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rc81
Joined: 03 Jul 2009
Posts: 85
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 Posted: Fri May 14, 2010 12:24 pm Post subject: Express Route to Leaving a Job and Starting Another |
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I think its fair to say that this needs to be a thread. I'll use myself as an example. I live on campus at a university. I learned recently that I can't have guests in my "apartment" and I need to be home by 11pm every night, even on weekends or I can't get back into the building. In my contract it says I can get my own apartment off campus but when I asked about this it seemed like this would either not actually happen if I tried to leave or it would at least be difficult to get the school to pay the rent.
I definitely thought about leaving. I like almost nothing about the situation I got myself into, so aside from the actual contractual obligations, how difficult it is to leave one job and start another? What steps are involved? |
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johntpartee
Joined: 02 Mar 2010
Posts: 3258
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| Posted: Fri May 14, 2010 1:10 pm Post subject: |
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The actual "leaving" is no problem, just pack up and split; however, your residency permit would probably (likely) be cancelled immediately by the employer, so "leaving" would mean leaving the country. If you want to get another job in China, my advice would be to go to Hong Kong (US citizens can stay 90 days, UK'ers can stay 180) and apply to different places from there. As far as explaining to new employers about a previous job snafu, I've always advocated coming clean; tell them the living conditions (or whatever) were unsatisfactory. Or just don't tell them about the mess.
The alternative is to secure another job here before you do the runner and have the new residency permit already in place.
P.S. Why the quotation marks around "apartment"?
Last edited by johntpartee on Fri May 14, 2010 1:13 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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The Great Wall of Whiner
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Posts: 4946
Location: Blabbing
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| Posted: Fri May 14, 2010 1:12 pm Post subject: |
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I would make a copy of yoru contract and put it somewhere safe. Then, I would show whomever is "in change" of you the point in the contract that you are allowed housing off-campus. I would also mention that you can't bear being treated like a child when in fact you are a grown adult.
If they refuse to honour the contract, tell them that they are in breach of the contract and you are leaving.
They cannot say anything about you breaking the contract as they were the first to break it.
Do all this the day AFTER your payday so you don't end up working a whole month without getting paid for it. |
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daCabbie
Joined: 02 Sep 2007
Posts: 244
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| Posted: Fri May 14, 2010 2:55 pm Post subject: |
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You asked about this before you started work at your position. I remember the thread. You also started another thread asking if alcohol was problem during the medical because you had drank a whole bottle of baijiu the night before your medical exam. I tend to believe the problem is not with the school.
Yes, you can pull a runner but remember, 'No matter where you go, there you are.'
Many uni's in China have the same rules, no guests and no entry after 11. It comes from policies handed down from Beijing. There are ways around these issue if you take the time to cultivate a pleasant relationship with the people you work with (this includes the security guards and the resident directors of your building). |
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Zero
Joined: 08 Sep 2004
Posts: 1402
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| Posted: Fri May 14, 2010 3:05 pm Post subject: |
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| I don't understand the problem. What may seem like an inconvenience now could be a blessing. I bet it probably is. Campus apartments are generally not large enough for proper entertaining anyway. And why would you want to stay out past 11 p.m.? Most wholesome activities end well before then. Stay home and develop the mind, body and spirit. Read a book. Do some tai chi. |
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kev7161
Joined: 06 Feb 2004
Posts: 5880
Location: Suzhou, China
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| Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 12:33 am Post subject: |
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If you're working at a university, won't your contract be ending soon anyway? And, if not, can't you just simply work till it DOES end and just deal with your 11:00 curfew thing? If you truly want to go out partying and picking up some hot thing for the weekend, why not just rent a hotel room near the bars where you are enjoying yourself?
We had a teacher at our school who was out most every night living it up and then sometimes bringing back his *ahem!* date round about 2AM - - to his on-campus dwelling. He was a first grade teacher! Needless to say, he didn't last long. |
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The Ever-changing Cleric
Joined: 19 Feb 2009
Posts: 1523
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| Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 1:21 am Post subject: |
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| leaving a university job just before the term ends is not a wise choice. stick it out for another 5-6 weeks and collect the end of contract bonuses. |
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rc81
Joined: 03 Jul 2009
Posts: 85
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| Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 3:29 am Post subject: |
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| The Ever-changing Cleric wrote: |
| leaving a university job just before the term ends is not a wise choice. stick it out for another 5-6 weeks and collect the end of contract bonuses. |
i am actually going to try to stick it out as long as i have to. at least the end of the term, maybe the rest of the contract. i only gave some personal info because i didnt think i would get any responses without more information.
i really was just trying to get all the steps available in one thread. assuming the worst case scenario, a person leaves a job with no reference letter, possibly "blacklisted"whatever that can mean. i was hoping to get the steps together for getting started again.
also, i put "apartment" in quotes because its not a very good apartment. |
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living&learning
Joined: 26 Feb 2008
Posts: 245
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| Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 4:43 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| And why would you want to stay out past 11 p.m.? Most wholesome activities end well before then. Stay home and develop the mind, body and spirit. Read a book. Do some tai chi. |
Zero = zero life? Sure, I'm home and in bed before 11pm most nights, but staying home and becoming a zen-like monk? Oh well, each to their own. I don't think the OP will be taking up your suggestion. |
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johntpartee
Joined: 02 Mar 2010
Posts: 3258
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| Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 5:25 am Post subject: |
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Also, the "requirement" to be in the apartment by 2300 hours would be unacceptable to me because even though I am not a partying-type, I am plagued by insomnia; oftentimes I will go for a walk around the campus in the wee hours. The OP gave the impression that at 11:00 pm he was "locked up" for the night. Sounds like a sentence.
Last edited by johntpartee on Sat May 15, 2010 6:49 am; edited 1 time in total |
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The Ever-changing Cleric
Joined: 19 Feb 2009
Posts: 1523
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| Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 6:12 am Post subject: |
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| rc81 wrote: |
| I learned recently that I can't have guests in my "apartment" and I need to be home by 11pm every night, even on weekends or I can't get back into the building. |
its things like this that make it easy to understand why Chinese people fear everything and are afraid to do anything on their own. This is the same kind of thing that's been imposed on them from the day they were born, and they try to project these same limitations onto foreigners. thanks but no thanks.
Here's some advice for FTs in China. If you're ever presented with a contract that states you have to be on the school grounds before 11pm or some other ridiculously early hour, and you can't have any visitors in your flat overnight, then negotiate that out of your contract. it can be easily done if you explain why you don't like it. if the school still won't change them then tell them to take a hike. or sign.
Yeah, the apartments belong to the school and they make the rules, but there needs to be some compromise - some freedom to relax here without worrying about being spied on and punished for doing something that everyone else in the world is doing - staying out late and having guests at home. I've even seen some people post on this forum that they felt bad about waking the guards up when they knock on the gate in the early hours to get in. Hello? These guys are at work when you come in at 2am. Isn't "remaining awake" in the job description for these guys???
Speaking for myself, i don't need to be babysat  |
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johntpartee
Joined: 02 Mar 2010
Posts: 3258
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| Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 6:34 am Post subject: |
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| Speaking for myself, i don't need to be babysat |
Well said. When I first got to this college, the dean told me that when I wasn't in class that: "you need to stay in your apartment". I told him where he could go. |
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The Ever-changing Cleric
Joined: 19 Feb 2009
Posts: 1523
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| Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 6:35 am Post subject: |
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| brookesdara wrote: |
| The Ever-changing Cleric wrote: |
| leaving a university job just before the term ends is not a wise choice. stick it out for another 5-6 weeks and collect the end of contract bonuses. |
As if everyone has "end of contract bonuses" around here? |
Who is working at a university in China and doesn't have these standard bonuses? And if a FT doesn't have them, then why not? Context/more info please? |
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johntpartee
Joined: 02 Mar 2010
Posts: 3258
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| Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 6:38 am Post subject: |
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| Hello? These guys are at work when you come in at 2am. Isn't "remaining awake" in the job description for these guys??? |
True enough. However, many of the guards at this school are double-shifting; yes, they are required to attend to the gate if need be. I try to show some courtesy; if I HAVE to be out, I feel no qualms about giving them a wake-up, but this place is dullsville anyway. That's just here and that's just me. |
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The Ever-changing Cleric
Joined: 19 Feb 2009
Posts: 1523
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| Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 6:41 am Post subject: |
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| johntpartee wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Hello? These guys are at work when you come in at 2am. Isn't "remaining awake" in the job description for these guys??? |
True enough. However, many of the guards at this school are double-shifting; yes, they are required to attend to the gate if need be. I try to show some courtesy; if I HAVE to be out, I feel no qualms about giving them a wake-up, but this place is dullsville anyway. That's just here and that's just me. |
You're right, but no excuse really, one of then can be awake at all times, but that's just me  . And it's probably because of that fact (double-shifting/inability to stay awake) that many of these guards never really lock the gate. It's closed, but easily opened from the outside. Many people probably don't realize that, but the first time I woke them up in the middle of the night, they showed me they don't lock it.
Chinese University Guards Inc. - We put the ZZZZ in Zecurity |
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