Friday, July 18, 2014

International Job Fair, Part 2

Interview Schedule Friday
Time School Name *Presentation Scheduled
12:30 - Chadwick
1:00 - -
1:30 IS Monzana -
2:00 - -
2:30 Shanghai Community -
3:00 - Nichimashi
3:30 Jeju -
4:00 - -
4:30 Shanghai AS -
5:00 - -
5:30 Nichimashi -


I started with going to the Chadwick presentation. I got there a little early to talk myself up. But the principal kept saying that she couldn’t interview me for her open positions (lower elementary) because she already had too many men working there (the K, 1st and 2nd teams were all men). Chadwick was in a great city that reminded me of Walt Disney’s vision for EPCOT.

So the interviews begin. The first one (Monaza) goes great, until I find out that the school’s housing area doesn’t always have power, internet, or running water. So I gave this one a rating of “Good Interview but would not go.”

Next was Shanghai Community. Bad interview/match. The school wanted more of a director than a theatre teacher.

I stopped by Nichimashi’s presentation for a few minutes in between interviews.

Jeju: Good interview, would go. The best part of this interview was how snarky the principal was about trying to not-sell me on the city of Jeju. He noted all my urban experience, and was concerned about the rural nature of the school. I like him and thought it would be a good place to work.

Shanghai AS: Good interview, would go. I had a good feel about this school and the interview. And with Shanghai as one of my top schools, I felt really good about this one.

Nichimashi. Great interview, would go. There was what Sally, my Associate, calls the pitch. The moment in the interview where the principal/headmaster stop asking you questions and start selling the school. I interviewed with the headmaster, and near the end he said, at this point, he would send me down the hall to his principal for a second interview, but the principal was in Tokyo, so he would put us in touch to have a skype interview.

In between interviews, I would head to my mailbox and write thank you notes. I also met Carrie in passing.

After all the interviews, the reception began. I met Carrie again and we hung out all night, being each other’s wingman for recruiters. I helped her talk with a few. She helped me with Nichimashi again. Chadwick ran into me and pulled me across the hall to a school that was looking for a drama teacher (sadly it was the one I had interviewed with earlier that day). Chadwick, Carrie and I talked for quite some time and she kept saying how she wished she had an opening for me.

Back to my hotel, where I checked my e-mail for a message from Nichimashi’s principal. Nothing came. I didn’t sleep well.

Saturday in Part 3…

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