Job Discussion Forums

[charlesh1609]

Greetings Dave's, OCH, et al

I've got a SKYPE interview with a Beijing university. I'm an American and accustomed to interviewing in the particular style.

Are there any quick tips or faux pas I should be wary of? Thanks in advance.

[dean_a_jones]

Are you interviewing with a Chinese member of the office staff or someone like a foreign head teacher? If Chinese, don't expect them to speak English particularly well and understand all of your questions and answers (they may, but they often don't). You might need to follow up with an email to clarify anything you asked or did not get a clear answer to (and any major contract negotiation points). Talk slowly and clearly, try not to use too many complicated or technical words or any non-standard English. Have some good questions prepared about the school, classes, students. Be ready to talk about your practical experiences and why they would make you a good teacher.

Basically be prepared to speak to someone who doesn't really understand you very well (even if their English is alright, not talking face-to-face can make it difficult). At the same time, be ready with some good answers in case their English is good and you need to show a bit of flair.

[roadwalker]

No real faux pas to worry about. They probably expect you to be more direct than Chinese teachers, but try to keep a balance between friendly and serious. And be ready to answer the "why China" question(s). Hint: you love China and the Chinese people. You should be able to find a lot of information online about the university unless it is a new or minor one. Ask your usual questions and maybe throw in a question or two about something they seem to be highlighting online. Every place in China is famous for at least one thing, and maybe every school too, so give the interviewer a chance to modestly show some pride. Good luck.

p.s. I think the skype interview may be a good sign. Most of us have been offered jobs sight unseen (except for passport photos) and without interviews.

[Kiwi303]

[SahanRiddhi]

This is not an interview about your hopes and dreams. They do not want to know where you see yourself in five years, or what you consider to be your greatest weakness. They want to see if you look and sound presentable, perhaps even engaging. That's it. Good luck.

[charlesh1609]

I've selected a coffeeshop with the fastest wifi throughput I could find, tested SKYPE on my laptop's Windows and Linux OSs, verified that my headset works, reviewed the job description and viewed the school's online information. I'm heading home in a bit to have lunch and will then return to coffeeshop for a beverage.

SahanRiddhi, Kiwi303, Roadwalker, Dean_A_Jones, thank you very much for your insights. You directly addressed my requested feedback.