Korean Job Discussion Forums

[abigolblackman]

I have been involved in quite a number of interviews here, on both sides of the table. I can't think of one professionally done interview.

In the case that I am looking for a job [in no particular order]:

1) The interview was conducted in front of the computer the manager was social networking on just before I walked in the room. There was cake and all kinds of snacks everywhere, so I really couldn't move unless I wanted to mess up my suit. Her son came in and out the room disrupting the interview. When she would ask a question or I would answer, the phone would ring and she would stop the interview and answer it.

2) I went into an interview and the first thing they told me was they don't hire men for the position I was applying for. [They saw my picture, so they knew I was a man, and my friend was the one to recommend me to the hagwon.]

3) [This one just happened] The recruiters calls me while I'm waiting for him at the station. He's stopped in the middle of the street in his jeep, and tells to run across the street and hop in. Once inside, he asks me about my experience, which I tell him and he disputes. After discrediting my experience [while we are driving to the school], he shows me the front gate of the school, then takes me to another station [not much is said during this period.] He stops the jeep and asks to see all my documents, which I show him. He then he the interview is over and that he will talk to the principal and call me later in the afternoon (I doubt it). He didn't ask anymore than 2 questions.

4) Even though I'm in Korea, I was asked to conducts a Skype interview. [Seems weird to me. I've driven 2 hours in the states for interviews.]

In the case that I am helping with the hiring:

1) On multiple occasions, the foreigners is wearing jeans and (often) a dirty/stained t-shirt. In fact, I have never seen a foreigner wear slacks, a button up, and a tie to an interview in Korea.

2) Foreigners resumes are too long and have clip-art. Yes clip-art. They list every job they have ever had including summer jobs from high school. Not every resume, but quite a few.

Anyone else have any experiences to share? Positive or negative? I know there has to be another side to this coin.

[moosehead]

1. The guy who was to interview me picked me up at the train station and turned out he was German, running an English village. The windows in the car were rolled up and clouds of weed poured out when I opened the door. It was surreal, to say the least.

2. One interview I was asked about my religion and when I tried to diplomatically not answer the q, it only infuriated the hakwon owner who was now determined to know what my religon was - since I didn't say - he asked if I was either a Satan-worshiper or a scientologist

3. The most professional interview I ever had was by a hakwon director whom I later became friends and professional associates with. Unfortunately, the owner went bankrupt a few years later.

[hwarangi]

...

[ThingsComeAround]

[VFRinterceptor]

I've gone to a few interviews here. The last one I went to was professional for the most part, until they started asking me questions like, and I kid you not,

What is the meaning of life

What is happiness

What is sadness

What religion are you

Anyways, good luck out there. Whatever works.

[Spongebob Squarepants]

I have been to one interview here that was conducted by an extremely professional interviewer (country manager for the company). He knew what he was doing, and I was impressed, and that's saying something.

Questions asked were ones I would have expected to have been asked if I had been interviewing for a corporate position back home.

He wasn't Korean though, so can't really generalize.

Sadly the job was given to someone with better Korean skills.

[thegadfly]

...not to support unprofessionalism, but...I can see the value in asking an unusual or odd question in an interview -- something that the interviewee probably has not thought about before, and for which has not prepared a scripted answer. If I am interviewing teachers, I DO want to know how they will react to an oddball question, how quickly they can think on their feet, and how well they could expound on something "off the cuff." Sometimes an unexpected question can reveal things about their personalities as well -- all potentially useful and helpful....

Of course, I do not think the questions presented in previous posts were asked in order to assess the abilities I mentioned...but if *I* ask an oddball question, it is to the purpose....

[fustiancorduroy]

Yes, I have had a few professional interviews in Korea. One was at the foreign-language high school that I used to work at, another was with the Korean Army Language School, and others were at major publishing companies in Korea and at the Korea Tourism Organization. At each interview, I was asked to explain my background experience and how I would respond in certain hypothetical situations. I will also say that I wore my shirt, tie, slacks, and blazer to those interviews, as well as bringing my resume and other materials to prove my experience.

If you are only interviewing at hagwons or through recruiters then, yes, you are more likely to be asked weird questions. That's just the way it is.

[Unposter]

Flat out NO.

[makemischief]

Yes. A number of unis conducted very professional interviews- one was lead by a foreigner, but the other one was lead by a Korean. Both great.

A well known artistic uni on the other hand...wow. It certainly wasn't boring at least. I quite enjoyed the insinuations that I was potentially a drug dealer.

Funny thing is: they still offered me the job. Um...no thanks.

[PatrickGHBusan]

Lack of professionalism exists on both sides of the employment fence.

Some employers run shoddy interviews. They then get employees of the same type.

Some applicants have no idea what an application should look like and end up getting the jobs discussed above.

As one who was on hiring committees and still is here in Canada, the number of unprofessional applicants is not decreasing. Sadly, it is increasing and getting worse.

The amusing trend from an employer perspective is the growing number of applicants with a chip on their shoulder and with the 'you owe me something' attitude...that is always good for a laugh.

[KoreanAmbition]

Yes.

I had 3 professional interviews in November. (1 was easy, but still professional.)

[flint]

Not only no but hell no.

The worst was with EPIK. They had all my papers and I was told everything was waiting for me to have a phone interview with the person in charge in Daejeon. It took almost a month to get the interview scheduled. He only asked one question: "When can you come?" That is it. That is what hiring me was hinging on.

The guy turned out out to be VERY unprofessional. He actually screwed up getting my VISA to me on time and I decided not to go there.

[OiGirl]

Excuse me, I need to go add some religious clip art to my resume.

[moosehead]

I forgot the one where I did a demo class and then was presented with 30,000 won for travel expenses and a gift (which I still have) - a manicure set in a stainless steel travel case.

the interview was professional but the gift and money thing threw me off, like, wtf??

anyone else ever receive a gift for showing up??


anyway, that one was a wash as the NET that was leaving wrote a bucket load of rants about the school