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mysterious700
Joined: 10 Mar 2006
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 Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 10:07 pm Post subject: Are teaching jobs for the public school in Seoul hard to get |
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| Are teaching jobs for the public school in Seoul hard to get? I mean because of the demand. How many of you have been successful and how many failed? What was the phone interview like? I worked at a public school in the countryside previously. Now, I want to live in Seoul. What questions were you asked for the interview? Please let me know. I may apply for September openings. |
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IncognitoHFX
Joined: 06 May 2007
Location: Yeongtong, Suwon
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 10:09 pm Post subject: |
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I heard that in Seoul, public schools generally entertain between 15 and 20 candidates for one position before offering it. This really turned me off from applying there, but since then Lee Myung Bak has demanded a lot more foreign teachers in the public schools which could really help you out.
I have an interview on Saturday with a public school in Suwon so I'll post here again when I know how it turns out. There is only one other person applying for the job, and he is in Canada with no experience, so I believe I'm a shoe-in.
Maybe you should try the satellite cities? |
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brento1138
Joined: 17 Nov 2004
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 10:14 pm Post subject: |
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| IncognitoHFX wrote: |
I heard that in Seoul, public schools generally entertain between 15 and 20 candidates for one position before offering it. This really turned me off from applying there, but since then Lee Myung Bak has demanded a lot more foreign teachers in the public schools which could really help you out.
I have an interview on Saturday with a public school in Suwon so I'll post here again when I know how it turns out. There is only one other person applying for the job, and he is in Canada with no experience, so I believe I'm a shoe-in.
Maybe you should try the satellite cities? |
It's pretty easy in Gyeonggi-do, judging by some of the "candidates" who actually got a job here... if they could get the job, anyone could! |
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crazy_arcade
Joined: 05 Nov 2006
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 10:15 pm Post subject: |
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| IncognitoHFX wrote: |
I heard that in Seoul, public schools generally entertain between 15 and 20 candidates for one position before offering it. This really turned me off from applying there, but since then Lee Myung Bak has demanded a lot more foreign teachers in the public schools which could really help you out.
I have an interview on Saturday with a public school in Suwon so I'll post here again when I know how it turns out. There is only one other person applying for the job, and he is in Canada with no experience, so I believe I'm a shoe-in.
Maybe you should try the satellite cities? |
Yeah, weird huh? Who would ever want to work for a school that actuals filters their candidates. That'd almost be professional..... |
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mysterious700
Joined: 10 Mar 2006
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 10:19 pm Post subject: |
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| crazy_arcade wrote: |
| IncognitoHFX wrote: |
I heard that in Seoul, public schools generally entertain between 15 and 20 candidates for one position before offering it. This really turned me off from applying there, but since then Lee Myung Bak has demanded a lot more foreign teachers in the public schools which could really help you out.
I have an interview on Saturday with a public school in Suwon so I'll post here again when I know how it turns out. There is only one other person applying for the job, and he is in Canada with no experience, so I believe I'm a shoe-in.
Maybe you should try the satellite cities? |
Yeah, weird huh? Who would ever want to work for a school that actuals filters their candidates. That'd almost be professional..... |
Is this because of the demand to work in Seoul? Everyone wants to live there. I would be open to major cities in Gyeonggi-do and maybe even Daejeon as it's only an hour away via the KTX. Please let me know how it turns out with the interview (other person). I have a year of experience in the public school in the countryside. I hope this can help me to get in. |
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cbclark4
Joined: 20 Aug 2006
Location: Masan
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 10:22 pm Post subject: |
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| IncognitoHFX wrote: |
I heard that in Seoul, public schools generally entertain between 15 and 20 candidates for one position before offering it. This really turned me off from applying there, but since then Lee Myung Bak has demanded a lot more foreign teachers in the public schools which could really help you out.
I have an interview on Saturday with a public school in Suwon so I'll post here again when I know how it turns out. There is only one other person applying for the job, and he is in Canada with no experience, so I believe I'm a shoe-in.
Maybe you should try the satellite cities? |
Yes this is true when only 2 people apply for this position they entertain 15 or 20 candidates.
Probably during the local election season. |
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Saxiif
Joined: 15 May 2003
Location: Seongnam
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 10:34 pm Post subject: |
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| Try some of the private schools, (not hagwons) there's large numbers of them in Seoul and they usually hire more foreigners than the public ones (some of my hagwon's kids have 7 foreigners in their private school). |
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Binch Lover
Joined: 25 Jul 2005
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 10:45 pm Post subject: |
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| IncognitoHFX wrote: |
| I heard that in Seoul, public schools generally entertain between 15 and 20 candidates for one position before offering it. |
Where did you get this info? I'd be VERY surprised if that is the case. I started at SMOE last March, and there were a few people in the group at orientation who had no teaching experience. There were also many who only had a year at a hagwon.
I had a year's experience plus TEFL certification and I got the job with no problem even though I applied in early February. They even placed me in the area of my choice. |
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IncognitoHFX
Joined: 06 May 2007
Location: Yeongtong, Suwon
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 10:50 pm Post subject: |
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| crazy_arcade wrote: |
| IncognitoHFX wrote: |
I heard that in Seoul, public schools generally entertain between 15 and 20 candidates for one position before offering it. This really turned me off from applying there, but since then Lee Myung Bak has demanded a lot more foreign teachers in the public schools which could really help you out.
I have an interview on Saturday with a public school in Suwon so I'll post here again when I know how it turns out. There is only one other person applying for the job, and he is in Canada with no experience, so I believe I'm a shoe-in.
Maybe you should try the satellite cities? |
Yeah, weird huh? Who would ever want to work for a school that actuals filters their candidates. That'd almost be professional..... |
I didn't mean the jobs weren't worth trying for. I'm sure they are decent jobs, for the most part. I meant that it is pointless to even try for someone in my position, or maybe the OPs (don't know him), as I don't have any experience.
I wasn't trying to criticize the schools or the system. |
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Bibbitybop
Joined: 22 Feb 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 11:00 pm Post subject: |
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| SMOE will hire you if you are qualified and presentable. Usually, this means more than a BA, but I know a couple people with just a BA in SMOE. |
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mysterious700
Joined: 10 Mar 2006
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| Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 4:04 pm Post subject: |
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| well, basically, i have a 4 year degree and a year's experience in the countryside teaching in the public schools. it has probably taken me most of that year to learn how to teach or i should say what to teach or how to do lesson plans, etc. (of course when korean co-teachers don't help with the lesson planning that could explain the length of time it took.) i had heard of a couple with a year's hogwan experience getting in but i don't know what other qualifications they had. i suppose it would come down to demand. most people with full education degrees probably would either not come here or not stay long. then again maybe not. anyone work in the schools in Seoul? what type of questions were you asked for the interview? |
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Bibbitybop
Joined: 22 Feb 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 4:44 pm Post subject: |
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| mysterious700 wrote: |
| well, basically, i have a 4 year degree and a year's experience in the countryside teaching in the public schools. it has probably taken me most of that year to learn how to teach or i should say what to teach or how to do lesson plans, etc. (of course when korean co-teachers don't help with the lesson planning that could explain the length of time it took.) i had heard of a couple with a year's hogwan experience getting in but i don't know what other qualifications they had. i suppose it would come down to demand. most people with full education degrees probably would either not come here or not stay long. then again maybe not. anyone work in the schools in Seoul? what type of questions were you asked for the interview? |
The recruiters that SMOE uses do the initial and more rigorous screening process. My friend with a MA was told by a recruiter that he "might not be qualified." I told him that was BS and like most recruiters, they were lying.
The interview doesn't consist of difficult questions, unless they changed it recently. "Why do you want to live in Korea?" "Why do you want to work with children?" I even got "Did you know Korea has 4 seasons?" |
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mysterious700
Joined: 10 Mar 2006
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| Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 5:54 am Post subject: |
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| So, how is the working environment and teaching conditions in a Seoul public school? Do you plan all the lessons yourself or do the Korean coteacher help you? Do you have to stick to the book (which is half written in Korean)? Can you do whatever you want for a teaching activity? How strict is it? I use my own material and lead my own classes in the countryside. The Korean teachers help when I need it but mostly leave me alone and let me do whatever I want. I am afriad of giving up this freedom and independence if I do go teach in Seoul. Please fill me in on what a typical day consists of. (Also, how are the apartments? Are they nice, holes in the ground, or somewhere inbetween? Are they new or are they old?) |
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Bibbitybop
Joined: 22 Feb 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 6:16 am Post subject: |
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| mysterious700 wrote: |
| So, how is the working environment and teaching conditions in a Seoul public school? Do you plan all the lessons yourself or do the Korean coteacher help you? Do you have to stick to the book (which is half written in Korean)? Can you do whatever you want for a teaching activity? How strict is it? I use my own material and lead my own classes in the countryside. The Korean teachers help when I need it but mostly leave me alone and let me do whatever I want. I am afriad of giving up this freedom and independence if I do go teach in Seoul. Please fill me in on what a typical day consists of. (Also, how are the apartments? Are they nice, holes in the ground, or somewhere inbetween? Are they new or are they old?) |
Working conditions and academic freedom: Roll the dice. Each school is different. Some teachers do whatever they want and use no book. Others are made to teach only from the book and only certain lessons decided upon by the co-teachers. Most people are in between and many can find a comfortable level with their school based on experience and attitude. Some people love their school. Some hate theirs and leave early.
Living conditions: Roll the dice. See the thread in the job-discussion forum about the Co-op Residence for a glimpse of the worst SMOE housing. |
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egrog1717
Joined: 12 Mar 2008
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| Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 7:20 am Post subject: |
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Bib is correct - the recruiter interview was a lot more indepth than my SMOE one (which I did last night... crossing my fingers - I have an H.BA as well as a year and a half of student teaching experience)
Recruiter interview:
About 20 - 25 minutes long...
1) General administrative stuff (University you graduated from, where do you want to apply, are you looking to apply with someone or go by yourself, medical conditions, criminal record, do you have teaching certification of any kind, do you have teaching experience of any kind, etc...)
2) Interview questions
- Why do you want to teach in Korea?
- Describe a time when you dealt with multiculturalism in a teaching envrionment
- Describe a time when you enjoyed helping a student to learn something new
3) Asked me if I had any questions
SMOE Interview:
Just under 10 minutes long...
1) General admin stuff (double checking university, medical background, applying alone or with someone else, etc...)
2) Interview questions
- Why do you want to teach in Korea?
- Have you done any research into the schooling system in Korea?
- A question about your teaching philosophy
3) Asked me if I had any questions
Like I said in my post on the Job board... The SMOE interview seemed very short by comparison (which prompted me to kick into worry-mode...) but a few people have said that their experiences are very similar...
My best advice would be to say apply for what you want... The worst anyone can do is say no... |
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