Job Discussion Forums

[canukteacher]

I will be having a video interview with HCT on May 29th. I would greatly appreciate any insight members of the forum can give me regarding interview questions and format. How many usually make up the interview panel? How long is the interview?

Has anyone here been interviewed by them recently?

My interview is for the English faculty. How long doe it usually take them to make a hiring decision?

Thanks in advance for all your responses.

[kiefer]

CT,

Expect a standard interview. Be prepared to elaborate on the summaries you've written concerning your experience, that is don't be redundant and restate what you posted on your online application. Be succinct if asked about your pedagogical philosophy. Be specific about using IT as a learning mechanism.

How important is lesson planning and grading autonomy? Are you a team player?

There may be a curve ball in the form of how you would teach some obscure grammar point or what you would do if asked to cover a class (for example, "You've just been told you have five minutes to cover a writing class. What would you do?")

If you've never taught in an Gulf Arabic Islamic culture before, do a bit of research in the event you are asked what differences you see in teaching a class of all males as opposed to a class of all females.

Smile a lot.

The hiring decision goes through stages. Within days of your interview, go to your online application and check your status. If you have a "Go", then expect another week or so to pass before you receive a letter of intent from HR. I believe that's when you get some idea of your package and the location of your posting. If you accept, you'll go through the hiring process-submitting documents, having credentials certified, police background check. . . .

Good luck.

[Never Ceased To Be Amazed]

Very to the point, kiefer. Good show!

[Alecca]

Don't forget - the interview will also most likely be taped so that others can view it too - which can be kind of nerve wracking - at least it was to me, because first impressions can look worse at second viewing!

[dmb]

^do they have to ask permission to tape... or have I been reading too many DI Rebus novels?

[Alecca]

My first interview, they simply informed me they were taping prior to the start. My second interview, they mentionned that the interview was taped and that other people would be looking at it as they weren't able to be there for the interview.

How do you say no to that without looking like a jackass

[jeanne]

It's nerve wracking for me as well. I would say, there's not much you can prepare because you would be given lots of scenarios. Having said that you can read up on the culture of UAE. It's good to have some background knowledge if you've never been there.

You wont get the usual why you wanna work here and tell me about yourself. You have to come up with a lesson plan there and then to teach a specific group of students a particular skill. Can you create a website? It's a weird question to ask a language teacher but apparently, that's how it is. I had two interviewers so I guess it's standard....and I think the interview is very tough!

[canukteacher]

Thank you for all your great responses. Any additional input would be much appreciated. I don't think I can have too much information.

Thank you all!

[Dedicated]

I was interviewed in London in a heatwave and 3 times, on separate days, the video-conferencing failed, and I had invested in taxi fares getting there for nothing. When they finally got through, I was asked to describe in detail the last class I had taught that day, or the day before.Did I think the lesson was successful or not? Why?

I was asked how I would deal with a low-level class who were totally unmotivated (an indication of what was to come??)

How would I deal with the scenario where a supervisor asked me to do something which I considered unethical? Would I do it or not?

Would I feel more comfortable teaching males or females? Why?

What did I feel I could contribute to the HCT system?

Good luck!

[sandy gallop]

...

[dw1030]

Also, it would help if you talked a lot about the importance of goal setting. Include that they must be specific, attainable, and this is important for the Gulf Arabs, time specific.

Good luck

[kiefer]

On the other hand, the possibility that your interviewers read this forum exists, and as a result, they might work around all of these suggestions.

[redcliff]

the monster.com website has some awesome articles on preparing for interviews.
I remember one that laid out that most responses follow the STAR format.
which I think follow as you desrcribing the
Situation
Task ?
Assessment
Results

probably completly wrong on the T and A (yikes) but if you check the web site it will tell you. the nice thing about following the steps is you don't start an answer and then when you get in to it realize you don't know where you are going or how to finish

[Milwaukiedave]

I was interviewed for a teaching position last Monday here in Seoul via video conference. There were a few technical as well as the fact the interviewers were running behind schedule due to the interview before me taking longer (I'm not sure why). Anyway, after 45 minutes the call cut out and we were not able to call them back. The conference center tried for 15 minutes and after that I told them it was ok. I don't know who's fault the technical problem was for sure. It was disappointing that the interview wasn't able to finish in a proper way.

[jeanne]

During my interview, it was cut off twice. The technician on my side insisted that he has the latest technology and the one hct is using should be sitting in the museum. I could see myself very clearly on the tv screen but I was straining my eyes looking at them. Their camera wasnt zoomed in, image wasnt sharp and colour was pale. Probably that's how it feels to watch tv in the 60s.