Job Discrimination

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  1. #1

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    Mar 2005
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    Job Discrimination

    I'm an Australian born chinese and I have been applying for a few jobs teaching english in Hong Kong, as I will be living there shortly. I have a degree and a tefl diploma. However, when I applied for a job I got an email from a prospective employer who told me they were interested in my application. When he found out that I was asian (my surname) he told me that even though I had an Aussie accent it didn't matter because it was the fact that I was asian that stopped him from employing me. He also told me that it was going to be very difficult to become employed because of my 'face'. Has this happened to anyone else? And is it really that difficult for Western born asians to become employed as Teachers of english?


  2. #2

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    Unfortunately, it is sort of true. Most of these "english schools" are really not professional institutions and are essentially pimping the white face to the guilible lower class who have been trained to belive that asians don't speak good english.

    I'd suggest looking at schools slightly higher up in the food chain.


  3. #3

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    discrimination

    Quote Originally Posted by KnowItAll:
    Unfortunately, it is sort of true. Most of these "english schools" are really not professional institutions and are essentially pimping the white face to the guilible lower class who have been trained to belive that asians don't speak good english.

    I'd suggest looking at schools slightly higher up in the food chain.

    It is true. Not only "these ' english schools'", but government subsidized schools too. My wife has two degrees in Education and taught in Boston Public School for over 10 years in English and ESL. She applied for NET positions and got rejected because she later learned most school principles would not like to hire a yellow face. To them, they have no ideas what is corrrect accent English or not, they just want to market a white face to their parents. In short, you are hired as a marketing tool.

    One of her friend has PhD in Harvard with major in ESL and came to HK. She got a job finally with an international school. And guess what? She was asked to teach Putonghua, because it so happens she speaks beautiful Putonghua.

    Hey, look. In HK, it is not not what you got inside that counts. It is very superficial. Just look at their business cards, with strings of titles after their name; you know this culture has lost its skill to judge the quality.

    If I were you, I would try NY in USA. They are desperate for teachers.

  4. #4

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    I couldn't agree more partyballoonhk. The schools here are as much an education for the teachers as they are for the pupils.

    If you don't have to come to HK then try applying in the UK. Chronic shortage of teachers there!


  5. #5

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    Unfortunately I only have a Science degree and a TEFL diploma so I don't think that I can teach there. My boyfriend is caucasian and I think its going to be really easy for him to get a job in HK. sigh...


  6. #6

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    May 2004
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    Yes, unfortunately it seems true I am sorry to say. As a friend of mine (Chinese) was teaching English to small children in a tutorial Centre. One day the parents asked to meet the teacher, as some of them had heard from their kids that their teacher was a local Chinese. When the parents asked the proprietor of the tutorial centre if this was true, many parents removed their kids from the centre!

    Hence, business lost!


  7. #7

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    Mar 2007
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    kowloon
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    hi all,
    i am a born indian who holds a post graduate degree in english litrature from a recognised indian university. i also have an experience of teaching english for 1 year. i want to move to hong kong and work there as an english teacher. will my asian looks hinder any prospect of getting a job there...???

    Last edited by mariarehman; 05-04-2007 at 11:51 PM.

  8. #8

    Eskimo,

    You could try the Wall Street Institute in Shatin. I know that they don't hire just based on ethnicity, some BBCs and CBCs work there as English tutors/teachers.


  9. #9

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    Jan 2007
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    Try to report your case to
    http://www.eoc.org.hk/EOC/GraphicsFo...come%20Message
    they may help you.

    I think hk government won't allow this kind of discrimination. I am not sure.. but sorry to hear about that.


  10. #10

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    Jan 2005
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    Chinese only discriminates Chinese, Indian.... But they or parents adore White. Please watch Bel Air TV Commercial, no Chinese, or other races, only White. White means classier status in Chinese world.


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