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cvmurrieta
Joined: 10 Jul 2008
Posts: 209
Location: Sendai, Japan
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 Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 1:32 am Post subject: Can old boss prevent me from getting a new job? |
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I know some people will say that I should read the stickies or do a search, but I couldn't find anything that exactly fit my situation.
As some of you from here know, I am currently a JET CIR. From August 1 I will be a ALT working through a local placement agency. So far, fairly straightforward.
This morning, because I had signed a contract to start from August 1, I had to inform my current boss that I will no longer need the return ticket home. He then asked which place hired me. I told him the placement agency.
Why am I concerned? I am fearful that he may call them so that they will want to back out of the contract I signed on July 1. I will add that no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't please this boss. I am afraid that he will tell them I am a bad worker because I pointed out to them in January that the prefectural office should have really used a pro translator to translate the English-language contract we had. I felt I had been direct but respectful. In addition, prior to being asked to do overtime, I would ask I was going to get daikyuu per what is written in our contracts. My request did bother him one time because we had some letters from the governor to translate.
Maybe I am just being paranoid (I do get internally jumpy when I am about to make a change even if it is a positive one).
I just want to say even with whatever complaints I may have aired on any message boards, I have always been deferential face-to-face with my employer and have always shown up on time.
Some of my fears are rooted in bad experience with eikaiwa from 1994-1999.  |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 2:21 am Post subject: Re: Can old boss prevent me from getting a new job? |
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| cvmurrieta wrote: |
This morning, because I had signed a contract to start from August 1, I had to inform my current boss that I will no longer need the return ticket home. He then asked which place hired me. I told him the placement agency.
Why am I concerned? I am fearful that he may call them so that they will want to back out of the contract I signed on July 1. |
The August contract is with the new job, and the July one is with the CIR position, right?
Will the new job be in conflict in any way with the old employer? That is, will you be pushing one of his teachers out of a job somewhere or competing in any way? If not, then he shouldn't have any hard feelings, other than you canceling your contract, but you're giving a month's notice, so that's totally above board.
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| I will add that no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't please this boss. I am afraid that he will tell them I am a bad worker |
Why should he have any contact with the new employer?
I think that given what you have explained here (one-sided, for certain, but nevertheless...), there shouldn't be any problems. If something crops up, post it, and we'll flock to your rescue with advice. |
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cvmurrieta
Joined: 10 Jul 2008
Posts: 209
Location: Sendai, Japan
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| Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 2:41 am Post subject: Re: Can old boss prevent me from getting a new job? |
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[quote="Glenski"]
| cvmurrieta wrote: |
Will the new job be in conflict in any way with the old employer? That is, will you be pushing one of his teachers out of a job somewhere or competing in any way? If not, then he shouldn't have any hard feelings, other than you canceling your contract, but you're giving a month's notice, so that's totally above board.
I think that given what you have explained here (one-sided, for certain, but nevertheless...), there shouldn't be any problems. If something crops up, post it, and we'll flock to your rescue with advice. |
No, actually there will be no conflict with the new contract. My new contract is effective August 1. My current JET one ends on July 27; it started on July 28, 2007. From what I know, I wouldn't be pushing his ALTs out of a job. He is the Japanese Prefectural Advisor. His job would be more concerned with JETs under his charge and getting my CIR replacement up to speed.
Just to be on the safe side, he also called CLAIR to make sure there would be no problem with my starting the ALT job so soon after my JET contract ends. CLAIR had no problems.
Yes, I am just getting nervous because of change.  |
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stevenbhow
Joined: 13 Mar 2008
Posts: 58
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| Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 12:45 pm Post subject: comments |
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| Looking at it from another angle, if you are taking an ALT job in August that means the dispatch company has lost or fired a teacher. In my experience they don't really care at all about your last job, they only want a warm body in the classroom so that they can hopefully keep the contract for next year. Sorry if this gives you a negative impression of dispatch companies, but this is pretty much how it works with them. If you are lucky though, maybe you will at least get a good school. |
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seklarwia
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 1546
Location: Monkey onsen, Nagano
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| Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 2:53 pm Post subject: Re: comments |
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| stevenbhow wrote: |
| Looking at it from another angle, if you are taking an ALT job in August that means the dispatch company has lost or fired a teacher. |
He could look at it from that angle, or he can look at it from all angles.
Depends why they lost or fired the ALT. Maybe the ALT left because the company was evil, but perhaps it was a crappy school that made them leave (you get these on JET too), or maybe they wanted Tokyo but instead got rice paddys. The ALT may have also left because they had an emergency back home, got homesick or simply because Japan didn't live up to their expectations. And of course it could be as simple as they found a better paid or dream job elsewhere instead being down to any negative feelings about either the company or school.
Same goes for; why might they have fired the ALT? Sure the reason could be evil dispatch company, but it could also be down to an incompetent and/or unprofessional ALT.
Anyway, none of that matters for the moment. He needed a job, he found one. If it sucks, he still needs to earn money, so he'll just stay until he finds better.
And actually even dispatch companies may care about your past job(s). As you said, they want to keep the contract for the next year. If they send troublesome ALTs to the school, the school's likely to give the contract to someone else the following year.
Even Interac was quick to get in contact with more than the couple referees they asked for when I applied. On one form I filled out, it asked for a full work history and there were these boxes to say whether they could contact them. I just ticked yes to all because I didn't want it to seem like I had anything bad to hide and I figured they would be too busy to check every detail, but they did.
cvmurrieta... congratulations on the position.
Don't worry yourself unnecessarily! You are staying until the end of your contract. You were professional and never turned up late. There is no conflict of interest between the 2 jobs. Unless your previous boss was a real bitter person, there is no reason they would try to backstab you like that. Besides you have already signed the contract. Even evil dispatch companies have to give notice and reasons for pulling out of a contract or pay you for the equivalent time if they want you to leave immediately. If your old boss had said things to scare your new employer, they'd likely have contacted you already.
I think its much more likely the guy just wants to cover his back and make sure everything is legit, and that they aren't going to be liable for your future actions in any way, shape or form. |
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