Korean Job Discussion Forums

[SeoulShakin]

What are some clues that your interview has gone well?

I interviewed with the SMOE today, and I just wondered what your take was on this? How do you act when the interview has gone/is going well. Thanks

(Yes, I've done interviews before in Canada, but this is my first in person interview in Korea and for a teaching position).

[merkurix]

From my experience, a teaching interview invitation in Korea is a near guarantee that you have the job. I suppose that your future Korean superiors just want to make sure you are pleasant and not crazy. First impressions . . . .

[SeoulShakin]

Well we were laughing at jokes and stuff, and the supervisor said something good, so I think it went ok, just wanted some insight.

Thanks

[Hater Depot]

I'm helping a couple of prospective Korean teachers prepare for their SMOE interviews and man, are they really sweating it. Never mind that they all went to top universities, lived abroad for long periods of time, speak near-native English... man, it's just hard for me to convey how much they are really sweating it and preparing. And with how well they speak English they could be making a lot more money in some other industry.

[SeoulShakin]

I can imagine. Do they work at a hogwan now? Maybe there is a LITTLE more prestige to working in a public school as opposed to a hogwan? I'm not sure.

I used to work with a Korean teacher who left to get a job translating for a company. He now works at a place where he's in charge of bringing in workers from other countries, and he has met many ambassadors from many countries in the process. He lived in the states for about 7 or 8 years, so his English is very good as well. He said the difference in the money is HUGE. Perhaps it's a lack of confidence on their part?

Good luck preparing them for the interviews I'm not sure when the real interviews start cause they did mine early since I'm leaving for Canada on Friday.

I'm sure they'll do fine - it wasn't hard at all. We just chatted more than asked specific questions. They're really nice, so tell them to relax. Hope this helped!

[twg]

[PRagic]

Dress well and be modest and personable. Don't ramble. End of story. The only person I have ever heard of that flubbed an interview here was a French Canadian with a lisp going for an English conversation teaching position.

[ajuma]

If we say "Are you ready to sign now, or would you like to think about it?" It means you passed. If we say "We'll get back to you." It means that you weren't so great, but we MIGHT hire you anyway if we're in a bind.

[PRagic]

Miind you, that advice is for ESL positions, and most normal departments don't conduct interviews that way.