Job offer red flags

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mexilex
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Jun 05, 2018 1:55 pm

Job offer red flags

Post by mexilex »

Hi all,

This is my second time around applying to schools in Mexico and I need some advice.

I got a job offer email from a school about a week ago and all that was included was the salary after tax and that they offered a rent stipend, nothing else. I responded accepting the offer because I like the school and would really love to work there, but in my response I asked for more details about what grade I would be teaching, what my responsibilities would be, what benefits are included, what my daily schedule is like (not even that was included!) and all the other things one needs to know.

I still haven't heard a response from them. There's been no follow up "welcome to the school" email, nothing like that. I also haven't gotten a proper offer letter or contract to sign, scan and send back with my signature. This is making me feel really insecure about the job offer and making me think that perhaps their administration will not be so great to work with.

Am I overthinking? Should I give them more time?

Any advice would be very helpful.
purpletreefrog
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Oct 19, 2017 1:35 am

Re: Job offer red flags

Post by purpletreefrog »

Hmmm.

It was pretty generous of you to accept based on those details.

But having said that, in my experience of international schools (three so far, all of the excellent places to work) a week is a very short time to wait. So don't abandon all hope. But, having said that I'd feel free to send a follow up email letting them know that you'd like confirmation that your acceptance had been noted so that you can feel assured you are out of the job hunt.

I don't think I've ever got a contract until months after I accepted a job so I wouldn't get hung up on that but I would want a lot more information about the offer in writing.
brillo
Posts: 38
Joined: Tue Jan 30, 2018 9:30 am

Re: Job offer red flags

Post by brillo »

Apologies for hijacking the thread but I'm having a similar problem.

I have a signed contract etc. they've sent me a timetable and everything has seemed normal BUT I'm supposed to be flying out on Friday (I paid for the ticket and they're supposed to reimburse me once I arrive) and I haven't heard a thing in 3 weeks.

Induction is on Monday but they haven't given a time or place. The school are on holiday now and I haven't had any replies to my emails. Do I just go? I've probably left this a bit late tbh!
PsyGuy
Posts: 10789
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

Response

Post by PsyGuy »

@mexilex

Any update?

@brillo

Well someone should be periodically checking email especially if induction is Monday, which is only a few days away. Senior or executive leadership should have been back to turn on the power, make a few phone calls for internet and other basics. How long have you been writing emails. Is it one you sent this week, or you've been trying for three weeks and not a peep?

Its not uncommon for their to be a lot of organization about inductions time and place. Its just assumed it will be at the IS and will be in some room at the IS, depending on if the projector works, the internet works, and the copier worked. You will probably have something waiting for you when you get there.

If you dont go, then what? Do you have a last minute IS offer you could jump on, a safety IS offer/contract in your back pocket? Do you have a local appointment to fall back on? If you cancel, I imagine your flight is non refundable, and you wont receive anything back except a token amount of "credit" to be used within a year on a future flight. If you go its pretty likely that everything is just fine, and at the very least you have a much better chance of getting your reimbursements. The biggest fear a recruiter has is that you wont get on the plane.
brillo
Posts: 38
Joined: Tue Jan 30, 2018 9:30 am

Re: Job offer red flags

Post by brillo »

Thank you for the reply PsyGuy

I got a response today, I think I had just been emailing the wrong woman! She seemed to be coordinating the arrivals stuff (not a peep was wrong, over the three weeks I got a line back saying everything was okay but still no details) but I tried a different lady today and she CC'd a bunch of people in and I ended up with a useful reply within the hour.

Your advice was spot on and I should have just shown up (though I would have missed a day's worth of things and shown up a few hours late). If I hadn't gone I would have just stayed in my home country and found a job there.
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