Job Discussion Forums

Imagine8 · Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2007 11:30 pm Post subject: Reach to Teach?

Hello Everyone Very Happy

My boyfriend and I are looking at Taiwan for our first ESL experience. We don't feel confident enough to take this on alone. So, we've been looking at recruitment agencies. I've read good and bad things about Hess. What about Reach to Teach? I read that you don't sign your contract with them - only with the school, which I think is good, right? Anybody have experience with them? Any help would be much appreciated!

Thanks!

BigWally · Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2007 1:11 am Post subject:

Hi Lauren,

Welcome to the site. First thing you'll want to do is do a quick search for the terms Hess and/or Reach to Teach.

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/search.php

Here's the handy link right here. These subjects have been discussed up and down and back up again, you will find tons of info and probably all of your answers there! Wink

Ganbei! and Good Luck! Surprised

Imagine8 · Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2007 1:21 am Post subject:

Hi

Thanks for the welcome Smile

I have done several searches for Reach to Teach, actually, which is why I posted this question. There doesn't seem to be much info specifically on Reach to Teach, which is our major interest. So, I thought I'd see if anyone has had any specific experience with them.

I really appreciate the help, though!

CWanders · Joined: 04 Jan 2007 Posts: 49

Hi Lauren:

I applied through Reach to Teach, but ended up accepting another position.

Reach to Teach's application process went much more slowly than either Hess's or Footprints' (another recruiter). I interviewed in January and they were projecting a start date of april/may.

Also, Reach to Teach asked for a reference letter after "accepting me." (Something I wasn't too excited about because I was simultaneously applying to grad school and, shall we say, disinclined to let my current employer know I was thinking about leaving.)

Reach to Teach's employees seemed nice, but their application process involved more time and effort than anyone else I dealt with.

Imagine8 · Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2007 5:48 am Post subject:

Thanks so much for the feedback....looks like I better apply soon if that's the route we're going to take Smile

lou_la · Joined: 04 Oct 2005 Posts: 140 Location: Bristol

I aplied to Reach To Teach at the same time I applied to Hess - Reach to Teach were much slower to reply to my email to arrange an interview, and then they never called me. On the other hand, I had a job lined up with Hess within two weeks of applying.

SanChong · Joined: 22 Nov 2005 Posts: 335

Reach To Teach places quite a lot of people and there is a lot of info about them out there, so you should be able to find a lot more information about the organization.

I think it's fairly well known that it's a very safe option and that you will be placed at an honest school and earn a fair salary. They also have events for their teachers throughout the year.

CWanders · Joined: 04 Jan 2007 Posts: 49

Sanchong:

In my experience applying for US jobs, potential employers generally ask for contact information for 3 references, and only rarely ask for written letters of recommendation.

Maybe requesting a letter speaks well of them, but overall, their application time line just didn't work with my schedule.

vpnelly · Joined: 14 Jan 2006 Posts: 6

Hi Lauren,

Well I can tell you from personal experience that Reach to Teach is an excellent option for coming to Taiwan. I've been here for 10 months and i'm in regular contact with them as well as the friends i've made through RTT. I actually got in contact with them after I came to Taiwan and if I could go back I would have been with them from the beginning. It's really scary not know what's out there, but you can serioulsy trust them. It is a very small company which means you get a lot of personal attention. You don't pay them, they make their money from the schools which is a big plus. I've had tons of support and made some great friends through them. Basically, they're honestly not out to screw you. They seriously want you and you're school to be compatible and for you to have good experience. They're not your typical recruiter.

Good Luck!!
Vicky

vpnelly · Joined: 14 Jan 2006 Posts: 6

ps. if u have any other Qs id be happy to answer!

get'erdone · Joined: 02 Feb 2007 Posts: 1

Hello!!

I was rercuited through Reach to Teach last year and I'm really glad that I decided to come to Tawian with their help. They promptly replied to any questions that I had through out the application process and gave lots of good advice to make my move here easy. RTT has offered me continued support through the past year here. They often organize activities for the teachers and I've met alot of people and made great friends this way. I would definately recommend to anyone to apply to RTT... I think it will help make your move here much less stressful and you can relax knowing someone trustworthy is looking out for you!!!

Ki · Joined: 23 Jul 2004 Posts: 475

Is it just my imagination or are get'erdone and vpnelly the same person? You both write the same, use the same punctuation and have the exact same thing to say. Please prove me wrong and say that you are not a set up from RTT (sic). This just seems like too much of a coincidence. Both on your first few posts too.

Toe Save · Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2007 8:30 am Post subject:

mookieb · Joined: 04 Nov 2006 Posts: 7 Location: Ottawa, Canada

Thanks to anyone who posted info in this thread. It was really helpful. I just had my telephone interview with R2T and it went well.

The more telephone interviews I do, the more I want to pound the pavement and meet the employers and see the schools. I know that there are pros and cons to both, but I'm not too keen on being left in the dark about where I'm going to work for a year.

Six Times · Joined: 02 Feb 2007 Posts: 1

whats up everyone, I'm not big on these forums, but I love Dave's ESL so I thought I'd contribute. Anyway, I went through Reach To Teach and it was great. The perosn above me said something about wanting to acutally see the schools, but R2T sent me pics of the different shcools I could have worked at. Also, I would'nt know where to start when I got here and they gave me options from Kojen, Shane and Hess (the three big guys out here). I just think they have contact with all the different schools and can give you info and options that you couldn't usually get.

Also, I talked with teachers from the schools before I came and made my decision partly because of how the teachers talked about the schools.

I guess Cwanders (above) can say R2T was slow, I don't know what happened with him/her, but I had my interview right away and then had pictures of schools a week later, and I wasn't coming for three months.

And the biggest thing is being here. The Reach to teach people are here and helped me get a cell phone and picked me up form the airport and everything. And they have dinners every month and parties....all I can say is from my experience, they were good answering all my questions and helping me while I've been here. Take it for what its worth, but I went through some other recruiters too and R2T is great.

Travel safe, have fun!