Job Discussion Forums

[maj0915]

Does anyone have any experience emailing schools to convey interest in a job? I've received a bunch of "job offers" through Serious Teachers, but it seems like most of them are recruiters. Would it be a good idea to contact schools in the areas I'm interested in directly, and if so, what should I include? I have my resume/CV complete, along with scans of my diploma and the photo page of my passport, but I think I remember reading something about blocking certain information on your passport. Could someone please clarify that as well?

[hilena_westb]

I would never use a recruiter. I'm capable enough of finding schools and the associated contact information online or from those I know in that particular area. As for blocking out information, that's paranoia a-muck. I do however put a 'stamp' across the page saying that it is a copy and make sure it crosses over important details so they can't be undermined

[Non Sequitur]

Look up your fave cities on Wikipedia and on the sidebar under 'Education' you will find most local state tertiaries.
You'll have to Google for contact emails.
Look for 'Employment' or 'Foreign Experts' or other pathway.
Hilena pooh poohs obscuring vital details and then does exactly that.
Not such a problem on the direct route, but for broadcast sites it's worth thinking about.
Rather than use a full face passport/visa pic for seriousteachers, try something a bit more animated.
If you can show that you can stand upright - all good.
Keep your email text simple with no pretense toward academic English.
FAOs are not all that good at reading English and like all job apps you're competing for attention.
Remember - you cannot apply to too many schools.

[xiguagua]

I've contacted many schools online. I think the problem I run into is finding updated contact information. FAO's change pretty frequently, so contact info is always changing and websites online aren't exactly maintained very well here.

If you do manage to get a contact e-mail, some universities only go through recruiters, so they'll tell you to contact this recruiter or middleman anyway. My current school did this to me, but it wasn't so much a "recruiter" as it was a middleman. These people just did the selection and interview process for the school then passed the "acceptable" people to the school for them to contact and do a final interview. Didn't have to sign anything with them.......although they did keep bothering me via skype to make sure i've done everything, and they wouldn't just leave me alone. But I guess that's a good thing.

[ecubyrd]

It doesn't hurt to see what recruiters are offering, but do not use them if you don't have to. In my 8 years of teaching in Asia, I've never taken a job that one has offered me. I've always applied directly to whatever school or system that I'm interested in as well as what recruiters offered and things have worked out fine taking the direct route.

[Non Sequitur]

I think 'recruiter' is too broad brush.
There will be retained recruiters who have a business arrangement with a school to vet applicants and present the best to the school for the offer process.
There is another group which freelance and will promise all sorts of things to the unwary FT and then hawk him/her around to schools that may be looking for FTs.
This 2nd type will be those that advise coming over on a tourist visa on the basis that they have no idea who you will be employed by - or even 'if' you will get a job.
Often the schools the 2nd type 'work' for will not have the right to hire FTs which leads to the visa run situation.
As an aside I should point out that schools that do have the right to hire foreigners and complete all visa formalities will allow themselves to be used as the hirer of record for employers who cannot do it themselves.
The trick (as with anything in this country) is to work out who is legit and who isn't.
If a recruiter is retained by a school, it is unlikely that that school will work with you directly, unless perhaps you have been recommended by another FT who already works there.