Job Discussion Forums

[outkasted_3000]

i've applied to several high schools that have posted NET positions and not one has responded. not an e-mail back, not a request for interview - nothing. i know the SNET scheme is competitive, but i thought i might at the least get a call back.

this isn't an exercise in ego-boosting, so bear with me, but i've got a BA, with a BEd, Tesol certification, teaching license from Canada, 3+ years of EFL experience in Korea at public high schools. i feel like i match the criteria of a category 1 teacher unless i've misread something, but i'm starting to feel like there's no hope of this happening.

i'm pinning my hopes on a direct application to the EDB, who've told me they'll inform me by february of whether i'll be interviewed or not. i feel like i'd do well on the interview, but even then, it's not like the EDB places you in a school. which leads me back to where i was when i started with the direct applications to the several high schools that posted NET positions. am i wasting my time here? is it a bad sign that no schools have gotten back to me pre-EDB application? perhaps it's a sign of things to come even if i get passed the interview stage.

i mean, i haven't messed up on an interview yet because i haven't been interviewed...perhaps my resume sucks? that's a possibility. or is it something else? perhaps someone with experience can elaborate? for instance:

- is efl experience in korea taken seriously? (wouldn't be surprised if it's not, if i'm honest)

- i was born in hong kong and stayed there until i was 10 months old...can barely speak cantonese...but is this hurting me?

- i'm not in hong kong, i'm in korea...so maybe prospective employers don't want to bother with the perceived hassle of arranging an overseas interview?

- other candidates are just THAT good? it's possible...i've only got 3.5 years of experience...i heard that the SNET scheme is full of veterans in the efl game

we'll see how things shake down in february. if i get an interview in hk, or whether if passing the interview even matters...bah.

sorry, just blowin' off some steam.

[Perilla]

Your experience so far (lack of response from individual schools) is completely normal - they will probably have recruited locally - and schools here are notorious for not getting in touch. Re. your EdB appn, assuming you pass the interview you will then have to wait and see if a school gets in touch - this seems to happen mostly in July and August - and may result in a further interview or commonly a telephone interview. Consequently, many prospective NETs are not appointed until the 11th hour. Very frustrating, but that's how it is.

[outkasted_3000]

thank you for your response; that settles my nerves a little bit.

i'm just really stressed out about this since my life circumstances right now call for something more than an ambiguous "possibly maybe" in august. there will be a ton of things to do if i'm really uprooting from korea - namely preparing my korean fiancee for such a move. the waiting game - until the last minute, no less! - will be frustrating to no end.

nevertheless, all of you HK SNET/PNET folks went through the same thing, so i guess i'll have to suffer it too. the worst will be suffering through months of waiting and not having a job at the end...but i suppose that was always a possibility from the start.

[Perilla]

Yes, unless you're lucky you won't find out for sure until the summer. My wife (an SNET) got the final thumbs-up in early August.

[Joshua2006]

EPIK is similar with the last minute information. I think that after that time in Korea you should be used to not getting calls back. I hate to think how many CV's I sent out in my years in Korea but after a while you just get used to it I think. When I was recruiting for teachers in Korea I did actually make a point of contacting everyone who applied ro let them know we had received their emails etc and then again to say thanks but no thanks - I think to us westerners it is simply common courtesy but evidently that belief isn't held on this side of the World.

My wife is Korean and she had no problem with the move over - I think the main selling poit was is that Korea is only 3 hours away and not that expensive to get to or from......

Keep plugging away. I did, and it was worth it even though I am not on the NET scheme. South Morning China post really is your friend but the one thing that stands against you is that you are not actually in HK making you a foreign hire in turn making you more expensive to many prospective emplyers.

[Perilla]

[outkasted_3000]

Both your replies were heartening to read - it's comforting to know that it seems like we were all in similar boats (i'm still in it) and you all made it out there to HK whether on the NET scheme or not.

I guess I never really experienced the last second nature of EPIK or GEPIK. I can definitely tell you that within each of the schools I've taught at, things are definitely done at the last second.

Each contract renewal was relatively straightforward since I didn't have too many demands as to where I wanted to be placed (that's why I ended up in places like Gimje in Jeollabuk-do!)

Joshua2006, how has your wife adapted to Hong Kong? Are there any job opportunities out there for Koreans? I've kept my eyes on job posts looking for Korean language teachers for companies like Cathay Pacific, but my fiancee doesn't have any teaching certification which I think would be required.

[Joshua2006]