dept. are the same... by now classes are finished and the offices are empty.. no one cares enough to ruin a good holiday with 5 minutes of real work.. give em a few weeks and they will be freaking out tryin to organize a teacher for March.... night george is always screwing over morning george.. after 3years i learned to do things not in good time but in Chinese time.. hell even chinese newyears is a month and a half late

[lyallben]

I just got an email to say sorry we have trouble with a foreign teacher fighting and drunk. Sorry cant tell you about job. Literally that. After weeks this cryptic ambivalent response.I have replied perhaps its better that you find someone else to teach at your university.

[brsmith15]

In the west as far as general management principles are concerned, we try to follow Management By Exception (meaning you pay attention to important, pressing issues not every bit of minutia) and Management By Objective (you set achievable goals). Here it's neither; it's Managment By Surprise.

"Oh, yes, [Fill in your name here], you need to address a group of 250 people on the subject of [Insert some obscure, arcane topic you've never heard of here.] in 10 minutes. Across town!"

Chinese have great difficulty planning ahead and I've always wondered if a par of it has to do with the lack of tenses in the language.

[lyallben]

Yesterday i got this email we dont know about your job- then i was offered the same job by a recruiter at 500 yuan more a month and a transport allowance.This recruiter was at pains to extol the merits of the new school in the "suburbs" and their accommodation.Rather than other accom that didnt even have a kitchen.
I've spent over three weeks signing a contract, negotiating and now it seems that once i asked to live in the city i was given the arse.They were busy finding someone else.The contract meant nothing.Rather than tell me they just fobbed me off and looked for someone else.
I have a question. this whole process has cost me money; I still dont have a job. Am I best to just come to China and look for myself?
Can I get a work visa from Hong Kong? Or can I only get a visa from New Zealand (my home country and passport?)
Any advice would be welcomed.
I'm not angry just weary- like dealing with a combination of monty python and mafia family-

[tomstone]

Once you get hired and get all of the necessary paperwork, you can get the Z (work) visa in Hong Kong.

[LarssonCrew]

[quote="brsmith15"]In the west as far as general management principles are concerned, we try to follow Management By Exception (meaning you pay attention to important, pressing issues not every bit of minutia) and Management By Objective (you set achievable goals). Here it's neither; it's Managment By Surprise.

"Oh, yes, [Fill in your name here], you need to address a group of 250 people on the subject of [Insert some obscure, arcane topic you've never heard of here.] in 10 minutes. Across town!"

Chinese have great difficulty planning ahead and I've always wondered if a par of it has to do with the lack of tenses in the language.[/quote]

Haha, this is spot on. The whole 'last minute' thing is so annoying. The school took me to the PSB on the FINAL DAY my Z visa ran out to change to a residents permit, and rang about 2pm, 'it closes at 3 30, get a cab'.....I was shocked.

Then there's going on vacation with a Chinese, 'please book the tickets for the train as soon as you can.' 'Maybe we should leave it until the day we go?'

They don't seem to understand that planning leads to you feeling more comfortable and more certain, oh well.

[Jayray]

brsmith15 wrote:

In the west as far as general management principles are concerned, we try to follow Management By Exception (meaning you pay attention to important, pressing issues not every bit of minutia) and Management By Objective (you set achievable goals). Here it's neither; it's Managment By Surprise.

I hope that you're saving these bon mots. You and some others produce some real gems.