Korean Job Discussion Forums

[merrilee]

While this seems like sage advice, I can't imagine that a director would give out contact information for a teacher it has treated poorly. Does this really work? Have you ever actually spoken with a teacher of a school you were interviewing with and been told the truth about mistreatment?

[syclick]

My first interview was actually with a foreign teacher. He seemed pretty straightforward and honest about working conditions and contract details. Didn't take the job, though.

[Bulsajo]

Well, you'd have to talk with more than one person [get a refence from the first person you talk with, and so on], and preferrably by phone...
It seem like a bit of a hassle and might run your phone bill up a bit but in the end it's worth the effort.

[Mody Ba]

A very interesting query.I always think it is better to talk with former teachers...they have less to lose and will most often give you the unvarnished truth.

As to the original question...whether the owner would even give you the name of someone who might give them a bad reference.Well,sometimes the owner does not have enough smarts (or something) to realize a teacher has been mistreated,,,and they give out the name of the reference.Of course,this varies wildly according to various situations.

I have always found most people(former teachers0 have given me the truth.After all,what do they have to lose?The poster(B) who said you should contact more than one reference is right on with that advice.Call them all on the phone? That CAN get expensive,depending on the situation.If you do not want a humongous phone bill,there is always email or snail mail.Of course,it depends on the situation and how fast you need to find out about the school.If it is a school "That needs you tomorrow"...well,that is a red flag in itself.Why do they need someone so fast? Who quit or was sacked suddenly? WHY did they quit(or were sacked) suddenly?

[Mody Ba]

Say,Bulsajo,do you need a degree to teach in Absurdistan,or can I teach there with just a TESOL Certificate?Do you think Absurdistan is a "good"place to teach? Do they pay you on time and treat you right? Why isn't there a separate forum for Absurdistan on Dave's?

[Bulsajo]

Hey, we've all worked in Absurdistan before, haven't we?