Job Discussion Forums

johnslat · Posted: Sun May 18, 2003 3:10 pm Post subject: How did you get your job

That posting about the Net's being fairly useless for finding employment made me wonder - how did a lot of you get your current job?
Regards,
John

Shonai Ben · Joined: 15 Feb 2003 Posts: 617

Interesting poll.I actually answered an ad in the paper and after two interviews,voila,I was hired.
It was my third attempt at getting a job in Japan actually.My first two tries were unsuccessful.
Third time lucky maybe.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Word of mouth led me to write an old-fashioned letter. After that it was all done by e-mail. Except the interview. I had to appear in person for that.

Lucy Snow · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 218 Location: US

In Japan, connections. Here in Hungary, I got my first job through word of mouth and subsequent jobs through the internet and word of mouth.

thelmadatter · Posted: Sun May 18, 2003 7:23 pm Post subject: how I got my job

Word of mouth - kinda.... Internet - kinda....

The director of my masters program routinely forwards job info by email to students. He sent me a one-year old job announcement, though I didnt look at the fine print about that. Sent my coverletter/CV and 3 months later got an email from the school.

Ben Round de Bloc · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1946

My first job in this city was at a language school. I was here taking an intensive summer grad course with a group of teachers to complete credits which I needed for state recertification. While I was here, I got to chatting with one of the DOSs of the language school where our classes were being held. She suggested that I apply for a job at that school.

My second job, still in the same city, I heard about via word-of-mouth. Actually, several people had suggested that I check out employment possibilities at the state university here. I was hesitant, however, due to its reputation of having a very political work environment. Finally, one day I just decided to check it out. Three interviews and three days later, I was hired. It was pure luck. I showed up just at the time that they needed someone to teach certain courses that I had the qualifications and experience to teach.

Newfoundland · Joined: 14 May 2003 Posts: 75 Location: Shanghai

I actually got a job at Wall Street Institute in Beijing when it was posted on DAVES ESL CAFE!! GOD BLESS DAVES ESL CAFE!!!

Will. · Joined: 02 May 2003 Posts: 783 Location: London Uk

Hi,
interesting point.
Mine came from the local press. I applied for posible part-time. I was offered a free training course while I was at the interview. And the trainer on that course offered me a full-time post.
Only one of my jobs came through from the net and that was for summer school.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

For my first job in Japan (language school), I answered an Internet ad and was interviewed in my own country a month later. The ad came from Dave's ESL Cafe.

For my second job, I was living in Japan at the time, and I answered an ad in The Japan Times.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

I have had several public school jobs in China, all of which I was awarded upon my taking the initative and being interviewed by them.

I had a part-time job in HK, and was recommended to an international school by the father of my students.

I answered a number of job offers via the Internet, and inevitably felt they were not in the habit of discussing important details. If you ask one question too many, someone else gets the job.
Having said this, I did have three part-time jobs found on the Internet so far.

Kent F. Kruhoeffer · Joined: 22 Jan 2003 Posts: 2129 Location: 中国

Hello johnslat:

My last two jobs (Korea and Russia) were found, negotiated and closed on the internet.

Both positions had been advertised here on Dave's, hence my unyielding loyalty to eslcafe.com over the years. Smile

InDaveWeTrust,
kENt

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

I hadn't really ever sat down and thought about this, but the fact is that 4 of my 5 jobs in the Middle East came via 'wasta.' (for non-ME folks, that means, it's not who you are, but who you know.) They involved a phone call or email to ask if they needed anyone, and the response was an almost immediate offer.

I guess that is called 'using the system' of the host country. Wink

(Maybe I should feel guilty about this, but I really don't.) I would expect that as an employer, they would prefer to hire someone that either they know or someone they trust can give an immediate reference as to your abilities and the validity of your CV.

My first position was achieved by networking with current staff at my target university at a TESOL convention in New York City. So maybe that means that all of my jobs involved 'wasta' to a certain extent.

Shaman · Joined: 06 Apr 2003 Posts: 446 Location: Hammertown

Recruiter. Never, EVER again. Mad

Shaman

ESL Guru · Joined: 18 May 2003 Posts: 462

There I was, minding my own business, working 15 hours a week, mornings only, at 250 rmb per hour in Shanghai. I get a call from central China from a FAO Director who has "heard" of me from my current employer?

We talk - he takes a train 18 hours to Shanghai to meet with me. We exchange candid views. Mine being that ESL pedogogy in China is pretty poor. Surprise - this guy agrees.

I tell him how I would change an ESL program in China, given a chance. He leaves shaking his head from side-to-side.

A few days later he calls again. This is mid-semester and he wants me to change jobs, come to his uni and remake their ESL program along the lines we had discussed. I say sure thing, laughing out loud at the possibility of a Foreign Expert being treated like he actually knows something of value. Of course, they have never had a FE before, I would be their first.

A week goes by and my boss asks me if I am going to accept the job offer from central China. The thought does flash that my boss wants me gone. So I tell him yes as a test.

Another call from Central China and the offer is one that can not be refused. Beyond belief. I agree and in 2 days this FAO Director appears in Shanghai to escort me to my new job.

The red carpet treatment has never abated. My life size picture now hangs in the FAO, bigger than Mao's.

We recruited another FE from Dalian and followed the same process. My boss took two train trips to Dalian. One to meet, one to escort back here. I hope this guy never wakes up!

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

Good on you, and best of all: Good for the really dedicated Chinese English majors in Central China!

I only wonder why almost all Chinese employers expect FE's to be like dogs on a leash, meek, obedient, submissive, not entitled to offering advice based on experience and through comparisons between other places and this so hopelessly mismanaged China TEFL scene?