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william wallace
Joined: 14 May 2003
Posts: 2869
Location: in between
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 Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 4:04 pm Post subject: CV/Resume question for oldbies... |
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Hi folks, I was wondering in your time here on planet China, what responses have you had to your CV ?
A buddy in ESL management and former business owner has said that my recent CV is..excellent. What DOS and other semi/pseudo-management have said is next to nothing, the most responsive answer being "You've got lot's of experience. Nothing of speaking Gaelic or French, nothing about my Master's, nothing about my 1st year B.Ed (or my B.A.), nothing about my certs and diplomas, my IELTS Examining, nothing about the books I've written or edited, or hobbies, or favorite color. And never ever have they asked to see one piece of paper. I wonder do they space out when reading it - thinking about their new Chinese girlfriend...?
For the past 2-4 years they seem to hold it up, scan it, flip it over to the other page, and then parrot; "so, when would you like to do the demo?"As a joke I submitted an antithesis CV(very funny) to one place and I got the SAME response---Demo,do da demo ? Am I in Walmart world ? 
P.S. For you folks without a shred of paper(diploma,degrees etc) this may just be music to your ears |
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Shan-Shan
Joined: 28 Aug 2003
Posts: 1074
Location: electric pastures
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| Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 4:54 pm Post subject: |
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Save yourself some jiao on paper and ink, and just walk into the school wearing a cowboy hat, a look of cool sagacity on your face, and before any words are uttered by either party wash the members of the institutional hive in an Old Spice scent of enviable "Western" confidence and success. The management might be so overwhelmed by having finally encountered the archetypal "Western Man" that the demand of a demo, even to them, would seem insulting.
And then to show how magnanimous and kind you are, display some empathy for the other FTs at the school. The management's frayed heart strings, when plucked so gently like this, might even wish to beatify you, or any other FT who follows my recommendation.
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SnoopBot
Joined: 21 Jun 2007
Posts: 740
Location: USA
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| Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 6:35 pm Post subject: Re: CV/Resume question for oldbies... |
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| william wallace wrote: |
Hi folks, I was wondering in your time here on planet China, what responses have you had to your CV ?
A buddy in ESL management and former business owner has said that my recent CV is..excellent. What DOS and other semi/pseudo-management have said is next to nothing, the most responsive answer being "You've got lot's of experience. Nothing of speaking Gaelic or French, nothing about my Master's, nothing about my 1st year B.Ed (or my B.A.), nothing about my certs and diplomas, my IELTS Examining, nothing about the books I've written or edited, or hobbies, or favorite color. And never ever have they asked to see one piece of paper. I wonder do they space out when reading it - thinking about their new Chinese girlfriend...?
For the past 2-4 years they seem to hold it up, scan it, flip it over to the other page, and then parrot; "so, when would you like to do the demo?"As a joke I submitted an antithesis CV(very funny) to one place and I got the SAME response---Demo,do da demo ? Am I in Walmart world ?
P.S. For you folks without a shred of paper(diploma,degrees etc) this may just be music to your ears |
To be honest I don't think they even understand some of the qualifications and certifications that you have. They might not even be able to pronounce any of them.
They can add simple math though 3 years here + 2 years there and 1 year = 6 years experience. That's about it!
The most important fact is what you look like and your speech.
If you look like the role of the All-Caucasion boy and have the same speech accent as their favorite actor in "Friend's" you got that job.
The rest is all fine and dandy, but they don't even care unless Harvard or Oxford stands out and they can market you to the parents as a money tool.
"We have English teacha here now, he Harvard graduate, but you know we must pay him much RMB so if little Ling want go Harvard and Be Bill Gates, you must pay big RMB for our lessons."
Of course your pay is the same as teacher X that shows up drunk, and claims to have graduated from some university that you never heard of.
In this case those certifications and qualifications are worthwhile, but not for you... |
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william wallace
Joined: 14 May 2003
Posts: 2869
Location: in between
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 2:51 am Post subject: |
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| In that time period I quoted in my OP, most of the folks were foreigners,eh. And for a fact I know some of them either post or read up on these forums. |
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A Token of My Extreme
Joined: 14 May 2004
Posts: 76
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 5:20 am Post subject: |
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| My Extreme has this problem too, they never seems to be interested in My Extreme's qualifications and experience or anything My Extreme says at all! Instead they sit there restless, preening with their heads tilted to one side and stare at My Extreme. Then their mobile phone rings and they apologize and take a call. Then they'll check their make up, make some noise with car keys, and come back and ask to go have a coffee, lunch or dinner- it seems they are always interested My Extreme's table manners. |
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waxwing
Joined: 29 Jun 2003
Posts: 719
Location: China
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 12:11 pm Post subject: Re: CV/Resume question for oldbies... |
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| william wallace wrote: |
Hi folks, I was wondering in your time here on planet China, what responses have you had to your CV ?
A buddy in ESL management and former business owner has said that my recent CV is..excellent. What DOS and other semi/pseudo-management have said is next to nothing, the most responsive answer being "You've got lot's of experience. Nothing of speaking Gaelic or French, nothing about my Master's, nothing about my 1st year B.Ed (or my B.A.), nothing about my certs and diplomas, my IELTS Examining, nothing about the books I've written or edited, or hobbies, or favorite color. And never ever have they asked to see one piece of paper. I wonder do they space out when reading it - thinking about their new Chinese girlfriend...?
For the past 2-4 years they seem to hold it up, scan it, flip it over to the other page, and then parrot; "so, when would you like to do the demo?"As a joke I submitted an antithesis CV(very funny) to one place and I got the SAME response---Demo,do da demo ? Am I in Walmart world ?
P.S. For you folks without a shred of paper(diploma,degrees etc) this may just be music to your ears |
I don't know whether you wanted a serious answer, but .. isn't it pretty obvious you're applying for the wrong jobs? As in, aim higher!
If people don't even understand your qualifications and experience, how is it going to be working for them?
Oh, and "You've got lots of experience" could be a subtle way of saying "Why does this guy move around so much?". This has definitely been an issue for me in the last year or two when applying, so I've been very upfront about it, not making up reasons but just accepting their suspicions and providing good references to allay them. |
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naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 12:55 pm Post subject: |
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| It might be a "put your money where your mouth" is type of thing. You say you can teach, but many people say that. They just want to make sure that you really can and that's why they ask for a demo. |
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Shan-Shan
Joined: 28 Aug 2003
Posts: 1074
Location: electric pastures
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 1:10 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| It might be a "put your money where your mouth" is type of thing |
If Chinese schools did the same, a demo could perhaps be construed as a reasonable demand.
20 hours per week plus English corner activities
4000 - 4100 RMB per month (depending on experience, degree(s) and certification(s))
* Please note: applicants are asked to submit a videologue demonstrating their experience over the years in the classroom, and provide a running summary of every moment of every classroom and post-lesson reflection scene.
* And remember: YOU ARE HONOURED TO BE WORKING FOR THE CHINESE IN CHINA
Where else in the world are demos required? The $2700 CDN per month jobs in South Korea? |
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SnoopBot
Joined: 21 Jun 2007
Posts: 740
Location: USA
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 1:29 pm Post subject: |
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| Shan-Shan wrote: |
| Quote: |
| It might be a "put your money where your mouth" is type of thing |
If Chinese schools did the same, a demo could perhaps be construed as a reasonable demand.
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I know some dodgy places use demo lessons as freebies, others tell the parents to sit in the demo's so the parents think that they have 10 FT's teaching little Ding and Ling.
The demo is used to serve this purpose. I was asked to go teach at a school on a weekend years ago, I took this gig as a favor for another FT who was sick.
I was paid along with others to do demo lessons while parents looked on, including meeting with parents to discuss the school (sell the program)
None of us were actually working there, only hired at the grand opening to make the parents think they had a large FT staff.
After the parents paid for the program, the kids were taught by Chinese teachers and filipino's with one token Russian girl.
It was all a sham to fool the parents. |
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A Token of My Extreme
Joined: 14 May 2004
Posts: 76
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 3:31 pm Post subject: |
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| Today My Extreme had to give a demo at a Karaoke bar to a group of pretty ladies, all smiles and giggles, singing 'Yesterday Once More' to their blushes and wiggles. The HR woman sat there confidently in her short mini-skirt, putting on lip stick, picking lint of my shirt. Rubbed my chinny chin chin and said my my my, what might this lady get high upon. Said to this young lady who was massaging my back, �This demo lesson needs an aphrodisiac� She grinned and soon everyone in the bar came in. There was Latex Lin and Leather Liu, whose attendance record showed they have something important to do. They played a game of twister on the floor, while the Xiao Xiao sisters learned English from My Extreme hen hao. The HR woman was restless, moving her hips, clutching the sofa, biting her lips, her shoulders quivered, she was hot � it was time to talk turkey about My Extreme contract. |
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Shan-Shan
Joined: 28 Aug 2003
Posts: 1074
Location: electric pastures
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 3:44 pm Post subject: |
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| Rubbed my chinny chin chin and said my my my, what might this lady get high upon |
The forty RMB an hour didn't matter no more
When the HR lady got nekkid and laid down on the floor
She said them pretty ladies might win the bet
But she could use a little TANG if I wasn't done yet... |
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waxwing
Joined: 29 Jun 2003
Posts: 719
Location: China
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| Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 10:23 am Post subject: |
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| Shan-Shan wrote: |
Where else in the world are demos required? The $2700 CDN per month jobs in South Korea? |
I recently had to do a demo lesson (full hour's lesson) for a 5 week science teaching contract in an English secondary school. Observed by the deputy head teacher, a rather formidable woman. Funnily enough it was probably the only really good lesson I gave while I was there 
Generally, a shortish demo lesson is a good idea, especially if you have any doubts about a person's qualities. And for conversational English, probably more so than for many other teaching roles. It also gives excellent material on which to base an interview. I'm a bit surprised when a demo lesson is not required, although it is both awkward and artificial.
If they don't ask for it in a teaching interview (and they often don't) it's either a nice gesture of trust, or a sign of their incompetence |
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A Token of My Extreme
Joined: 14 May 2004
Posts: 76
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| Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 1:11 pm Post subject: |
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| Shan-Shan wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Rubbed my chinny chin chin and said my my my, what might this lady get high upon |
The forty RMB an hour didn't matter no more
When the HR lady got nekkid and laid down on the floor
She said them pretty ladies might win the bet
But she could use a little TANG if I wasn't done yet... |
The HR lady wiggled, and rubbed her head
With her lips just a-twitchin' and her face gone red
Some drool rolling down
From the edge of her chin
While she listened to the the tongue twisters
said by Latex Lin
She quivered and quaked
And clutched at herself
While the Xiao Xiao sisters made a joke
About her mental health
Until HR Lady finally
signed My Extreme in
And said something about students needing
discipline
Last edited by A Token of My Extreme on Wed Jul 11, 2007 1:18 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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william wallace
Joined: 14 May 2003
Posts: 2869
Location: in between
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| Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 1:17 pm Post subject: |
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Yeahhhh, ok. Uumm ahhh yeah 
Going on 14 years in BJ-They should be giving me demos.There really is nowhere to go - Grab a B.Ed and 16 years experience in ESL goes poof, but I've done enough school - 9 years after high school, but whatever... |
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Tarheel 13
Joined: 02 May 2007
Posts: 44
Location: Outer Banks, NC
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| Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 2:28 pm Post subject: Wow...William...9 years after High School... |
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| You must be absolutely brilliant! I've read many of your posts and am left wondering why ye of noble lineage would continually visit this Forum with your sagacious meanderings. Obviously, you don't need us. You're so much better of financially, and such a worldly scholar of sorts. I, for one, am humbled by your presence on this Forum and the wisdom you continually provide. If I have but one constructive comment, eh, it's that, eh, you might want to, eh, give up on this mild exclamation, eh, if that's not too much to ask, eh. Oh, and one more thing, if you could leave the Me Generation for a moment when you do post, it would be appreciated by us Newbies going into China and looking to learn a wee. Gracias. |
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