So, about 2 months ago I interviewed at an English institute that actually offers full-time contracts with a salary. I was sooooo excited because a monthly salary, regardless of how small it is, is so exciting to me I'd take half of what I've made some months here teaching by the hour. So, I have this great interview where we just end up chatting about this professor from my old school (UVA) and this grammar book we both love. Anyway, this woman tells me that I am definitely getting the job and that I have a second meeting with their HR person to discuss contract possibilities.
I am so thrilled at this point because I had just recently quit a job I hated and was making half of what I did the 2 months before. So, I go back and meet with this woman who then says that the fact that I was going to the U.S. or a week caused a little bit of a problem, but they were going to figure out a different contract and let me know that week, but that I definitely had the job and would start training the next week. Here's where they get horrible and unprofessional.
I don't hear from them that week. Nada. So, I wait until Monday and write a polite, just checking in email to the HR lady. No response. A few days later, I write the woman who interviewed me to check in. No response. A week later, I write again almost just for fun because I know I'll get no response. Frantically, I drop my resume off everywhere and get a job at an institute that pays o.k., but I really wanted the salary job.
SOOOOO, 2 months and 4 emails with no responses later, I get a bullshit email saying "Oh, I'm so sorry but your email got lost. Contact me ASAP if you still want to work with us." MY first reaction, was are you f-ing kidding me with this ASAP crap???! But, my second was YAYYY possible job. So, I emailed her back as per her annoying request asking about a contract job. She emails me back saying I should come in for an interview this Tuesday when I have a class. I write a polite email back explaining that I have to work then, but that I'm available anytime after that class. I also ask what the content of the meeting will be so I can properly prepare myself.
OK, so 2 hours later I get this totally bitchy response saying "I only emailed you because you still seemed interested in working with us, but I never wanted to waste your time (as suggested in your email below), so I think it's best to cancel our meeting for Tuesday."
I'm sorry, but I didn't know that asking about the meeting so I can be prepared could be translated as "you're just wasting my time", can it? And even so, is it really allowed to send an email like that when you're supposed to be a professional? It's totally fine to decide not to hire someone based on that, but I think there are much better and more professional ways of handling it.
So, now I'm back to my old ways of panicking about my class hours every month and searching for any type of full-time job.
5 comments:
Ouch! These institues are soo touchy! I hate it. And they know we need them... Well, I might know someone who is looking for a teacher.
want to get coffee on Thursday afternoon at 3:00?
Can I ask why you want a contract job? I personally thought that working a contract job where you have to go into the institute for set hours every day was a huge rip off. I interviewed at one of those places and was like, uh... no. I made so much more money working for two institutes (one was formal and one was boletas and the formal one didn't know that I worked for two) but both paid by the hour and I wanted it that way. I made so much more money that way, too! Have you tried English Connection or Norteamericano? I worked for both of those and despite paperwork woes occasionally (mostly at the norteamericano) I got to sub a lot, too. That really helped get my salary up. Some months I made like $400.000 mensual and others I made $500.000 + and that was only working part time with tons of time to spare. If I had stayed in Chile I probably would have tried to get another job on top of that too, since I still didn't feel like I was working as much as I could.
Also, if you want a salary, have you thought about colegios? You should submit your resume to Colegio Andrée. I was offered a job there and then didn't accept it as I planned to get back to the states for grad school at that point, but they seemed like a good school and after you work there for 1 year part time (you could teach on the side, too) you can get full salary and benefits. If you're interested let me know and I'll give you the names of the people to contact... When I didn't accept the job they told me to tell anyone else who might be interested.
I had a lot of flaky job contacts, too, but trust me, a salary English job is a rip off!
well at least the positive is quite clear in this situation: you are probably better off not dealing with that bullshit on a daily basis.
It is better that you know now that they are shitheads! Typical though...you should totally post the name of the institute, what can they even do if you didn't get the job.
It's amazing how e-mail and the internet in general make some people feel free to be downright rude! I seriously doubt the woman would have given you the same response over the phone or in person.
A few months back, I was doing research for a company that was considering setting up a job-placement program for English teachers in Santiago. I wrote to a language institute here in Santiago asking them for more information about their classes and hiring policies. The director wrote back telling me that their institute had a shining reputation and that if I had to ask questions, my company's teachers didn't belong there.
Same place...?
Post a Comment