Job Discussion Forums

[BeckyBen]

Hello! first time on here, I have been reading all the NET threads with great interest. Thanks!
I am very keen to get the job I went for my interview at the end of March, love Hong Kong and really want to live out there.
I haven't even applied for any other jobs yet as they have said I am through the first stage but now I have this barrage of paperwork to sort out.
Has anyone else got this problem? I have spent a whole day trying to track down ex-employers, universities etc. to ask them to fill out forms with school stamps, letter headed paper etc.
It is hard work!!
but I want this job so I am not going stop hastling until everyone sends their forms back.
Universities are the hardest!

[Serious_Fun]

[BeckyBen]

Hee hee!!

Yeah, that is how I feel

[ozman]

The paper chase can be gruelling, but the EMB is not satisfied until it has everything it wants, and has it EXACTLY as it wants. If you are dead keen, don't lose heart. I have known teachers who took 6 months and more to sort out all the paperwork. Some people I know just gave up the application process because the paper chase was just too difficult. Keep pestering people until you get the paper work you need.

[briandwest]

Yes, don't lose heart it's worth it in the end.
It's not only the EMB, Immigration and the Qualifications Assesesment Board are just as pedantic.

[Honky Nick]

Yep, my advice would be to get it all started asap. If you need to get any certificates, references or anything like that, get the ball rolling as soon as possible. Also, make sure you find out exactly what they need. It's a pain, but you only have to do it once and like Brian said, it's worth it in the end. Find out if you need to have your degree assessed by the HKCAA (not sure, but I think everyone does). This is a bit of a pain and can take a while (2-3 weeks) so it might be an idea to look into it now. www.hkcaa.edu.hk

I have scanned most of my often requested documents (passport photocopy, TEFL Certificate, Uni transcript, etc) and keep them saved in my gmail so I can access them to print out at any time. It sounds stupid but it's saved me a whole lot of trouble during my time here when I've unexpectedly had to produce some paperwork.

Good luck!

Nick

[ironopolis]

Is it possible that after being told you've passed the interview, you will then NOT be required to submit lots of further documentation before schools start contacting you?

I haven't heard anything from the EMB asking for further paperwork, and I'm not sure if this is a good sign or something to worry about.
On the one hand, I did make quite an effort to give them exactly what they requested in the way of supporting documentation in the initial application, so I wonder if there's any chance they won't be asking for much or any more.
But, on the other hand, they took 5 weeks to tell me I'd passed the interview, so I'm also wondering if they will be asking me to get other documentation but will just take a similar amount of time to contact me about it.

I'd be interested to hear of others' experiences here.

[misutabiru]

They had me submit reference check forms, but otherwise there has been no sign of any paperwork in sight. From what everyone says, I am guessing that this is the calm before the storm.

[ironopolis]

misutabiru, what exactly were the reference check forms? In the e-mail I received telling me I passed the interview and written test they said they'd now be conducting reference checks, but didn't send any forms to complete. I presumed they'd just use the info about the referees that I'd put on the application form. Perhaps the paperwork is different, depending on where you were interviewed. It certainly seems that the timing of interview results was.

One of my referees is someone I see fairly often and he tells me he's heard nothing from them. I would have thought that "reference check" would involve them contacting referees, but, dunno, perhaps it actually means something different

[misutabiru]

Well, they (CEC Network, Toronto) asked me to supply the names and email addresses of at least three references, even though I had already done so. Then they sent the reference check form to each of these people. It's a one-page document with a few basic questions and a space for a special stamp at the bottom. I sent out six of these things just in case, and had them all faxed to the EMB, though their receipt has not yet been confirmed.

Any of this sound familiar? If not, you could get the ball rolling yourself and ask Phoebe Mok to send you the forms.

[ironopolis]

No, not at all - as I said, all I got was an e-mail telling me they'd be doing reference checks. There was no indication whatsoever that I would have to do anything to help them with this. When I was told I'd passed 2 weeks ago, I did actually reply to that e-mail immediately asking for some further clarification of what was happening next - but no reply yet.


In my case, "they" means the EMB in Hong Kong, not one of the recruiters elsewhere, so perhaps they do things differently. The fact that people who attended some of the other interview venues seemed to have been told interview results much more promptly than those in HK would suggest this.
So it would be interesting to hear from anyone who interviewed in HK (either this year or previously).

Incidentally, misutabiru, did they (the recruiters) want your referees to send the forms back to them directly, or did you have to get the forms back form your referees and send them back yourself?

[misutabiru]

They wanted the forms to be sent directly, but since three of my referees (is that really what they're called?) are professors at my university, I collected the forms personally and faxed them together. So much for confidentiality.

I've also had difficulty getting information from the EMB though. I have four or five emails requesting information about the next steps, without receiving any adequate reply.

[BeckyBen]

It sounds like we are all having different experiences!

What happened to me was I had my interview on the 30th March, I thought I was sorted certificate-wise but they made vague comments about my name on one of my references not being the same as it is on my passport and me needing a transcript for my PGCE. I sort of ignored these comments hoping that EMB would write to my referees and I have never been asked for a transcript of my PGCE before so thought they were being over the top!!

But..then on the 30th April I got an email asking me to track down 2 transcripts and 3 references and fax these back to them on letter headed paper, school stamp, start date, finish date and signature of headteacher. They even sent me an Anex of an example of how the form should look.

So I am still in the process of making sure they have everything they need to take it to the next stage.

Lets all meet up for a drink when we finally make it to Hong Kong

[ozman]

good luck Becky. Hope you make it out here for a drink.
Ozman

[misutabiru]

Great idea. I just hope I make it there. : )

One more point might be of relevance, ironopolis. Not only was my application processed through a separate agency, but I am also going through the secondary scheme, which may have a slightly different process, or at least might be in the hands of different people.