Korean Job Discussion Forums

[acornrevolution]

I am thinking about skipping a Friday to fly to Tokyo for a Job interview for after my contract. I still have a sick day or two. Any possible negative repercussions for leaving the country for a day while faking sick?

[valkerie]

Maybe good to be sure you leave time to get back. Twice recently I have been severely delayed flying back Haneda-Gimpo.

Be sure no-one from school will call round.

Good luck with the new job. I lived in Tokyo for 7 years, still miss it

[Tobias]

If ya got the 'M' on your visa, do it up, tiger.

Watch you go there, run into people who just arrived from North America, start feeling woozy, and get quarantined for a week.

[moosehead]

[cruisemonkey]

[gazz]

You have 'a sick day or two left?'

You sound like you'll be a real asset to you new school!

Just becuase sick days are in a contract, doesn't mean you should use them! (unless you are sick).

Schools are not stupid, irrelevent of what country they are in.

So imagine you go for this job interview. What happens if the school asks if you had permission of leave. No doubh't you would give them some B/S.

What if they then ask for your current schools number, and ask for a reference over the phone/whilst you are sat there?

Answer - you are in shit up to your neck!

Your new school will want to know your employment record, inc the amount of sick days you have off. Why would they want to employ a 'sick' person?

I understand why you might choose not to ask your schools permission to have the day off, but at the same time honnesty will go a long way.

Both in terms of ensuring you get whats owed to you at the end of your current contract + finding a 'straight' school for your new contract all be it in Korea or a different country.

Words to the effect of:

'Such a date for this interview is difficult for me, as I don't want the children I teach to miss out in their invaluble education.'

I would be happy to talk to you over the phone/Skype to understand the ethos and function of your school. And hope that you deem me fit to be worth a interview at a later date.

A lie is a lie, esp in Asia in general. I imagine your 'new' school would think well if he/she is willing to do it to them, why wont they do it to us?

What ever you choose to do - Good luck! But think before you choose to do anything that might be POSSIBLY stupid!

[Yu_Bum_suk]

At my first job I got the other FTs to cover my first two lessons and came in over two hours late after going to a job interview in another city. It was the first time I had come in nicely dressed and freshly shaven in ages. Nothing tells your boss 'Your academy is shite' quite like that.