Job Discussion Forums

[puiwaihin]

Email them.

I emailed them a few times until the guy on the other end said something to the effect of, "Hey, your qualifications are being evaluated. When that's done I'll let you know, m'kay?"

3 weeks later, I sent another email and it turns out that part was done. He had been waiting 10 days for a reply to a fax from a former employer. He was just going to wait until they said something to him.

I called up the school and they told me that they had never received a fax. I'm now following up on these things personally.

Moral of the story: If you're waiting there in the dark, turn the light on.

[And Your Bird Can Sing]

I think the real moral of the story is that bureaucracy in HK proceeds at a pace that would make a tin-pot dictatorship in Central America proud.

Whilst I appreciate your positive attitude and pro-active stance, what exactly are you going to do when you run out of lights to switch on? Have you never heard the one about how many HK Chinese administrative workers it takes to change a light bulb? (It has got to want to change first.)

[puiwaihin]

That too, but there's nothing practical for that except to expect a longer wait time. Being pro-active and not worrying about bothering someone else by following-up is good advice I think.

So, if you haven't heard from them and it's been over a week, email them.

[Miss Helen]

i passed the interview in April and not until few weeks ago was i informed that i'm under the assessment reviewing process. They wanted me to provide proof for my internship experience in college and i was like "umm i don't know how and i can't"...after sending emails back and forth about this matter (Which was alot more complicating than you could ever imagine), he finally told me that the 'reviewing process' is now finished (despite the fact that i didn't provide any proof for my internship experience) and now he's doing a reference check...which is going to take at least another month to do so since they have to mail the reference check form all the way to the US.

The truth is, I find this system/process to be quite messed up. Is that normal or what? I even heard that some poeple had to wait 6 months to a year until they actually get employed by a school. Oh goodness.

[Horizontal Hero]

[TeacherTim]

My advice to everybody is to keep chasing the EDB. I phoned them at least once a month and I also e-mailed most of the schools (whether on the list or not). I found that directly e-mailing the EDB produced little joy.

Miss Helen, I'm afraid it is a long and frustrating process. I was interviewed in May 06, but I wasn't contacted by a school until August 07! Even then, it is far from from over. Don't give up, perhaps consider taking a short-term position until you hear something. The system needs shaking up.

Tim

[And Your Bird Can Sing]

I find it quite amusing how, for example, the MOE in Singapore can perform exactly the same checks (qualifications, background, references, etc.) in but seven working days.

Welcome to the Twilight Zone otherwise known as Hong Kong.

[Henry_Cowell]

How could that be? I thought Hong Kong was a 'first-world nation'.

Hmm...

[marksy]

To puiwaihin and miss helen,

Guys, hang in there! I've been following your posts for a long time now, and I'm not normally one to write, but I see heads are lowering, so I thought now is the time to share my experiences.

Regarding the reference check: I phoned up the EDB to ask how my reference check was going. The guy said, "Yeah, we sent out the email for reference checking to Mr ____ at ______ 3 weeks ago but he hasn't replied yet."

Now, when I heard this, I was a little surprised: the school they had contacted was not even one of the three referees I had given on the application form! (Is that ethical?). The principal they had tried to contact at the school, I never knew because the principal I had worked for had since retired. Therefore this guy had not bothered to reply. Had I not phoned up the EDB, I think they still would be waiting for the principal's reference and the guy never knew me.

So I asked him, the EDB guy, can you tell me who you will contact now for a reference check? He told me _____ of _________ school. I contacted her right away. I told her the EDB would send a reference check form very soon to her and it would be very kind if she coud fill in the form and send it back to the EDB a.s.a.p. as it was urgent.

Couldn't you guys do the same? The reference check was done in a matter of days. I think it's all done by email, miss helen.

BTW I have not been contacted by any schools through the EDB yet. I haven't heard of many others who have, either. I hope this is correct and it lifts your spirits: I heard the EDB is not sending out any CVs to schools for the time being until they know exactly which schools need NETS etc. Fingers crossed, it's a jittery time for all of us. But as many of the existing PNETS have said, it's a waiting game. Come on!

All the best,

marksy

[marksy]

Ah, I forgot to say -

Were you interviewed in HK? If so, chances are Alan Ho was the man who sat you down before the interview to look at your vital bits of paper.

He's the man to contact at the EDB, he may even remember you if you were in HK (puiwahin and miss helen, I gather from your posts you're in taiwan and on the mainland?) Tel: +852 28926495.

I know phone calls cost, but you could cut through a lot of red tape by making that call, as teacher tim said before - they get a lot of emails, but by speaking on the phone, you're showing them you're not just a name and number. Good luck!

Cheers,

marksy

[Miss Helen]

To Marksy,

Thank you for your encouragement and advice. They're really helpful!

I've been emailing Alan alot these past couple weeks and despite the fact that I was never able to prove my "internship experience" from college, my reference check was done (Within 2 days via Email...thats why I still can't understand why he wanted to send the form via snail mail first place). This morning I received an email from Alan, informing me that I have passed the reviewing process and my name will soon be thrown into the pool. And from then on, i guess the only thing I can do is to wait until a school contacts me.
So what if no school contacts me? Am i just gonna have to wait forever? And what do I do if there're multiple school contacting me at the same time?

[anninhk]

You begin the waiting game - waiting for a school to contact you - waiting to see if they are going to employ you - waiting for the contract - waiting for the visa.

If more than one school contacts you then I suggest you get details and try and find out about each one before you make your choice.

I hope you don't have to wait too long!

[Miss Helen]

Would it speed up the process if i tell them i don't need a visa?

[anninhk]

If you don't need a visa why don't you be proactive and come to Hong Kong. Find out the schools that need a NET and put yourself forward.
I actually found a CV from someone wanting to work in my school on my desk this morning- and I'm not leaving!

Not sure if not needing a visa makes any difference to the selection procedure but it will certainly speed up the time it takes between getting the contract and being able to start work in Hong Kong.

[Miss Helen]

proactive as in just walk into the schools randomly and give them my CV??? is that even legal?? which school are you teaching at? how long have you been in that school? sounds like u're lovin' every bit of it!