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Tara2117
Joined: 14 Aug 2006
Posts: 89
Location: Gunma, Japan
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 Posted: Tue Aug 15, 2006 11:20 am Post subject: "Reach to Teach"... personal experiences? |
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Hi guys,
I'm pretty new to this whole TESL thing. I stumbled across this program on the net...
http://reachtoteachrecruiting.com/
According to the site, they help place teachers in China, Korea, Taiwan, and Japan. Are any of you presently employed via this program, or have you been in the past? I'd like to know whether it's a good program to apply for, and what your personal experience has been like. (I don't have my heart set on any particular country. I'm interested in teaching in Asia in general.) I can't seem to find much first-hand information on it. Thanks in advance!
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saint57
Joined: 10 Mar 2003
Posts: 1221
Location: Beyond the Dune Sea
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| Posted: Tue Aug 15, 2006 11:36 am Post subject: |
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Welcome to hell!
Enjoi |
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Tara2117
Joined: 14 Aug 2006
Posts: 89
Location: Gunma, Japan
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| Posted: Tue Aug 15, 2006 12:13 pm Post subject: |
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| Really? Care to elaborate? |
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saint57
Joined: 10 Mar 2003
Posts: 1221
Location: Beyond the Dune Sea
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| Posted: Tue Aug 15, 2006 11:33 pm Post subject: |
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I have no personal experience with the company. However, they are recruiters which means nothing but trouble. There is no need to use a recruiter for China. Most Korean hogwans hire using recruiters but it's part of the scam. You're much better off dealing with the schools directly. I don't personally know about the situation in Taiwan but most people seem to fly there and find employment on their own.
The problem with recruiters is that they don't represent the company they are hiring for and what they tell/assure you will cause problems once you learn the way things really work. |
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SandyMcIvor
Joined: 12 Jun 2005
Posts: 31
Location: 3rd rock from the sun
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| Posted: Wed Aug 16, 2006 7:08 am Post subject: |
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Recruiters are the pimps of the EFL world. They will tell you ANYTHING to get you into bed with the employer, they take their cut, and its YOUR BUTT that gets all the abuse.
Under no circumstances *beep* yourself out with a recruiter. There are plenty of postings here on Daves, at Tefl.com and tesol.org and other sites.
You've got to sell that ass, at least make it on YOUR own terms.
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Tara2117
Joined: 14 Aug 2006
Posts: 89
Location: Gunma, Japan
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| Posted: Wed Aug 16, 2006 8:24 am Post subject: |
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| Thanks for the input. I just thought it might be easier to find a job through a company. In any case, I'm not planning to go anywhere until late next year, so I've got plenty of time to research. I appreciate the advice. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 9:38 am Post subject: |
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I can't speak for any country except Japan (curiously absent from Reach to Teach's list of major Asian players; I wonder why?), so here is my take.
Aside from a few spelling errors and other types of errors in the way the site is written, I am immediately suspicious of a place that says:
| Quote: |
| The teaching opportunities we represent are only with reputable and professional ESL schools. |
yet charges you nothing. Here in Japan, the big schools (big four or five, that is) do all of their own recruiting, mostly abroad, so they have no need for R2T.
Also, I am suspicious of any outfit that can get you such a position without you doing any interviewing. I know that's partly how a recruiter works, but don't you think that once they've made contact with a potential employer, that you should actually interview with him? The site doesn't seem to mention that, only that you interview by phone with R2T.
Approach with caution. Nothing in life is free. |
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Tara2117
Joined: 14 Aug 2006
Posts: 89
Location: Gunma, Japan
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| Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 9:57 am Post subject: |
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Thanks Glenski. I admit it does sound a little too good to be true. I found a guy on myspace who's just left to teach in Taiwan with R2T, and he's going to let me know how it goes. He did say that of the three schools R2T put him in contact with, two were school's he'd already found through his own research. All he had to do was interview with R2T, didn't have to interview with the school itself as far as I understand. Kind of shady. Anyway, if it's a total scam I'm sure he'll find out soon.
I think it is a relatively new program, that's why I've had a hard time finding anyone who's gotten a job through them. In any case, I'll see what the myspace guy has to say as his job progresses. |
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dvasas
Joined: 31 Jan 2006
Posts: 138
Location: Taipei, Taiwan
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| Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 7:36 am Post subject: |
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| Tara2117 wrote: |
Thanks Glenski. I admit it does sound a little too good to be true. I found a guy on myspace who's just left to teach in Taiwan with R2T, and he's going to let me know how it goes. He did say that of the three schools R2T put him in contact with, two were school's he'd already found through his own research. All he had to do was interview with R2T, didn't have to interview with the school itself as far as I understand. Kind of shady. Anyway, if it's a total scam I'm sure he'll find out soon.
I think it is a relatively new program, that's why I've had a hard time finding anyone who's gotten a job through them. In any case, I'll see what the myspace guy has to say as his job progresses. |
Hi Tara I am in Taiwan and know RTT, they are the most reputable recruiter in Taiwan and do a stand-up job for their teachers.
Why would it be shady if if RTT does interviews for schools?
Or are you in Taiwan now? Your post here is a bit old... |
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Tara2117
Joined: 14 Aug 2006
Posts: 89
Location: Gunma, Japan
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| Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 2:58 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="Hi Tara I am in Taiwan and know RTT, they are the most reputable recruiter in Taiwan and do a stand-up job for their teachers.
Why would it be shady if if RTT does interviews for schools?
Or are you in Taiwan now? Your post here is a bit old...[/quote]
Hiya,
I'm not in Taiwan yet. I'll be returning to the States and am planning on looking for a teaching job abroad in 2007/2008. I'd love to hear more about your experience with RTT if you don't mind. As for being shady, I dunno, I just thought it sounded a bit odd for a school to have someone else do their interviewing for them. I mean, wouldn't the school want to interview me as well, in case I'm a total freak?  Heh.
Anyway, I'd love to hear more about your experience with RTT. I can give you my e-mail if you like, or you can PM me. |
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dvasas
Joined: 31 Jan 2006
Posts: 138
Location: Taipei, Taiwan
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| Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 3:25 pm Post subject: |
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| Tara2117 wrote: |
[quote="Hi Tara I am in Taiwan and know RTT, they are the most reputable recruiter in Taiwan and do a stand-up job for their teachers.
Why would it be shady if if RTT does interviews for schools?
Or are you in Taiwan now? Your post here is a bit old... |
Hiya,
I'm not in Taiwan yet. I'll be returning to the States and am planning on looking for a teaching job abroad in 2007/2008. I'd love to hear more about your experience with RTT if you don't mind. As for being shady, I dunno, I just thought it sounded a bit odd for a school to have someone else do their interviewing for them. I mean, wouldn't the school want to interview me as well, in case I'm a total freak? Heh.
Anyway, I'd love to hear more about your experience with RTT. I can give you my e-mail if you like, or you can PM me.[/quote]
Hey - Schools use all means possible to find teachers, just like headhunters in the US help employers find people, many schools have their own advertisements but also use recruiters as the recruiter will answer all your questions about Taiwan in general and the school usually focuses on whether or not you will be a good teacher, and they build relationships with these agencies to find them good teachers, if the said agency did not provide good teachers to schools they would not be in business, so they trust them to do the interviews.
Many schools too do not have the resources or may not have a high level of English to answer all the questions a teacher may have, dealing with a former teacher gone recruiter can help ease the transition.
Cheers! |
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BedTiger
Joined: 22 Aug 2006
Posts: 55
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| Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 11:48 pm Post subject: |
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Stay away from recruiters. Especially this one...DID YOU EVEN READ THE STICKY AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE BEFORE YOU POSTED !!??
Click on the "International Jobs" link at the top of the page and contact the positions directly, there are hundreds there. The four countries are as different as apples and bowling balls....spend sometime reading the forums and get a picture of what and where you are looking for. |
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dvasas
Joined: 31 Jan 2006
Posts: 138
Location: Taipei, Taiwan
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| Posted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 12:20 am Post subject: |
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| BedTiger wrote: |
Stay away from recruiters. Especially this one...DID YOU EVEN READ THE STICKY AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE BEFORE YOU POSTED !!??
Click on the "International Jobs" link at the top of the page and contact the positions directly, there are hundreds there. The four countries are as different as apples and bowling balls....spend sometime reading the forums and get a picture of what and where you are looking for. |
Yes it is best to read the forums so one feels comfortable, in that post I saw nothing about RTT - good or bad.
RTT posts jobs on the International board too. Another good resource for Taiwan is www.buxiban.com they also have info on schools from China. If you are in Taiwan another resource for privates and schools is www.myu.com.tw
I used a recruiter when I first got to Taiwan and he was fine, most are shady and tell you what you want to hear, and it is a shame that IF there is a good company doing a great job that they become labelled as poor, but those ones do not last very long, I was in contact with many recruiters before I came and just went with the company I felt comfortable with.
It is daunting if you have never been here because there are so many options and choices.
What was your experience with Reach To Teach?
Cheers and good luck! |
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