Job Discussion Forums

[lizard]

Hello all,

I'd like to warn any of you out there who may be interested in working in Chennai. There is one major company - Sutherland - that is currently hiring. I have experience there, and I do not recommend it. The majority of expat trainers who worked there in the last year have left. Disorganization, mismanagement and apathy are common discriptions used to describe the situation there. You may find yourself fighting just to get them to uphold their side of the contract. It's just not worth the frustration!

Chennai is a great city (aside from the summer heat ), but if you want to work there - find a different employer

[kitelophone]

thanx for the info. i just had a telephone interview with them. I'm interested in teaching in India, especially Chennai but am ambivalent after reading your post. can you give more specific information?

also, what are the beaches like in/around chennai?

cheers

[lizard]

Please PM me for more details about the company itself.

Chennai is home to the second longest beach in the world. It's a great place to hang out in the evenings. The sand is fine and the vendors aren't too annoying. The water is warm, but I didn't go swimming (it's a bit dirty, and if you're ever there around sunrise you may understand what I mean)

[stevemcm1]

The main beach - Marina - is rubbish. Unless you like hundreds of people walking around dumping.. well, rubbish. Next good one south is Besant Nagar, it's ok for strolls, lots of cafes around. Still quite busy. Next is Tirivanmiyur/Kottivakkam beach where I live - quiet - which I like.
If you like Goan or Keralan beaches, I'm afraid they're not the same sort of thing 'ere. No, or few, palms. The nice beaches are down ECR road, cleaned up by the 5 star hotels. Course, you gotta pay $5 for a beer or something to sit there.

[tforan1]

Hey guys/Steve,

Beaches around Chennai would be found in Mahabs, a small fishing village and tourist hangout about 45 mins south. i go swimming down there alot, rough waves, not good for surfing but occasional body surfing. it is about $5 to go to the 5star beaches there, which includes access to the pool.

Really, it's the only reasonable way to pas your time in Chennai, though there are plenty of volunteer opportunities as well. The city is not that great, in any immediately obvious way.

If you're interviewing for Suth, ask whether you can be posted to Mumbai or especially their new office in Cochin, Kerala, which is a gorgeous place to be.

The monsoon hits Chennai in Sept/Oct, and it's a rough place to be at that time if it's anything like last year's.

Good luck!

[kuberkat]

ROTFLMFAO! Perhaps there are realms unknown to me where TEFLing does not involve the maze of disorganization and unprofessionalism mentioned in this post, but I have yet to find them. The global (Mc)English industry is a bit of a wild west. That come swith pros and cons. You learn to ride loose in the saddle, cowboys.

[racheljj]

Dear Lizard,
So how long did you stay at Sutherland? Assuming you didn't renew your contract, did you explain why not to them? Did you get another job at a call center after that? R