Korean Job Discussion Forums

[blonde researcher]

A lot has changed in the last 6 months for EPIK hiring criteria.

Much publicity goes around the 'equality ' of the hiring process and all being equal, BUT the reality is that equality may 'appear' to be there but it is not what happens.

First in first served for priority location is not abided by, but it sounds good.

New policy is in certainly in place for getting younger teachers and increased North American applicants AND to get applicants to avoid recruiters and apply direct to the EPIK website for priority processing.
Using a recruiter for extra service sounds good, but EPIK is certainly trying to avoid hiring from recuiters, and has increased the number of recruiters to 17, added more work and penalty to them, and has now added 13 universities etc who can provide directly to EPIK, plus using direct Korean overseas embassy applicants. (see whats new on EPIK newsboard)

Applicants wanting to get confirmed jobs for the 2010 intake should read the EPIKS own words from EPIK's 2009 hiring statistics.

http://epik.go.kr/upload/boardnews/200912/sub_2/sub_1.html

Facts from EPIK's own reporting:

96% of the Sept 2009 incoming teachers were in their 20s and 30s !

85.1% teachers arriving were from USA or Canada

690 teachers started for Sept 1st with 118 teachers were direct EPIK hires NO recruiters used[/b

Below are direct quotations from the Dec 2 2009 EPIK newsletter in the notices section on the EPIK website

Quote:

EPIK placed 690 Guest English Teachers at public schools in 14 provinces including the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SOME), with contracts starting on August 26th, 2009.

Quote:

EPIK had a great number of intake; 2,493 minds applied for EPIK. Out of these 2,493 applications (319% of the recruitment goal), 2,012 applicants (292%) were interviewed and 819 (119%) were recommended to the Provincial Offices of Education.

Quote:

For the September 2009 placement alone, EPIK recruited 118 Guest English Teachers through the direct application system.Enhancing the direct application system can contribute to budget savings

[b]The statistics for nationality for the Sept 1 intake is as follows;

US 61.6%,
Canada 23.5%,
UK 7.4%, (seems to include Ireland)
South Africa 3.3%,
New Zealand 1.9%
Australia 0.8%.

In age, most of the EPIK teachers are in their 20s or 30s,
87.8% and 8.3% respectively.

Any comments from recruiters on these facts ?
As for me ; I am just a long termer in Korea with a curiosity of the EPIK phenomena that has happened in the last 18 months, and the lack of genuine information given by many recruiters as to how teachers are really selected and placed.

[Depths of My Soul]

I like how they didn't spot the typo.

SOME would say it's a better name

[Mr. Pink]

I guess you don't see the reasoning behind those statistics:

1) It is logical that most of their workers would be people in their 20s and 30s, as this is the largest group of people who are leaving their home country and coming to Korea. This is the age grouping before people move into the career they will spend the rest of their life pursuing. Does it make sense for EPIK to hire those who are 55+ and who are looking to do this type of job as a post-retirement/layoff career? The majority of those people have roots in their home countries: spouses, kids, friends, a home, etc. So they don't head to Korea.

2) Why Americans and Canadians? Again numbers. Those in England or Ireland can legally work in Europe. Thus I would argue for those looking for adventure, why should they come to Korea when they can pick a number of countries within Europe? Americans and Canadians don't have that option. As well, there have always been a lot of Canadians in Korea due to the fact the citizens of Canada seem to be more willing to move beyond their comfort zone and neighborhood and explore the world around them. As well, there are many zones in Canada that have poor economies, and thus them going to Korea or moving across the whole country seems to have the same result: they are leaving home. Why not go somewhere exotic that can pay the bills?

Why are there not more NZ, AU or SA citizens working for EPIK? I have no idea. I would argue in the case of NZ, their population is the size of Kangnam-Gu, so they would have less coming.

Either way, stop making it look like EPIK is not an equal opportunity organization. I know of someone over 60 working for them, and a couple guys in their 40s. The facts are, the majority of people in ROK are in their 20/30s and from NA.

[TheUrbanMyth]

[Triban]

Life isn't equal; that is some knowledge I just dropped on you. Reality baybay.

[blonde researcher]

Please do not refer to the " I know plenty of 60 year olds working in EPIK" I am speaking only about recent months of EPIK policy only - not what happened more than 6 months ago or who has managed to stay in their jobs for a second contract.

Previously in 2007 and 2008 older applicants did get accepted for EPIK - I agree. (there was a shortage of applicants up until then, BUT where are the over 50yr olds who were NEW hired oldies in Sept 2009 or March 2010? Newly hired EPIK oldies in the last 6 months you are welcome to respond and prove me wrong.

I think you will find there were considerable older applicants looking for jobs who did get rejected by EPIK in the last 6 months.

Maybe some of the recent public school applicants who did not get interviews or job offers recently can also make comment on this, especially if they had different accents, different skin color or different sizes etc.

[Senior]

[Manuel_the_Bandito]

This may go some way to explain the increased amount of whinging about public schools these days.

[Welsh Canadian]

I think the fact that some schools want people under a certain age is that respect and age thing. If the principal is younger than you and has to tell you to do something he or she might feel awkard about it.

[Mr. Pink]

[bcjinseoul]

Last summer, I was 28, and probably one of the oldest people at the SMOE orientation at the Suwon Univesity campus. Lots of people new to Korea and teaching and hardly 22, 23, or 24 years old. Virtually no one looked like they were in their 40's...or 30's.

[blonde researcher]

The retirement age in Korea is 60 or 62 I believe, not 55 yrs.

I am not just highlighting the older age factor (or youth) of being accepted or not accepted to EPIK GEPIK and SMOE.
Up until six years ago the maximum age for EPIK was 45 years, then it went up to 55yrs when the government needed to employ hundreds more teachers in about 2003. It appears that now it is going back again in practise but not on the application details for qualifying.
EPIK's website still says 55, but I have heard from 2 different EPIK recruiters now is that 40 is the magical age to not be over.

'Hagwon like' discriminatory selections and hirings are definitely happenings in the public schools in 2010, such as body size and facial and hair appearance, 'perceived' health issues, skin color, ethnicity, unwanted accents, GPA performance (even if your major is education or English!).

if you have worked in Korea, or are working in Korea now, EPIK are phoning all your previous E2 visa sponsors to get your work history, which does not get you accepted if even one of your previous co teachers or hagwon directors gives negative comments. Applicants don't have any right of reply or get told what the director said. They just get told " you were not selected for an interview".

[PatrickGHBusan]

[hwa jang shil]

As a 41 year old Brit accepted by EPIK 2 weeks ago for a SMOE position I must be a real oddity. Woohoo! Though they haven't got me a school yet.

[sojusucks]

Is there a bias against NZ and Australia? One would assume that the cheaper airline tickets would make a difference with some penny-pinching schools.