Job Discussion Forums

Susie · Joined: 02 Jul 2003 Posts: 390 Location: PRC

Employers sometimes ask, "Why did you leave your last job?"

Well I tell 'em, don't I, because it was a three month contract, or whatever.

TEFL contracts tend to be too short anyway. 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, 2 years. Why can't we not have contractual periods and just work for the long term and get a pension like the police, etc.?

Of course, I am quick to ask employers that ask the "why did you leave question"..."why is there a vacancy, what happened to the last teacher"?

Employers often lie by saying "we're expanding..." "He left for personal reasons"...

nolefan · Joined: 14 Jan 2004 Posts: 1458 Location: on the run

such questions are never asked in China...at least that I know off. You friend can just say that he requested to be let go because of whatever disagreement he had with the school as far as schedule or over time... just make the story pretty.

Chris_Crossley

Such questions may not ordinarily be asked in China, yet there may come a time when Susie's friend may return to his home country and may face that dreaded question. Not necessarily the "last" job, but there is little to stop any interviewer asking a candidate why he or she left a particular job, especially one where it can be seen that the person did not stay in the job for a "neat" period of time, i.e., a number of completed years.

By this, I mean that one can understand having a job overseas for exactly two or exactly three years, as it would indicate that the contracts were for an exact number of years and must have been completed successfully. However, if the period was, say, just four months, the interviewer may wonder why, because just staying for four months in a job is pretty unusual if it is "permanently" full-time or a contracted period as opposed to temporary full-time.

Hence, an "odd" period of time may give rise to questions, which a candidate may understandably find awkward if he or she had been fired from that particular job. Having to admit in a job interview that one has been fired can be one of the most embarrassing things that a candidate can find himself or herself in, but, thankfully, I have never been in such a situation (yet...).

Susie · Joined: 02 Jul 2003 Posts: 390 Location: PRC

IF the question,

HOW COME YOU'RE NOT WORKING FOR XXXX SCHOOL NOW?

arises, how do you move on from being unemployed and wounded?

SeaLawyer · Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 5:14 am Post subject:

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

Susie,
did you tell us _and I didn't read it) what your former employer told the authorities? Is it what you might consider "bad-mouthing"? Is it justifiable from their point of view or not?
Otherwise - if they did terminate your contract they were liable to pay your airfare and salary up to a specified point in time; also if they were satisfied with you (but had to dismiss you for economic reasons) then why would they not give you a favourable release letter?

YOu know, of course, that this is the crucial point. Can you obtain that? If yes, I can't see any major problem except that you may not have made the appropriate amount of income especially at a time when everyone is thinking of going on holiday. But you might have to swallow your pride and tide yourself over the coming slack period before hitting the road to another goldmine. This is fate.

Susie · Joined: 02 Jul 2003 Posts: 390 Location: PRC

Thank you for your questions Roger. I asked the question on behalf of my very good friend. I have PMed you with a couple of replies.

Ger · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 334

Look Susie Dearie, your mate's boss thought he was Donald Trump and just wanted to say, "You're fired!" for the hell of it, to see what would happen. But it's not a game, is it, when you have no dough?