Job Discussion Forums

[beautification]

Hi,
my girlfriend and I are just about to sign a contract with a school in Shunde, but I have found it strange that only one school we have applied for has wanted to talk over the phone, and that was a language mill. Is it normal for schools not to do this or should I be concerned?

[Leon Purvis]

My experience is that recruiters are the ones who call. Only once did I receive a call from someone in the FAO at a university.

[tw]

My second, third, and current employer all called me. My first and my last employer didn't. However, I should note that I was already in China when these employers called me.

[Steppenwolf]

I hope for the two of you that the phone call didn't originate with Guang'an Training Centre... a more crooked education business has yet to be identified!

[smalls]

When I was teaching at a school in South Korea, my boss asked me to help with finding new teachers. I insisted on speaking with the new teachers, either in person (if possible) or over the phone (the more common method.)
While in China, both as a manager and a teacher of a private language school, I was always involved in the hiring process and would once again insist upon the importance of a phone interview. It is positive for both sides, school and potential teacher. On my side, maybe some would deem to judgemental (and was hard enough to find teachers, so couldn't go overboard) listening to a future teachers voice - a mumbler, clueless, short one-answer questions with a deadpan voice vs. clarity, interested, thought-out answers, etc - all important in evaluating a teacher and their possible potential.
And, when I was looking for jobs - would want to hear that the school I would be dealing with would have someone in the school I would be able to communicate with if problems arrived, their professional attitudes, etc.
I see a phone interview as just another step in finding a suitable school/teacher.
Good luck!

[NathanRahl]

Money. If a school doesn't want to call your home country, it's because they don't want to spend the money on an international phone call, and don't care enough to do so. Why? Because they are just looking for a dancing bear. If the school cares even a little about how well you'll teach, they will call. If not, dancing bear, and avoid them I say.

[cj750]

normal process for hiring doesn't obligate the company for anything more than a "look see" and with the lack of protections from SAFEA or any other labor force or governing body...allowing for school to offer employment first and reject later..it is not uncommon for school to reject the applicant after they have been here a week or two...this is the main reason for not working on an L visa..as it allow the school to interview you performance in the classroom with out an obligation to employ or to cover your expenses.

Why would any work unit go to the expense and trouble for an interview which will only further their obligation when they have applicant will to pay for their own transpo to the probation/trail/interview process...there are many horror stories of folks showing up only to find out they must compete with others for a job they thought they were hired for...employment is never that easy...

[no_exit]

Usually I'll exchange a few e-mails with a candidate before asking for a phone interview. I don't want to waste anyone's time or cell phone minutes when it is clear from a few e-mails that the teacher isn't what we're looking for. I've had one teacher call me 3 times over the last week when I didn't respond to his initial e-mail (and before you jump on me, it was a phillipino teacher and I have about 50 mails from phillipino teachers in my box now. Nothing wrong with them, just not what we're looking for ... native speaker means native speaker ...), which is just a waste of a long distance call for him. I'm not against calling teachers, but I want to at least have some interest in someone if I'm going to interview them (even if it is *just* a phone interview).

As for the cost of overseas calling -- I'm surprised more schools don't use skype. It costs nothing (or virtually nothing, depending on where you call) and while the connection is not *quite* as clear as the phone, it certainly saves money.

[latefordinner]

some years ago, my first employer in China got me to come out specifically because the DOS did in fact call me and interview by telephone. She indicated in an email that she would call, although she didn't give me a time frame. When I got home one evening, there was a message on my voice mail telling me that she would call shortly after 9 am (9 pm my time back in Canada). Sure enough, at 5 after 9 she was on the phone with some good questions and a very professional manner. She also had reasonable answers for my questions. It was a long but productive interview, professionally conducted, and she impressed me enough for me to leave my home and cross 12 time zones to work with her. As Smalls might note, it worked for both of us.
I have to say that I haven't seen much professionalism from other DOSs or FAOs in China. Perhaps, as NR guesses, they are phenomenally cheap, or possibly the surfeit of cheap inexperienced, uneducated and uncaring backpackers has allowed them to become lazy. <Just put a bowl of milk by the door and some stray cat is bound to stop by. When it does, just grab an old can of tuna, hold it under it's nose, and start to scratch its ears as it eats its first meal in a week. You'll have a loyal friend in no time.>

[Malsol]

[william wallace]

nothing

[Sgt Killjoy]

[NathanRahl]

Yes, this is what I have found. If the school doesn't care enough to spend the momey on an international call, or just don't care, thats a red light if you ask me.

Malsol does have a point though, sometimes making an international call can be a pain in the ass, I know I had problems and had to go online to look up the proper method the first time I did. LOL though, first time you do anything usually is not the easiest, but these schools are in a business that requires them to make these calls on a regular basis, so I don't think thats a valid excuse.

Bottom line, if the school goes out of their way not onlky to get to know you but to help you and get yu there, it is a good sign. The scammers who brought me here under flase pretenses, never showed up to pick me up at the airport, first red light, to bad I was so new to china that fear led me to take a pursue taking a job I would have been much better not pursueing. Am fine now though, thankfully.

[Steppenwolf]

Well, why don't they call?
Perhaps because it would be money down the drain anyway! Do they know who they are going to talk to? Oh yes, your mother's voice sounds the same as yours! And what questions should they ask?

I guess, they simply prefer dealing with people face to face, but lacking in many instances such an opportunity, they hire you by e-mail! Which is dicey for both sides, really!

[cj750]