Wednesday, September 21, 2005

Letter from a Recruiter

> Dear Michael
>
> I represent an ESL teacher recruitment organisation
> and have just had a potential teacher quote details
> from your website that I don't agree with.
>
> In your page, 'Are you being ripped off?' you advise
> to never accept salaried positions. My advice would
> be the opposite - only accept salaried positions as
> hourly rates suggest 'cram schools/language
> businesses' and casual employment where hours may
> vary, or be split early morning/late evening, ARC
> applications may not be lodged, holidays are unpaid,
> profit is the only priority, etc.
>You also quote
> HESS
> as being reliable
>and I query what information this
> is based upon,
>size is not necessarily everything, and
> I've copied below a recent email from some
> applicants that chose HESS instead and now regret it >greatly.
> Your page doesn't appear to include situations for
> real teachers in 'real' schools with uniforms,
> sportsfields, school spirit, job security, education
> as the priority, community standing, parents'
> boards,> etc. These schools represent the best opportunities for
foreign teachers as far as both conditions and life experience goes.
These schools only offer salaried positions and are the only type of school
> we will represent in Taiwan. They include the many
> prestigious bilingual schools, government school
> projects and other large public schools that have
> obtained language school licences to allow foreign
> teachers to teach their English programs.
> The advice you offer may help to steer potential
> teachers away from some of the worse cram schools
> but it is disappointing to see your advice also
> affecting
> teachers' thoughts on the wonderful opportunities we
> represent.
> I hope you agree that our 'real' school
> opportunities
> should not be bracketed with money hungry cram
> schools
> and can find a way to make this distinction in your
> website advice as teachers do read it and may be
> denying themselves the best possible experience in
> Taiwan due to misleading advice.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

What happened to your reply? I enjoyed reading it...

Supercords said...

I would like to see your reply as well. I'm currently looking for a teaching position in Taichung, and read everything on your site. I'm looking to sing a contract before I arrive, and I'd like to avoid making ahuge mistake.

Shane

Michael Turton said...

I'll put it back later.