Job Applications: Narrowing the Field
Things seem to have gone downhill slightly concerning the upcoming vacancy at our academy. After the first round of calls it looked like we were going to hire the American with three years' experience. Our academy director asked me to call the girl in Taiwan one more time though, to see if a weekday would be more convenient.
I tried at 9pm but nobody answered the phone. My second attempt came at midnight - 11pm in Taiwan - and someone did answer the phone, only to tell me that the girl applying for our teaching position wouldn't be home for at least a couple of hours. I was very enthusiastically advised to call back then, but the thought of staying up until 2am just to call a girl who wasn't at home when she asked to be called didn't strike me as very appealing.
Fast forward to yesterday afternoon and the news was that our first choice for the opening had accepted a position with a different school, our second choice - the guy who thought living in Colorado was "intense" - wasn't replying back to any of our emails, and the girl in Taiwan had sent another email promising that she really would be available this time. So I called the girl in Taiwan. Again. (I believe this makes five times in one week.) Imagine my surprise when she picked up this time.
I did receive an additional surprise, concerning how she speaks. My initial thoughts were that she must have been sick, but when I asked her about it she mentioned that it's how she always sounds "really early in the morning" -- but keep in mind I was calling at 2pm in Korea, 1pm in Taiwan. During our interview she also said that she prefers teaching the really young kids because that means she can play with them and have a good time in class, which doesn't fill me with much confidence. It looks like our only candidate is a girl who can't keep her appointments, doesn't speak clearly, may not be that keen on teaching, and - oh yeah - wants to take a month-long vacation back home before she starts. Color me unimpressed.
Here's to hoping I end up wrong in all my assumptions.