Korean Job Discussion Forums

[whoknows]

Greetings all,

First time poster here. I have wanted to work in Korea for a few years, but never felt I had saved up enough to make the move. In May, I got all my documents and applied with a recruiter a friend recommended. Unfortunately, it has not gone well. Only a handful of interviews, that I never hear from again. The interviews generally go relatively well, and they compliment me on how clearly I speak and how easy I am to understand. This recruiter had me send my documents to Korea, claiming it would give me an edge since other applicants would not be able to get the paperwork to Korea as fast. But after a few months I realized it was mostly to prevent me from applying with other recruiters.

I don't really have any teaching experience, and am not what anybody would consider a handsome man. I've read some topics here that paint that as a bad thing for getting my foot in the door.

Now that my criminal record check is more than 6 months old, I was looking for some advice before I go through the trouble and expense of getting all my documents again.

[newb]

Have you tried making follow-up calls. You should contact them and ask.

[FaceFaceFace]

Hmm. I think you need to decide now if you want to commit to getting a job in Korea because you will need to get your CRC all over again and that can take time dpending on where you are in the world.

In the meantime I would be doing a ton of research and finding out about all things to do with working as an Englis teacher in Korea.

Recruiters will be more interested if you have your resume, cover letter, photo/s and (scanned) documents ready to go at a moment's notice so they can send them to schools to interview you.

Being available and following up on emails takes time but if you want to get a good job in Korea then you will need to set aside time for this.

It's just business, be polite, but also look after your own interests (ie--chase people up about positions, petition for placements and don't use just one recruiter).

Scour the job board here, on Craigslist, Facebook, etc etc etc spam your resume and get noticed.

Before you do all that, get a plan together and write things down if need be. Example: plan to be working in a hagwon in late Feb./early March, am flexible on location but must be a large city teaching middle schoolers/elementary schoolers but NOT kinder.

Know what you can be flexible on and what you won't and stick to it.

[timhorton]

Get a professional (suit/tie/shave/hair cut) photo and have it photoshoped. That is widely accepted here to make the first impression. If you have a skype interview or youtube video self introduction then use make-up or something

[YTMND]

[Skippy]

Tips 1.

What is wrong with you? Really look at yourself and think what about you is hampering your job search. This goes from looks to behavior. What you may think is wrong with you, may not be what an employer may thinks is wrong. Do you know what schools are looking for? Once you know what is wrong with you. Then you have two options. One disguise or hide what is wrong with you. Two, drown it out with what is good about you. (See tip 2)

Tip 2.

What makes you the one to hire? Can a school save money with you? Are you available right away? In Tip 1 I said drown out the bad points with good points.

Tip 3.

Korea is not the United States, Canada or England or wherever. It is Korea. A neat resume is all nice and good, but many times that is skimmed while the passport info page scan is scoured. Who cares what university you can from. Your passport says you are over 40 years old. Wow you have a degree in Education, nice but your passport photo shows that you a African American. Stop thinking logically and take off those politically correct rose colored glasses. The people here will be racist, ageist and even lookist.
I added a "personal information" sheet to my job package that answered all the questions that employers really want to know! From age to accent. Remember tip 2, this is where you want to show what is really great about you. Just remember some 20-something blond haired girl next door from California with "asests" will beat any experienced teaching old male with a large ass.

Tip 4.

Understand the nature of how the recruiter works. Ttompatz (another poster here) summed it up as think them like used car salesman. You want a car, a good car for a good price. Sorry a salesman does not share the same objectives as you. They want to sell that car they have had for a long time for as much money as possible. Recruiters are not your friends. The best recruiter is the one that will find you a job. Use any and all.

Tip 5.

Human nature. People are lazy. Recruiters and schools do not want to do more work. If all a recruiter had to do is pick up a phone and have a person hired, they would. If you do not have paperwork ready, you mean more work for them later on. If you have to many demands (I want Seoul, I want 2.5 million won per month) you are too difficult. If you have flaws as mentioned in tip 1, you are going to be harder to sell then someone without. So your goal to make you so easy to hire all they have to do is go yes and send a plane ticket. If they ask do you have the paperwork - DONE! Ok, we need to get your visa sent to the consulate. You already have the info and steps need to be done on hand.
You want the job, you have to do the work.

Tip 6.
Human nature again. People are impatient and easily distracted. Stop waiting for answers. Buy a long distance phone card and call the recruiter. Stop sending emails, which are easily ignored. Stop waiting!
You want it, YOU get it. Simply put if more then 3 days has passed since you heard from a school or recruiter then they have either forgotten you or do not want to deal with you. Sorry there is no "Dear John" letters in this game.

Hope that helps

[JustinC]

So you have a clean record, what qualifications do you have, how old are you, where in Korea do you want to work, what age range do you want to teach, what work experience do you have?

Throw us a frickin' bone here. Need the info.

[Guajiro]

[whoknows]

[PRagic]

"Next, apply to any and all recruiters hiring for Korea." X10000

[schwa]

[JustinC]

[whoknows]

[JustinC]

[Skippy]