Job Discussion Forums

Miss Helen · Joined: 05 Mar 2008 Posts: 17

Hi yall,

I'm having my PNET interview on March 31st in HK and would like to hear as many advice and tips as possible. I particularly want to know about the following:

1) What is the dress code for the interview? Must I wear a pantsuit or skirtedsuit? I heard it's better if females wear skirtedsuit...is that true?

2) Do I HAVE to bring the original copies for all of my documents? What if I don't have the original copy of my college diploma?

3) How many people are in the interview? Were they friendly?

4) How long does the interview last? Do you do the written part first or speaking part first?

5) How specific are the questions? How much time do they give you for each question?

6) What did you do when you didn't really know how to answer the question?

7) how many questions did they ask you?

Cool

Are there other things that I need/should know about before/during the interview?

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HELP! : )

Baroque · Joined: 29 Sep 2007 Posts: 23 Location: Sydney

Good questions Miss Helen. I would like to hear a veteran PNETs reply to these questions.

11:59 · Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 12:56 pm Post subject:

Regarding your first question, I can not recall ever seeing a female in HK wearing a trouser suit, so I guess a skirt suit would be your best shot. Things are quite traditional and conservative in HK, to put it somewhat mildly (men wear trousers and women wear skirts and dresses, anything else would generate the output of 'does not compute'). Also, HK uses British English so both adults and kids alike will laugh at 'pants', which are a form of male undergarment.

As regards your second question, you ultimately have to have all original documents such as transcripts and certificates. If you don't have an original copy of your university degree certificate then you don't have a university degree, it is as simple as that. If it is the case that you no longer have original copies in your possession then you will have to apply for replacements from the original awarding bodies/institutions. All such documentation must be further verified � at your own cost � here in HK.

Baroque · Joined: 29 Sep 2007 Posts: 23 Location: Sydney

11:59 you are not a PNET.

anninhk · Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 284

And he must go round with his eyes closed if he has never seen a women wearing a trouser suit! Even my conservative principal wears one from time to time.
I will echo his comment about 'conservative' though. It was only last year that women teachers in our school were able to wear trousers to school when the weather was over 15 degrees. We are not allowed to wear sleeveless tops or -now I have to be careful here - thongs (which are underwear in the UK there they call them flipflops) or slippers as they are called here - backless shoes in other words. Also be careful about cleavage - don't show any.
As to the questions do a search on this site and you will find a posting by someone who has already been interviewed this year.
Good Luck!

SydGirl2 · Joined: 18 May 2007 Posts: 50

1. I wore a pants suit(didn't want to show my legs!) at the interview.
2. I wasn't told to bring my original documents, but the first thing they asked for were original documents. When I said I didn't have them they said "later will do".
3. First there was one person who looked at what documentation I had and then she showed me into a room for the interview with 2 people who were very nice and put me at ease.
4. This part lasted about 20 minutes.
5. They asked about my teaching experiences and qualifications and then gave a scenario and I was asked what I would do in that situation.
6. The scenario bit stumped me a little but I managed to give an answer.
7. Can't remember how many questions but the time seemed to go rather quickly.
After the personal interview, was the written test. I was given a scenario and I had to respond in 300 words. I didn't think I did very well. The woman in charge of this part was very strict about the time-down to the second!
I asked when the results of the interview would be known and nobody seemed to know!
HOWEVER I got an email from my recruiter the next day to say that I had passed the interview and that my referees would be contacted. (My referees were emailed the same day. )
It was stressed to me at several points that passing the interview is NOT a guarantee of a job. After the referees have filled in their forms, EDB will ask for any remaining documentation. When everything is complete, then your file will be given to schools who will contact you if they are interested. Quite a lengthy process but I was aware of this before, thanks to this message board and the PNET message board.
Hope this helps. Good luck!

11:59 · Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 3:11 am Post subject:

anninhk · Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 284

11:59 · Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 6:03 am Post subject:

And how, pray tell, was this enforced? What actions/measures would be taken against those who did not comply? Was this policy actually in writing somewhere? Where trousers actually defined? If so, how? Or was it simply the verbalised unilateral policy of yet another power-hungry little-Hitler, or more likely, little-Hitleress, principal? (I hope that Lithuanian woman is reading this post and that she reflects on 'civil' and 'employment' 'rights' in HK!)

anninhk · Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 284

I'm not sure who made the rules. I have heard of other schools where it is also the case. My school is Catholic so don't know if it related to their rules.
Last year some teachers began to wear trousers and there was a meeting and the Principal finally agreed to allowing them - as long as they are smart.
There are lots of rules about dress codes in schools. My friend was at one where the teachers were supposed to wear tights with dresses - even in summer - don't think it was enforced. NETs often get away with things that other teachers comply with.

11:59 · Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 9:29 am Post subject:

Out of interest, how was 'smart' defined? Anyway, I am fully aware that schools in HK have a bewildering variety of 'dress codes'. Indeed, there is a section on this topic in my forthcoming 'Where do the Children Play? Education and Socialisation in Hong Kong', though it principally (pun intended) draws on the debate that raged about this issue in the readers' letters section of the SCMP back in 2006 (cf. e.g., 'Power-mad principals just not professional', SCMP, 21.10.06, p. E4). And this is an important point for many prospective (i.e., budding) NETs. In some 'schools' in HK (I don't feel comfortable not employing the scare quotes) the putative 'dress code' even includes the length and colour of one's hair and the wearing of jewellery (one wedding ring only)! I have heard of the 'If-you-wear-a-skirt-or-dress-then-you-must-also-wear-stockings' rule before, it is actually far from uncommon. As we all well know, bare skin is evil, if not downright Satanic, and is obviously something to which kids should not be exposed. I also heard of one school which recently filled in and concreted over their (till then, pristine and well used) swimming pool as the new principal (female, of course) did not like the idea of hundreds of kids frolicking around in a semi-nude state (no wonder so many 'adults' got their knickers in a twist over these quite lame Edison Chan pictures).

Miss Helen · Joined: 05 Mar 2008 Posts: 17

Hey i had my interview in HK today! And no, you don't need to wear a skirted suit hahaha!!

11:59 · Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 5:17 am Post subject:

Yes, but your interview was with Westerners at the EDB, not with Chinese at an actual school. It is at the schools themselves where the 'no jewellery, no hair dye, no trousers when it above 15 degrees, and no skirts above the ankle at any time of year' rules are enforced.

Waverly · Joined: 04 Oct 2007 Posts: 31

I have my interview on April 9th. What kind of scenario did you have to describe in your interview and writing prompt? I hate those kind of questions because I can never seem to think of anything quick enough.

Miss Helen · Joined: 05 Mar 2008 Posts: 17

My interview was scheduled at 1130am and i arrived at around 1115am. Once I got there, the secretary guy named Alan made me signed some forms and checked all of my original documents. After checking the document, he made me sit down outside the interview room and at around 1130, i was being called in.

It was a huge conference room with 2 men - one chinese and one british. They asked me some questions regarding to my teaching experiences in Beijing, my view on teaching phonics, multi-level students in the same classroom and co-teaching. I guess i talked so much that they didn't get to ask me too many questions....... the British guy even said that "wow you just got yourself into the job" after answering one of the questions. So I assumed I knew what I was saying????

at around 1155am, I finished the oral interview and was sent to do my written test. My topic was something similar to how to make students to fall inlove with reading. It's about 300 words that i was required to write. And I finished in about 18 minutes. (you have 20 mins)

I felt pretty good about the interview but im not having high hopes cos of my qualification and my background. Anyways, im just glad that its over and now all I need to do is wait.

I would say that those men were pretty relaxed and chilled (at least they appeared to be). Just i would say just be confident in what you want to say and stand firm on your perspectives!

goodluck! Smile

Let me know if you have more questions.