Job Discussion Forums

LarryK · Joined: 11 Feb 2007 Posts: 7

Hi:

I taught over in South Korea the past year and while on vacation in Thailand I decided to look at the teaching market.

The job applications I've been asked to complete include all the questions that are prohibited back home: age, race, religion, marital status ...even "scars?" A photo, of course, was also requested.

Is racism as bad in Thailand as it is in some other Asian countries, example, South Korea, where I read news stories that black applicants were told they were wasting their time applying for teaching positions (and also wondering if antisemitism is as bad as it is in Korea).

After reviewing the applications, I started feeling conflicted, that putting my signature on the form would mean sacrificing personal integrity...or am I reading this wrong and this is just a standard form for doing business here in Thailand and nothing more?

markle · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Posts: 1316 Location: Out of Japan

How do you add application questions regarding "age, race, religion, marital status" and a photo" up to equalling racism?

BTW these things are banned back 'home' because of the history of racism back 'home', not necessarily due a history of it in Thailand.

If you don't want to answer, don't, nobody will bat an eyelid.

All the usual types of discrimination are present in Thailand and Thais are guilty of being a little unsophisticated about it.

guty · Joined: 10 Apr 2003 Posts: 365 Location: on holiday

Please finish the following sentence:
Do the Questions Make You Uncomfortable To .....

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

The questions stated are common in Europe too.

MO39 · Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 5:05 pm Post subject:

And also in Latin America.

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 11:07 pm Post subject:

And not to put too fine a point on it, but the attitudes, racism and various appearance related prejudices, that you are worried that they reflect are common EVERYWHERE.

It isn't legal to ask some of those questions, for example, in the US. But that only means that the prejudices are less overt there nowadays. Not that we're truly a society free of racism and all forms of prejudice. (Ha, ha.)

I don't answer questions that make me uncomfortable, and try to let potential employers know why. On more than one occasion that has ended the application process. No problem, as I don't really want to work for anyone who's already making me uncomfortable in the application process.

BUT; it's probably over generalization to assume that a whole country, nationality, or race is more "racist" than any other, merely because they ask questions you aren't used to.

THere are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophies. (Or however that one went.)

Best,
Justin

denise · Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 3419 Location: finally home-ish

I really don't think it's anyone's business to know how old I am or whether or not I'm married, but if I'm asked, then I add them to my CV. I don't include them on my standard CV, though, and I only include a photo if specifically asked for one, though.

d

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

Sort of like my last university job in Korea when I was basically asked if I was married and liked Korean women. The Korean professor doing the hiring was more interested if I was gay or not than if I could teach.

Now that I am in Taiwan I get pissed at the fact that people cannot even read my application. Furthermore people keep on asking me where I live and if the job is too far from my home. They should let me decide how far I am willing to commute to work.

MELEE · Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 2:53 pm Post subject:

tedkarma · Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 4:56 am Post subject:

Mellow out people! Some real uptightness here.

Why does everything have to indicate some sort of prejudice or bias or racism? Or if it does - maybe it is better to know up front?

This is how the rest of the world operates and they tend to have good reasons for why they ask such questions.

"Back home" - though such questions may be illegal - the prejudice or racism still exists - it is just hidden. Maybe better overseas where, if it does exist, it is clear and open? Then you know whether to waste your time or not.

I'm in my mid-/late-fifties and there is lots of age discrimination about. But, frankly, I would much rather know from the advert or the questions - than to waste my time applying for a job I am not going to get anyway.

Don't kid yourself about the discrimination in in the Western countries. It is just hidden and carefully danced about . . .

baasbabelaas · Joined: 23 Jul 2006 Posts: 142

Where I come from I DON'T get the job if I'm white (South Africa) - due to Affirmative Action.

So, really quite a bonus being a whitey in Asia.

That said, I don't agree with getting the job based on your skin colour..

SueH · Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Posts: 1022 Location: Northern Italy