Job Discussion Forums

talkgabchat · Joined: 11 Dec 2011 Posts: 43 Location: Shanghai

My friend and I applied and accepted a position at EF Weihai back in December. By the end of January we had submitted our forms and were waiting to hear back about the processing of our visa. After reading about others' experiences we started looking for other jobs in case they ended up bailing. Sure enough we received this e-mail today, I'm just posting so others can try to prevent it from happening to them. Do you think his offer is legitimate, or is he just trying to be nice?

E-mail:

I'm sorry to write with bad news, we have a bit of a problem with regards to a start date for yourself and ___. The two teachers you were to replace have decided not to leave, one was going to leave at the end of his contract but has now chosen to resign for another 12 months, the other was going to leave early but has changed his mind on the last day he was meant to be working.

This really leaves us two options, I would still be delighted if both you and ___ choose to come here, however that would mean delaying your start date till August. I can ask through the contacts I have in EF Shanghai and elsewhere if anyone requires two teachers immediately and help to set you up with an alternative location in the short term.

I can only apologies for this turn of events, unfortunately things are often 'up in the air' and changeable in the EFL teaching world. The school as with most others has a hard time recruiting teachers and so when they choose to stay after already doing contracts here they snap them up quick, as most teachers do a year and move on.

Denim-Maniac · Joined: 31 Jan 2012 Posts: 1238

I dont think this means you have been strung along and although its disappointing, I think their email is probably quite genuine. Im not going to shout down EF in this thread, which is common practice, but I do think this kinda of situation is quite common.

They have been good enough to advise you and give you an alternative. I would like to think they have done this as soon as they can meaning you havent wasted money on flights etc. Far better to receive a disappointing email like this now, then fly into China on the promise of a job that doesnt actually exist anymore...cos I have heard of that happening too!

Opiate · Joined: 10 Aug 2011 Posts: 630 Location: Qingdao

jimpellow · Joined: 12 Oct 2007 Posts: 913

Sounds legit to me. My biggest question if you decided to do it would be about the work visas. You will need work visas, unless I missed something you wrote. I would think that they would help procure them for you, if their "connections" don't. I only spent a few days in Weihai but the one thing I noticed that would work in your favor is there are not a lot of English Teachers, but there are a lot of Koreans willing to pay big RMB to tutor their kids. Not such a fun town just so you know...

waterloo_jamie_m · Joined: 08 Jan 2012 Posts: 17

Opiate · Joined: 10 Aug 2011 Posts: 630 Location: Qingdao

7969 · Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 5782 Location: Coastal Guangdong

kev7161 · Joined: 06 Feb 2004 Posts: 5880 Location: Suzhou, China

Yeah, I've got to go with the majority (so far) on this. Things happen, things change, even moreso in the crazy Chinese world of EFL/ESL. It could have been worse, they could have not bothered to contact you at all and then you show up and they say, "sorry, no jobs". You are wise to worry and be looking for other prospects, just in case (regardless of what one recurring troll my "advise"), but I think they were not bad people for sending you that email.

Opiate · Joined: 10 Aug 2011 Posts: 630 Location: Qingdao

7969 · Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 5782 Location: Coastal Guangdong

The title of the thread is deceiving. The poster above admits they submitted their documentation to the school more than a month after accepting the offer - in the ESL world you can kiss a job goodbye after waiting that long. If anyone was strung along (intentionally or unintentionally) it was the school in having to wait for the applicants to send the documentation for the visa. Waterloo's posts are usually blunt and arrogant and not what some people want to read, but he's often right even if you don't like the tone.

creeper1 · Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 10:32 am Post subject:

OP, I think what was done to you and your friend is bang out of order.

The school should have replaced the current NETS. It is obvious that they didn't intend on renewing until the last moment.

Get on to EF and make sure they give you something earlier than August. August is a hell of a wait and EF are a big company.

dean_a_jones · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 1151 Location: Wuhan, China

choudoufu · Joined: 25 May 2010 Posts: 3325 Location: Mao-berry, PRC

talkgabchat · Joined: 11 Dec 2011 Posts: 43 Location: Shanghai

All of our documents were sent in immediately upon accepting the position in December, with the exception of my diploma. He had said that to send him my diploma at the end of January (for I did not receive it until then) was not a problem at all. He had insisted that he would not complete the visa documents until after the Chinese New Year. Perhaps we were naive in thinking that this would be a done deal. After, I sent him the diploma in January, he had said that things were still going on as planned and he would let me know how long the process would take. 1.5 weeks later he sent me the current e-mail.

Yes, we were naive in thinking that the position would still be available, despite the DOS had given his word. Yes, that's how things are done in China. Yes, the lesson has been learned. Nevertheless, it is important for others who may consider a position with this school to know his or her job is not solidified until he or she receives his or her letter of acceptance.

HarryCallahan · Joined: 16 Aug 2011 Posts: 1 Location: Australia

Take their word with a grain of salt. Covering of one's ass is common place on both sides of the employment equation. For you that means chasing multiple jobs; for them that means chasing multiple candidates.

If EF's story is accurate then the correct and decent course of action for them was to tell the current teachers that it is too late and they have to go because the positions have already been filled.

So now based on this experience you will be reluctant to do the right thing and pursue only one job at a time, which means schools are more likely to find themselves dudded, so they are more likely to chase multiple candidates... the fact that it happens doesn't make it right and it doesn't excuse EF for not giving you the position as agreed.