Search found 123 matches

by Dredge
Mon Mar 13, 2017 10:50 pm
Forum: Forum 2. Ask Recruiting Questions, Share Information. What's on Your Mind?
Topic: Current Employer References
Replies: 13
Views: 18063

Re: Current Employer References

business88 wrote:
> Thanks PsyGuy!
>

>
> As I have never done this before, I was worried and a bit hesitant. It's not common
> in the US, for employers to speak directly to your current boss.

Since when?
by Dredge
Fri Mar 10, 2017 3:04 pm
Forum: Forum 2. Ask Recruiting Questions, Share Information. What's on Your Mind?
Topic: Current Employer References
Replies: 13
Views: 18063

Re: Current Employer References

Are you in a public school in the US? If you are, I would assume you have nothing to worry about. Usually, in US public schools you have to sign a letter of intent in say, April, before you sign your contract in June for the following school year. To me, as an Admin, if you cannot provide the reference we are asking for then 1) you are hiding something or 2) you are not seriously considering the job.

If you have some complicated story as to why you can't or prefer not to supply a specific reference, it then appears overly dramatic, which is a red flag.

I hope you make the choice that is best for you.
by Dredge
Fri Mar 10, 2017 2:29 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Telling the kids
Replies: 42
Views: 69944

Re: Telling the kids

I'm not sure how open your family is to technology at their age, but you could let them create a Whatsapp account for keeping in immediate contact with their friends. Also, after you have told them, I would encourage them to be the ones to maintain contact with their friends back home. Often, culture shock becomes overwhelming if we feel that the people we left behind are not contacting us and that they don't like us or care about us anymore, but we have to remember that WE ARE THE ONES WHO LEFT and it is our job to stay connected to our friends, family, and culture.

I have a toddler and infant so this hasn't really been an issue, but it will be in the near future. Good luck and let us know how you handled it.
by Dredge
Wed Feb 08, 2017 7:20 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Online IB courses
Replies: 11
Views: 21070

Re: Online IB courses

Please don't waste your money. Don't pay for the course yourself... get hired by a school, which is completely possible, and make them pay. Or, work at one of the hundreds of non-IB schools that are just as good.
by Dredge
Thu Dec 15, 2016 4:10 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: How do you handle a move to a different hemisphere?
Replies: 9
Views: 18546

Re: How do you handle a move to a different hemisphere?

Some schools on the Southern Hem calendar get out in December and recommence in March. Therefore, it's a lot longer break if you had to make a quick turnaround from a Northern Hem calendar at least you'd have an extended 'winter' break to regroup.
by Dredge
Thu Dec 15, 2016 12:58 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: How do you handle a move to a different hemisphere?
Replies: 9
Views: 18546

Re: How do you handle a move to a different hemisphere?

These schools usually understand the coordination problem between the Southern and Northern Hemisphere and will wait for you, if you are the right candidate, to arrive. Though, it creates a bit of an issue because if you are done at one school in June, you have to turn around and start at another school in July that is half way through their school year. You would get a nice break in December, which is appealing. Often, the teacher you are replacing is going to end up at a school that starts on the Northern hemisphere schedule so the transition isn't that bad.

If these schools didn't do this, they would have a very limited candidate pool.
by Dredge
Mon Dec 12, 2016 3:57 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Cameroon and Ethiopa
Replies: 68
Views: 169918

Re: Cameroon and Ethiopa

joe30 wrote:
> so you need greater than ME coin

Maybe it's just me, but only one poster uses the word 'coin' in reference to salary on this board.

.....any guesses?
by Dredge
Thu Nov 24, 2016 7:07 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: "PERKS"
Replies: 17
Views: 33278

Re: "PERKS"

vandsmith wrote:
> what about 'dress-up day' on Halloween!!! ;)
>
> v.

Definitely a perk, but only if you choose to participate. However, if it is mandatory, then that is comp. However, if it is mandatory, yet you choose not to participate, then it is a "perk."
by Dredge
Mon Nov 14, 2016 10:10 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: "PERKS"
Replies: 17
Views: 33278

Re: "PERKS"

"discount grocery card" oh, you mean the one that everyone on the street has? Where do I sign? Haha!

However, free lunch is an awesome "perk.". Never having to prepare a lunch, or even think about it or pay for it is wonderful. Not deal breaker, though;-)
by Dredge
Tue Nov 01, 2016 3:43 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: future contract
Replies: 7
Views: 14087

Re: future contract

The Dutch citizenship will definitely help because you could gain the rights to work through your wife, though the schools would probably not help you with any of it. Also, I look at Europe, especially western Europe, more like the United States in terms of hiring policies for any job. If you are the best candidate they will hire you and they are not too concerned about whether or not you can survive on one salary. Mostly this is because they don't really have comprehensive benefits packages anyway that would make you a more expensive hire over someone who has less 'baggage.' Your wife would need to work and the school would know that she is perfectly legal to do so, so no problem there.
by Dredge
Thu Oct 27, 2016 8:19 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Accepting a position by email....
Replies: 12
Views: 22140

Re: Accepting a position by email....

@psyguy

All good points to consider. Let me just say that this isn't for a teaching position and the interview process was grueling, including 4 separate interviews with 4 separate groups of people on 4 different days, one including the HR director who I was told would be contacting me for initial paperwork following my acceptance. I guess that is why I am concerned that there is no response to a simple email inquiry. All of the time and money they spent interviewing me and then nothing... literally nothing. Seems weird. I'll write the director next and see what happens.
by Dredge
Thu Oct 27, 2016 3:14 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Accepting a position by email....
Replies: 12
Views: 22140

Re: Accepting a position by email....

So what are your thoughts on this. I decided not to wait a whole week and emailed the HR director on Monday asking when a copy of the contract would be sent, either by mail or email. By Thursday morning, I still had no response so I emailed again and still no response. I know they are not on a break. I decided to put myself back out there in terms of applying for jobs and already have an interview lined up. I feel somewhat duplicitous because I accepted the other position by email after some negotiating and receiving written terms of employment, but this was completely unofficial with nothing to sign or return to the school and it didn't have our final salary agreement on it. The human resource director was copied on all of the previous email correspondence so is well aware of the situation.

In this situation, would any of you continue interviewing? Or would you decline the position first? Wait it out? Initially, I really wanted this job, but now I am having doubts about how this is being handled and an ineffective human resources department can sometimes be a deal breaker. I feel like I need to protect my own interests here... and I have a family in the mix as well.
by Dredge
Sun Oct 23, 2016 8:14 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Accepting a position by email....
Replies: 12
Views: 22140

Re: Accepting a position by email....

Thanks for the advice, all. I'm gonna give it a week and then write.