Here's the ad:
Inner Mongolia Blah Blah Language School is seeking for an native English teacher for a year's contract.We hope the condidate to be a friendly, easygoing person with great energy and love Chinese or Mongolian culture.The condidate should speak clear and standard English.We offer a work visa and Manderin Course for the teacher.Experience is preferable but not a must.The job will start in Oct.2007.
We also need another 2 Experienced Professional English Native Teachers to teach University students. The work will start at the beginning of Sept.
If you love grasslands and want to experience something different, please contact us with your passport copy and resume at: e-mail address
(Dave's ESL Cafe, July '07)
WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT?
This ad is too vague. They have plenty of specifications for you, but they tell you nothing about the job. You don't know what age you're teaching, the city (town, village, agricultural station...) you'll live in, the salary, the hour load, the beneftis...much of anything at all. They mention exciting grasslands and Mongolian culture...but they say nothing at all about the challenges living in a cold, dry, isolated place can present.
Why would they post this?
Many reasons possible.
- They may just be bad at writing ads. It's possible. However, usually schools offering good packages and/or desirable places to live will proudly lay the basics out...even if they do it badly.
- They may be waiting to find out how stupid you are first. This is a common Chinese hiring tactic...they will wait for you to throw out an offer rather than making a base offer up front. If you happen to quote something lower than they hope to offer, you are one good ol' boy and you have the job immediately. If you're a bit high, they'll counter with an offer at or slightly under what they're really willing to offer. If you are REALLY high, they'll likely "accidentally" lose your e-mail address.
- They may have a lousy offer...and know it. If they're upfront with the offer, they know no one will ever respond. If they're vague and you respond, they will have your e-mail address, and possibly your phone as well. They can then lay the pressure on selected candidates- and believe me, a desperate school can be frighteningly good at putting on pressure. You'll start being peppered with daily multiple contacts about how you should really stop searching and sign right now because this is such a sweet deal and you are of course much to smart and nice and talented and good-looking to ever let such a good thing get past you and if you don't sign then the kids will be really sad and it will be your fault, you heartless monster.
By the way, the fact that they're seeking for multiple schools could be a bad sign, too. It hints that they might be a recruiter, not really a school... and recruiters are generally not a good idea.