Offered a job, need advice.

[LindaL]

I am new to Taipei, and was offered a job two weeks ago. I went in and worked two days, and then asked about signing my contract. I was told there had been a 'scheduling error' and they withdrew the offer and paid me for my time.

I was offered a job this week at a new school with a start date late in the month. I told the interviewer about my experience with the previous offer, and they guaranteed I have the job. I'd like to put my trust in this school, but I'm continuing to submit my resume and go on more interviews.

Of note: I researched these schools as much as possible, and the information I was able to glean indicated that both are reputable schools.

So: Do contracts normally get signed the first day you work, or should they be signed prior to that?

Also, I need to sign a long term lease on an apartment by August 30, but I'm more than a bit concerned that the rug might be pulled out from under me again, and then I've committed to an apartment which might be badly located to whatever job I end up taking. My short term apartment lease is up on August 31, so I either need to sign a long term lease or I'm going to have to stay at a hotel, basically wasting money.

Is there a better way to handle the living situation until I am sure I have this job? And also, again, how are contract signings normally handled?

Thanks for your help.

[housecat]

If you're working before you've signed a contract, then you don't work there and you're working illegally. Be careful. Schools usually ask for a demo (also not technically legal), but can't legally ask you to teach until you've signed a contract--actually not until you've gotten your work permit--so be extra careful. Everyone but everyone will expect you to work upon signing the contract, but techinically this isn't legal.

A new school may not be able to allow you to sign a contract until the previous teacher's work permit has been cancled. Talk to the school and ask them to tell you exactly when you can sign the contract and to explain any delay. Explain you situation about needing to sign a rental contract.

[TaiwanVisitor12321]

Don't trust them.

When I first came to Taiwan I was visiting (hence my crappy nickname on these boards... at the time it was a throwaway account to ask where I could find something for the few weeks I was in Taiwan... I really was just visiting), and decided to get a job here, and stay. I did a demo, they liked me, I got a job, but said I had to go back to the US before I could work for them, but I'd be back in like a month and could start. They were fine with everything, and said when I came back, the first week would be training, and then if I liked working for the school I could sign a contract.

Sounded fair enough, and didn't lock me in to that school.. let me see it a bit before I really commit. Cool.

I came back to Taiwan after spending tons of money on the proper visas and plane tickets and all that, and the new place asked me to observe classes, then just kicked me out halfway through the day because I'm not a good teacher, despite only being asked to observe. So, I did nothing but sit in the back of classrooms taking notes, but they determined that I was a bad teacher, somehow, despite them liking my teaching demo earlier.

Basically they had no good reason (that I can see) and sent me packing, even though they "guaranteed" my job earlier.

They changed that to "we guaranteed a CHANCE".

I said that because they "hired" me, or promised to at least, I spent thousands of US dollars just to come back to Taiwan to work for THEM, but they didn't even bat an eye at that.. they don't care about you. I don't know why the hell they promised anything if they had no intention of backing it up, even though they could potentially be bankrupting someone by asking them to waste tons of money like that. They just thought it was fun to promise some foreign guy some work and say "nah, just kidding" after he went to great expense to do said work?

So, I spent lots of money, and got screwed over on day one in Taiwan. Get it in writing, or you have nothing.

It took me a while to get another job and get back on my feet too. If I didn't have local help here, and a free place to stay, I would have been up a creek without a paddle.