Job Discussion Forums

[xjgirl]

One cannot just assume the school is familiar with local requirements

In many cases they are not

[roadwalker]

[Zero]

My feeling is that the school is lying. This often comes up when the applicant is black or Asian. The school happens across a white applicant, and decides to hire that person instead. A piss-poor way of operating, no doubt. But common.

[Laxmatt]

You may be correct, though I am white and, based on the amount of effort she personally put in helping me through the process, I am inclined to believe that she simply was not aware of the new requirement, or she hoped that somebody in the office would be having a good day when my application came across his desk.

Either way, I am in contact with several other schools now and this experience will be a valuable learning tool for me.

[Zero]

Seems to me the standard Chinese procedure would be to doctor the resume to reflect two years of experience (probably without even telling you). Maybe she was new on the job and didn't know to do that. Or maybe your graduation data was too recent, so that wouldn't have worked.

[Laxmatt]

So the sticking point is that the experience must come AFTER the degree? I have the experience, it is just concurrent with my degree.

[Zero]

Yes. And recent graduation is one case where the experience is hard for them to fudge, because the degree itself has a graduation date on it.

[Laxmatt]

The rules seem so random sometimes. Basically some guy with an Art History degree that's been serving tables for 2 years is more qualified to teach English than me? Okay.

[Zero]

I guess that's one way to look at it. Furthermore, it's never been clear to me whether the two years' experience must be teaching ESL, or whether it can be experience doing anything. Seems to vary.

Since the resume can be altered to say anything, whether by the candidate or the recruiter or the school itself, I guess it effectively doesn't matter, as long as two years have elapsed since your graduation.

(I feel I'm about to be flamed. Let me preemptively state, I am reporting to you what I think does happen, not commenting on whether I think it should happen.)

[Laxmatt]

[Laxmatt]

None of the schools contacting me now have mentioned my lack of full time postgrad teaching experience so either Sichuan is particularly strict, I'm going to get shot down many more times, or that school hosed me!

[Halapo]

Without really knowing the area myself, I am going to say Sichuan isn't that strict. You got probably got low-balled, or the school wasn't in good favor that day.

Still it wouldn't hurt to rewrite you resume to separate the 2 years experience from school, making them appear less linked. You have the degree, and you have 2 years experience, but you don't have to point out they happened at the same time.

They do like to think it was work after school, since for most Chinese people the idea of work and school is crazy, school is a full-time gig!

[Laxmatt]

I am getting towards that point of signing a contract and have a problem deciding between offers. Perhaps somebody can help?

[tacoeater]

I'm willing to bet that you will have a "pleasant surprise" when you get to the point of actually trying to obtain your FEC & ARP - e.g., refusal to issue

It's already happened once, so it begs the question - why are you continuing to pursue the issue when you already know you do not meet the legal requirements?

I had a similar issue when I first came to China, but at that time two years TEACHING experience was not a requirements.

[steve b]

So precisely when did these "new requirements" for teaching experience come into effect?