Friday, April 20, 2007
Losing my spirit
I'm so tired....physically from staring at the computer for hours every day. Also mentally and emotionally from worrying about getting a job. This process has done lots to bring down my confidence level. I no longer know what I'm good at (maybe nothing in the professional world), since I haven't really done much after coming here on the JET programme. And seeing the requirements: Native English or Native Japanese level/speakers for the jobs that I wanted to apply for only makes things worst, for I'm neither. Can I help the fact that I was born in a country with no native language to call our own? I'm really starting to hate the word "native speaker". Are employers really so discriminating to think that only native speakers are good enough to communicate in their language, especially when globalisation is on the rise and English is no longer just the language of the Anglo-Saxons? What the hell do they mean anyway when they made that requirement? Can't they be more specific as to how the work can 't be handled by anyone else unless he's a native? Can you not consider a fluent speaker almost native? And does being native make the person any more competent in that job? I can't speak for my Japanese, as I'm still really far from native level and I'd think it fair if the employer is hesitant to employ me on the grounds that it will hinder my work. But not when it comes to English!!
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4 comments:
Native means from birth. So who's to say your native language is not English? I think that will be quite an interesting cover letter for your resume. ;D
Yah. Native English speaker doesnt mean you need a "ang mo". So long as they know (which most ctries know) that the country (sg) main language is english and you can demonstrate that, its still accepted. And as walter said, include a cover letter that backs your up.
Before I came here, I thought the same thing as well. The language that you speak from birth or at a very young age is your native language. But unfortunately, it's not considered the same here. Native English speakers are people who come from the West. And they are biased against accents that do not sound Western. Personally, after being in contact with so many native speakers, I've also ceased to think of English as my native language. There is a little difference. Despite that, I think it's really unfair of them to make such a requirement.
Honestly, I have met people from so call native english state and their english isnt essentially better. For exmaple, i have met one who is quite senior in work, who didnt know what spendthrift meant. I made a bet and i won. Anycase, chin up, i am sure it will work out!
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