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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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Munashiimaru
Joined: 25 Oct 2007
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 Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 7:32 pm Post subject: Phone interview and passport questions |
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I'm sure this has been asked a lot, but the search feature couldn't seem to bring up anything relevant. I have a phone interview tomarrow for teaching elementary/middle school students, and I'd like like input on what to expect questionwise.
Also, I've never traveled outside the US, and am looking into applying for a passport. The person I was on the phone with today said it takes time to get so I assume I should have had it before looking for a job, but on the application form it asks for employer and travel times; I don't have definite answers for either of these. Are these required fields? |
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Berghoff
Joined: 25 Oct 2007
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| Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 8:05 pm Post subject: |
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I've found that my phone interviews are either really short, where the employer spends more time describing the job to me than asking me questions, or they want detailed information from my teaching philosophy to any recent drug use, etc. I've heard that they are mostly interested in listening for accent and general comprehensibility.
You don't have a passport? Last I heard, it's a 3-month process, minimum. You can get one expedited for a significant fee, though, unless you can wait until February. As for specific fields, either try your luck with "N/A" or give the help number a call. |
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Qinella
Joined: 25 Feb 2005
Location: the crib
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CentralCali
Joined: 17 May 2007
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| Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 8:15 pm Post subject: |
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| The instructions for a US passport tell you which fields are mandatory and which are optional. |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 8:24 pm Post subject: Re: Phone interview and passport questions |
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| Munashiimaru wrote: |
I'm sure this has been asked a lot, but the search feature couldn't seem to bring up anything relevant. I have a phone interview tomarrow for teaching elementary/middle school students, and I'd like like input on what to expect questionwise.
Also, I've never traveled outside the US, and am looking into applying for a passport. The person I was on the phone with today said it takes time to get so I assume I should have had it before looking for a job, but on the application form it asks for employer and travel times; I don't have definite answers for either of these. Are these required fields? |
Ready to leave the nest, travel and teach internationally. Having a phone interview already and you just "looking into applying for a passport".
You need to read the FAQs
http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewforum.php?f=7
Getting a Job - Korea Vs Japan, Taiwan and China
Getting a Job - Things You Need to Know
Getting a Job -Hagwons, Unis, EPIK & Public Schools
Alien Registration Card (ARC)
Getting Organised to Come to Korea
Choosing a Location in Korea
Contracts - Health Insurance, Pension, Severance etc.
Money, Tax, Credit Cards & the Economy
Visas
before you do something stupid. |
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Munashiimaru
Joined: 25 Oct 2007
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| Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 9:21 pm Post subject: Re: Phone interview and passport questions |
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| ttompatz wrote: |
Ready to leave the nest, travel and teach internationally. Having a phone interview already and you just "looking into applying for a passport".
You need to read the FAQs
http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewforum.php?f=7
Getting a Job - Korea Vs Japan, Taiwan and China
Getting a Job - Things You Need to Know
Getting a Job -Hagwons, Unis, EPIK & Public Schools
Alien Registration Card (ARC)
Getting Organised to Come to Korea
Choosing a Location in Korea
Contracts - Health Insurance, Pension, Severance etc.
Money, Tax, Credit Cards & the Economy
Visas
before you do something stupid. |
I've read most of the threads in a lot of those; However, I'm not at all familiar with the paperwork involved. When I read most places would help with the paperwork for the visa, I laxed on my reading about the required paper work and focused more on location/working condition type threads. I also got this interview faster than I thought I would.
Apparently, I can get a passport on the same day I apply if I show proof I'm leaving within two weeks and I drive to miami (from tampa). Need to setup an appointment for that though. My friend recently did this to go on his honeymoon in Japan. |
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Atavistic
Joined: 22 May 2006
Location: How totally stupid that Korean doesn't show in this area.
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| Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 9:36 pm Post subject: Re: Phone interview and passport questions |
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| Munashiimaru wrote: |
I've read most of the threads in a lot of those; However, I'm not at all familiar with the paperwork involved. When I read most places would help with the paperwork for the visa, I laxed on my reading about the required paper work and focused more on location/working condition type threads. I also got this interview faster than I thought I would.
Apparently, I can get a passport on the same day I apply if I show proof I'm leaving within two weeks and I drive to miami (from tampa). Need to setup an appointment for that though. My friend recently did this to go on his honeymoon in Japan. |
You need a passport to get a visa. The visa goes IN your passport.
So what you're asking an empoyer to do is get a visa number (I don't even know if that's possible without a passport number*) AND a plane ticket BEFORE you even have a passport? Then you're hoping that the passport processing agency won't f-something up in the meantime and you can actually get your passport AND get your visa (there's time for that, too! Especially since you'd need to get the passport and visa number to Atlanta!) AND leave. All within two weeks.
You really ARE young, aren't you?
OR you're hoping that you can get a hogwon to get you a ticket BEFORE issuing you a passport number. Then you'll take that ticket and passport stuff to the processing, get passport, come here, EVENTUALLY do a visa run (if your employer doesn't screw you), probably end up working illegally for a while... For the record, schools usually fly you over here immediately (ie NOT willing to wait!) because a) they needed someone yesterday and/or b) they're going to screw you. In either case, they are NOT willing to wait while you get a passport.
And for the record, the passport office doesn't give a flying fig WHY you need a passport within two weeks, you're STILL going to pay extra for the speed.
Here's a piece of advice you'll need when dealing with Korea. Korea wants everything yesterday but they'll wait until tomorrow to tell you that. And anything involving red tape and gov't paperwork in any country around the world will take at least two times longer than you think it should. Three if they're communist.
Get the damn passport. Then worry about a job. My God. It isn't rocket science. 
* No, it's not. The visa application ITSELF calls for a passport number. |
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Munashiimaru
Joined: 25 Oct 2007
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| Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 10:36 pm Post subject: Re: Phone interview and passport questions |
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| Atavistic wrote: |
You need a passport to get a visa. The visa goes IN your passport.
So what you're asking an empoyer to do is get a visa number (I don't even know if that's possible without a passport number*) AND a plane ticket BEFORE you even have a passport? Then you're hoping that the passport processing agency won't f-something up in the meantime and you can actually get your passport AND get your visa (there's time for that, too! Especially since you'd need to get the passport and visa number to Atlanta!) AND leave. All within two weeks.
You really ARE young, aren't you?
OR you're hoping that you can get a hogwon to get you a ticket BEFORE issuing you a passport number. Then you'll take that ticket and passport stuff to the processing, get passport, come here, EVENTUALLY do a visa run (if your employer doesn't screw you), probably end up working illegally for a while... For the record, schools usually fly you over here immediately (ie NOT willing to wait!) because a) they needed someone yesterday and/or b) they're going to screw you. In either case, they are NOT willing to wait while you get a passport.
And for the record, the passport office doesn't give a flying fig WHY you need a passport within two weeks, you're STILL going to pay extra for the speed.
Here's a piece of advice you'll need when dealing with Korea. Korea wants everything yesterday but they'll wait until tomorrow to tell you that. And anything involving red tape and gov't paperwork in any country around the world will take at least two times longer than you think it should. Three if they're communist.
Get the damn passport. Then worry about a job. My God. It isn't rocket science.
* No, it's not. The visa application ITSELF calls for a passport number. |
I think you're reading too far into it. I was just trying to explain why I lacked knowledge about it, and I mentioned something I just found out. There was some good in your writing if not a little wordy, excessive emotively, and with vague masked personal insults so thanks  |
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Atavistic
Joined: 22 May 2006
Location: How totally stupid that Korean doesn't show in this area.
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| Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 11:09 pm Post subject: Re: Phone interview and passport questions |
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| Munashiimaru wrote: |
I think you're reading too far into it. I was just trying to explain why I lacked knowledge about it, and I mentioned something I just found out. There was some good in your writing if not a little wordy, excessive emotively, and with vague masked personal insults so thanks |
Was I vague?
Was I wordy?
Let me fix that.
You're an idiot. |
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Rae
Joined: 10 Oct 2007
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| Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 11:28 pm Post subject: |
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Just had a phone interview and was asked the following questions:
What was your college major?
Why do you want to teach in Korea?
Do you want to live in a small town?
How long do you want to stay in Korea?
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
The person I spoke was was very friendly and open for questions. The call lasted for 20-30 mins, but a lot of time was covered on the topic of location.
How it helps ^^ |
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Munashiimaru
Joined: 25 Oct 2007
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| Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 11:34 pm Post subject: Re: Phone interview and passport questions |
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| Atavistic wrote: |
| Munashiimaru wrote: |
I think you're reading too far into it. I was just trying to explain why I lacked knowledge about it, and I mentioned something I just found out. There was some good in your writing if not a little wordy, excessive emotively, and with vague masked personal insults so thanks |
Was I vague?
Was I wordy?
Let me fix that.
You're an idiot. |
Your maturity continues to impress me. Yes, your talk of flying figs/etc, select all caps words, implications of my youth (mostly the downsides of such) were all there to be read. I'm suposed to be the young one? Thanks for removing all doubt about your maturity with this post.
I messed up pretty bad, and I realized that. I'm sorry I didn't leave the womb with knowledge about passports and the timetables involved with them (I can do neat little sarcastic descriptions too). Nobody ever talks about passports just about visas so it wasn't something I picked up intently reading sites like this.
Did you ever think of telling me what you knew without all the insulting extra baggage, or did you think you would entertain the masses with what you wrote? |
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Rae
Joined: 10 Oct 2007
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| Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 11:40 pm Post subject: Re: Phone interview and passport questions |
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| Munashiimaru wrote: |
Also, I've never traveled outside the US, and am looking into applying for a passport. The person I was on the phone with today said it takes time to get so I assume I should have had it before looking for a job, but on the application form it asks for employer and travel times; I don't have definite answers for either of these. Are these required fields? |
Go to your nearest post office and get a passport application, some places even take your pictures for it with a fee (saves you time). There's an expedited service available if you need it (it's expensive). From my experience, it only took about a month to get my passport and I used their normal service (that was a few years ago though). The people at the post office can help you with the estimated time of delivery/processing - most are more than happy to get the right details too if you explain you need it by a certain time.
As for the required field, yes you need to fill-out the approximate date you can start/leave for Korea. You can go to your recruiters or organizations website to see the start dates. You don't have to specify the exact date. For instance, I'm looking for March positions that leave in February and put January 2008 as my start date.
Ignore the flamers, they've just forgotten how it was when they were also a noob <.< |
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Munashiimaru
Joined: 25 Oct 2007
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| Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 12:01 am Post subject: |
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Thanks everyone who posted (especially Rae). I sent the recruiter I was talking with an explaination of my mistake and that I would delay my search for a few weeks to a month.
For anyone wondering (seems doubtful but I'll add it anyway), expediated passports cost an extra 60$ and are suposed to take 2-3 weeks. |
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Atavistic
Joined: 22 May 2006
Location: How totally stupid that Korean doesn't show in this area.
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| Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 12:44 am Post subject: Re: Phone interview and passport questions |
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| Munashiimaru wrote: |
Did you ever think of telling me what you knew without all the insulting extra baggage, or did you think you would entertain the masses with what you wrote? |
I don't care about entertaining the masses. But I sense you will do plenty of that around here. |
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rhinocharge64
Joined: 20 Sep 2006
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| Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 3:58 am Post subject: |
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| What a tool!!! Be prepared to be eaten by the sharks my friend. That's a Hogwon to you my yankee mate. |
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