It has been shocking to observe an escalating trend of teacher candidates giving their personal information so freely to strangers.
Prospective employers ask for supporting documents from candidates to verify information during the interview process. Asking for copies of degrees, for example is common practice. Even the request for criminal checks where people are working with children while others require criminal checks from all of their employees as a general policy or it is part of the visa-processing requirement.
Any request for personal information should be related to a specific job responsibility. For example, if a position requires driving from location to location than an employer may ask for a driving record. In this case, asking for your qualifications or certificates to teach is required if you are teaching English or a specific subject or grade level.
Tulip Canada views themselves far more than a recruitment firm. It is firm which invests in people, coaching teachers and educators to reach their career goals while encouraging best practices in administration, service delivery and retention. They strive to prepare their teachers and educators for the adventure at each stage of the process. Even, if technically a recruiter is within their legal right to ask for all information to support the application, however they must not violate human rights laws in the country they operate, and the countries in which they do business. Politely push back and ask why the information is needed.
Privacy laws which vary between country as well as sector, however it is rare for an employer to ask for a driver’s license, passport, credit check, and criminal check all for one job. Knowing one’s martial status should only be relevant for visa processing or housing settlement. Candidates and recruiters alike should inquire as to the purpose of the information being collected by prospective employers.
Obtaining this information should never be a condition of an employment offer. If it is a condition of an offer and the prospective employer is unwilling to wait until a contract is signed than the candidate has a decision to make (scan passport details and remove the serial numbers along the top and bottom of the passport, if needed). Our home country will thank us for the added security measures both in border and identity protection.
Do not provide passport, birth certificate, and marriage license to prospective employers unless you have signed the employment contract.
It is a choice. Changing a pattern of acceptance takes time. Make a decision. Remember, the choice is yours and if there is an unwillingness to accept bellow the words “next!” and move on to another teaching adventure.
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Lori Ann Comeau is a career coach for the education profession, founder and president of Tulip Canada. Follow her on twitter at @tulipcanada.
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