Korean Job Discussion Forums

[theatrelily]

After 2 years at my public school I have decided- for a myriad of reasons - to go back to my old hagwon job.

Today my supervisor approached me and asked me to help make a list of interview questions to ask the applicants seeking to be my replacement.

My first reaction was to chuckle sinisterly to myself as I plotted ways to make the questions as difficult and as ball-breaking as possible.

But as it turns out, that initial evil streak was primarily due to low blood sugar; now that I've had lunch I have no desire to mess with their heads.

I managed to complete a brief list of serious interview questions for the teachers to use, but I am curious:

What would you seriously ask someone who was interviewing for your public school job?

What questions would you ask to mess with their heads or to conduct an interview from hell?

[Whistleblower]

1. What do you enjoy about teaching?
2. How would you describe your teaching style?
3. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
4. Why do you want to work in Korea?
5. Have you been to Korea before? If so, how was it?
6. What do you expect Korea to be like?
7. How would you deal if you were in ______ situation?

I remember going for an interview with Sainsbury's in the UK and the interview was conducted in a less than adequate situation (in the staff cafeteria). The interview consisted of choosing the best answer for a range of situations based on helping a customer in the supermarket. I find it really sucked and there were no real questions about the work, culture, company, etc. I decided to choose the worst answers in each situation. No wonder I was not offered a job.

I know it ain't the same when interviewing for a job in Korea but I would recommend that you ask questions related to the job. Otherwise, the applicant is not going to take it seriously.

[theatrelily]

Thanks for the suggestions.


I had suggested similar questions...along with:

What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome at your last job and what did you learn from the experience that will help you with your job here?

I saw the resumes of the two applicants and they both have prior experience in Korea. They are both more than qualified and my school is a pretty good gig....hopefully one of them will be a good fit - my coworkers deserve as much.

I won't actually be present at the interviews; rather I was asked to make the list for my supervisor to ask so she wouldn't be blundering her way through.


Anyone else have any serious suggestions, or questions that would have been fun to mess with them?

[hugekebab]

1. Can you breath air.

2. Were you born in the West.


Ach sorry, I'm being a smart arse.

Ask them some grammar questions, that'll sort the wheat from the chaff.

[Whistleblower]

Yeah definately grammar questions:

1. What is the difference between:
a. I will go to the cinema.
b. I'm going to the cinema.


That will freak them out a bit. I took my first job so seriously with a hagwon that I ended up studying grammar for weeks before I applied. Turned out that a monkey could end up in a hagwon.

[theatrelily]