Job Discussion Forums

[Quirrel]

For the past year or so I have set my goals at seeking employment in the Middle Easts TEFL industry.

I have always felt that it would make sense financially and career wise to be employed out there.

I have applied for various positions advertised on TEFL.com and Davescafe.com (not sure of where else to look).

Are employers out there lazy to reply or do they just ignore any unsuitable applications? I have had three out of maybe 20 reply to me saying thankyou for your application.

Those three were not using TEFL.com.

So should I start a plan B and think about returning to Korea or sit for another week or so (it's been two already)

[veiledsentiments]

First, how long have you been waiting?

Almost none of them acknowledge receipt of applications. You normally only hear from them if they are interested, but it can take them months to get around to telling you. You are hitting semester break time... and the Eid holidays, so if they are not desperate for immediate or second semester hires, you may not hear until Jan or Feb.

VS

[Cleopatra]

VS is right, as usual.

It's the norm to apply to places only to have your application ignored for months on end - even if you are responding to an advertisement. And then, out of the blue, you get an email from some college in Abu Dhabi or Qatar to which you applied months ago, asking if you can be there tomorrow morning! OK, that's a slight exaggeration, but only a slight one! I once received an offer from a college I had written to literally years earlier. I had forgotten I'd ever sent them my CV.

In fact, most Gulf Arabs dont' feel the need to keep in touch with people about such mundane matters as visa or job applications. You need to be the one doing all the chasing, which can get tiresome, and as often as not is counterproductive anyway. In other words, you just have to learn to be patient. Easier said than done, I know.

[Quirrel]

Thanks for the replies.